The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-04-15
CINDT'S EASTER LILY.

togedder, for didn't Miss Cunnel Antho-
ny low she'd gimme dollah an ha'f fer
it yestiddy kase it's sech a big one?
Lemme see, dar's one, two, tree, fo', five,
six, seben, eight, nine buds. oh. hun
n.y." she fairly shouted now, mine of
'em; nine, sho's L lib. Great day in de
mawnin', nine of 'em."
And she threw herself upon the floor,
rocking to and fro in the widest ecstasy;
then she sat up again and began counting
upon her fingers.
"Lemme see; aiggs am thirty cents
dozen, am dollah an q ha'f is-w'y,
king'um cum ag'in, 1 kin buy all de aiggs
an de colorin' dat l wants.
Ever and anon Lucinda's eyes wan
! dered to the tall, graceful stalk of Easter
lilies that grew in an old cracked earth
enware jar on the narrow window-sill.
Want it de luckiest day what cher
had Wen l passed ole Mars Hastin's
flowah sto'? Les see, cts jes' a month
go wen 1 done seen dat ar fiowah fall
outen de wagon, an it jes' natchelly
broke-no, Bonded; yo' 'Cindy, yo's d
mighty cunnin' chile, yo' is. Wen Mis-
tab Hastin's done said, Oar goes anodder
dollah-kain't sell dat now; might jes' es
well trow it way what did yo' do. yo'
SuiililI DllI Slllt up W blG IidlI
an ak could yo' hav' it? An what yo'
s'pose, yo' brack imp, dat Mistah
Hastin's SAID? He jes' said, TAX it
'long, but dom taxi de pot an diden.
l jes' done brung dat POI broken-down
t1owah home, an planted it, an nussed it
like it was de orfendest kind NV a little
pickaninny dat diden hab emmy mudder
| ner ladder; only it wasen jes' de right
co'lah TO- downright pickaninny-an' L
tied it up agains' a stick when it begin to
grow, an | glib it all de watah what it
drink an all de bright sunshine what it
wanted fer to keep it VAIN. Fus' it
'peared like it was jes' going to fade way
an die, but it diden. Glory hallelulija'!
AM now Pse gwine to sell it fer money
Dress de Lawd."
Lucinda Jane Sprague was her name,
and she was happy little darky, with
bright, shining black eyes, two rows of
| pearly white teeth, and little round head
covered all over with kinky black hair.
| She was an only child, and lived with her
mother, who was widow. Their dwell
ing was a small whitewashed cabin of
! Two rooms, and was one of a number of
| cabins of similar size and structure stand
| ing in row upon the sunny little street,
with tiny patch of garden in the front of
each. All of these little cabins were oc-
cupied by negro families, and although
crowded closely together there was an air
OF neatness and thrift about them that be-
| tokened the better class of colored popu-
lation. For this reason, perhaps, it be-
came known TO the town at large as
Happy Hollow"
Near the front window OF the cabin
grew a struggling morning-glory vine,
which Lucinda had attempted, with the
assistance of some rusty nails and pieces
| OF string, to train over the sash. As she
lay upon the floor, gazing upon her won
derful possession. the Easter lily, she
thought she saw the face of a neighbor
boy peering in at the window, but the
swaying vine partly obscured the view.
She was on her feet in an instant, and
running to the door opened it, and
looked out just in time TO see a pair of
/ black legs disappearing around the cor
ner of the house.
"Heah, yo' Caesar Humphreys, yo' lit
. tie no-account niggah, wat yo' peepin' in
my windah TO, jes' like a t'ef?'' she
shouted after him, running in pursuit.
But the little black legs had been too
quick for her, and had carried the curly
head and mischievous face safely behind
an adjacent woodpile. Behind this forth
tication he remained until Lucinda had
retraced her steps to the house.
Mrs. Sprague, who had been washing
at the big house." as they called Colonel
Anthony's, at this moment entered, and
| Lucinda asked:
NANNY; did the missus say anythin'
bout de liiy?"
"Lawsy, chile, yo' doan't t'ink oh moth
in but dat missile ole flowah; does yo'
reckin odder folkses does de same?
Reckin we're nanny had her hams full
wild de washin'; sides, L WANT gwine TO
be askin' bout dat air towah."
"Reckin wen l gifts de dollah an hat
fer dat ole tlowah yo'll stop callin' dat
Hubby blossum Names"
WHATS dat. chile? What yo' goin' to
do wild all dat money? Yo' can't spen'
all dat money on no count Eastah aiggs.
Wen yore pore ole NANNY amt got no
co'nmeal in de house fer to make de hoe
cakes outen."
Il hain't gwine to, nanny. Use
| gwine to glib ha'f to yo' an take de res
and buy a string oh beautiful beads, an
jes' mighty few aiggs an some colorin.
Use gwine ter glib Sally Johnson some
and Cesar some Oh de aiggs 'kase |
reckin dere mammies won't have enny:
yes, an mebby Pse gwine ter buy anod-
der small lily an grow it up big like dis
I'm fo' mex Eastah.''
Lam sakes, chile, how yer be gwine
ter make dat money stretch, bent yo'?
But yo' hain't got it yet, so doan' spen' it
afore yo' gets it, OATS my 'tickler advice
to yo', chile"
After supper that evening Lucinda's
mother disappeared into the neighboring
cabin for her customary chat Excite
ment and longings for the morrow had
caused unusual fatigue to the little Luz
cinda, and with one last look at her preci-
GUS plant she climbed into bed. and was
soon living in dreamland, where the lily
had grown so tall that it reached the cell
ing, while from out each wax-like bud
there peeped an Easter egg, tinted with
rainbow hues.
ock-a-doodle-doo."
Lucinda woke with a start and sat ND
in bed, rubbing her eyes. The dim.
gray light of a new dawn was Just begin
ming to illuminate the small square win
| dow showing only the faint ontIipas of