Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-31


en- saved money. den started ter EN- wuz
happy 'nough on de way bac' aer do me
lifetime.
wunst mo-, l flew lax 1 he'd wings. 1 WIZ
SO j'yful. 1 walked fun de railroad out
fer I'd spent mos of my change fer presents
fer 'em all. De qua'ters wuz mighty nigh
empty, but / see smoke kernin' outer de
ole chimbly whut he'd been ourn. en-
knowed Jabe wuz dere yit. En- mebby
leetle Judy he'd got big 'nough ter cook
fer I'd been GAVIN ten yurs, en- wudn't she
be glad ter see her old nanny? jis' fairly
flew down dat big road, a-raisin' de dust lax
boss drove. L slung dat ca'pet bag right
en- lef', en- strutted prouder'n did on de
bloc in Richmon'. I'd been 'maginin dat
baby sayin' Nanny, KEN bac'.' all dis long
while, en- who knowed but whut 1t read ed
up de house en- cooked now, sayin, Meoby
nanny i'll be home terday.'
Il got ter de do en- young yaller wo-
man sot In de sunshine a-mendin' britches.
but didn't see no leetle gal flynn round
gittin' dinner, en- dat knocked up my cack-
citations.
do Jabe Scales live hyurT axed de
woman. en- she say he do. En- say, Use
de wife dat wuz sol in slavery
I'm, chillen, who You reckin dat wuz!
1t WIZ lump. dat same lump, growed a
sight bigger'n l ever thought she would.
but whut You reckin she say? 'Mebby You
wuz his wife in slavery says she. but Use
his wife in freedom en- Jabe's GAVIN ter
town wild Mawse Alexis team.
Il jis' fell fat. De BRET wuS knocked out
er me.
outlaw, eff dis amt Ant Roxiev say
she den. En- L say, L nuver b'lieved Jabe
wud do dat You cudn't a-beat it inter my
head all day long, EFF l wuzn't hyur ter see
fer myself. Whut med you, Tump?'
She begin ter cry, en- said dey didn't
married agin too. / luked at her street.
Dem amt my idees of marriage says 1.
'Whey's my BABY, den? She sorter gasped
en- showed de whites Of her eyes.
Sh an a axxyI-
ed Inc fiat
Whey is ftp 1 axed.
" 'Dade. she say again.
'Whey's its little bones, Use axin'r
Den she pinted out de place, en- / lef
en- went ter dat leetle grave whut wuzn't
no bigSern de crib I'd seen it in las en-
fell DOWN side il, en- hid my burnin' shame
face in its cool green grass; en- 10 / got
up heard snap, en- knowed my heart
he'd popped in two at las. 1t was ter BILE
still out in dem woods De wind jis move
de broomsaidge. en- de pine trees roared
nouSh ter mex you feel slIeery when yuse
way off in graveyard by yo'se'f. Now'n
then pa fridge wud whir up, en- mex me
jump. All ter wunst 1 heard sUmpin LAX
sumpln sayin', hurry off! en- / nuver
stopped ter think it out, but hurried at
wunSt.
80 1 KEN down ter dishyer state, en-
nuVer let ON who l wuZ tell now. Dat ole
Niger out dere is Jabe Scales, dat Tump's
ole man. not mine, en- l amt gwan hev
speech wild him. Use too puppindicklar ter
resk multiplyin words wild him"
She broke into sobs again. and We went
to the window.
He looks poor and old and forsaken"
We said. Hear him cough! Look at the old
hands shake, and his toes are out of his
boots. His trousers must have been cut
when the water was high, and look at that
coat! Poor, dtlapidated old MANI
Roxie came and peeped over our Shout
ders.
'Dasso," she said Dat lump orter
Ind 10 ll1lx lal sla
tubbe-sho! When Beck kems. she'll be
skeered outer her senses by him. Use gwan
put my scruples in my pocket, en- feed him
en- clean him up, an SEN him bac' ter dat
lump ter show her how ter treat a man.
She did put on monstus airs when she say
she wuz his wife in freedom. lax freedom
wuz de pr'r-book. 1 amt nuver called it
such a fine thing ter be wife in freedom"
She bathed her face, then went out into
the yard, singing as mournfully as ever:
"Dey's lam dat is fa'rer den day,
En- by faith We kin see it far off,
She pretended to see nothing but the
clothes on the lines, which she took off, |
piece by piece, and put into baskets. The
old man left the steps and tottered toward
her.
"Roxie" he called. in a tremulous old
voice.
"Whut ole man is your" she asked, turn
ing and looking at him unconcernedly.
"Doan you know me. RoXie?' he said,
casting sheepish. deprecatng glance at
his rags.
Il guess you ter be some ole man slipped
off fun de po'-house." was the cool reply.
"Roxie"
"Or some ole runaway niger been hidin'
ever sence befo' de wah.''
"Now, RoXie!'
"Or some ole ha'nt Of q Niger whut de
Ku-KluX hung" |
why, RoXie!"
"Or some ole skeercrow whut got blowed |
erway, en- lodged down hyur."
No. 1 amt. Roxie. none O. dem. Use
po', no-count ole Niger, named Jabe Scales. |
whut ulster live up in Tenn'see, dat you |
wuz married ter way wunst"
"De-laws-a-massy!' exclaimed Rookie |
"Ain't you outer yo' min? Huhkom you |
II KEN ter fin you.'' he said. Il med |
s'arch tell l foun' you, RoXie." |
Roxie's hand clutched at the clothes-line |
for support, and she looked away toward |
the noun tains.
Il got dem papers, dem Lighthouses, you |
sent, Roxie, en- Mawse Alexis leetle boy |
ulster READ EN- ter me. en- I'd go off by my
SET en- think over EN- en- cry; en- at las l
cujn't keep fun keemin' no longer. Tumpy |
she done daie en- GAVIN. She nuver toll me |
tell de las dat you wuz back dat time, en-
didn't blame her, kase 1t wudn't a-he'ped
matters none. En- she say, Go hunt A mt
Roxie, en- mex 1t right But amt akin
you ter marry me over, RoXie. 1 know |
yuse lukin' up higher trees fer better ber-
ries; but / js' wanter stay 'roun in hear
in of you. Kin l, Roxie?"
RoXie brought her eyes back from the |
hill She looked once at the eager old face. |
then looked down. Old Jabe leaned heavily
on his cane
EN- Tumpy's dade?" she said at last
1.-TWO yurs, KEN mex month";"
"She done all right by your
'She done her bes," was the reply.
"You didn't miss me- den?
Yes, did. RoXie but Tumpy sorter ken
soled me, en- We talked erbout po' Roxie
ever blessed day."
"Po lump! En- whey'd you lay herr
"'Side o. leetle Judy
RoXie got exceedingly busy all at once,
and pulled the clothes off the line with a
vengeance. She tore a lace curtain into
fragments in her excitement, then flung
it away as IL il did not belong to Miss
Fancher and as if Miss Fancher were as
amiable as a spring lamb. Old Jabe watch
ed her with fascinated eyes.
"Lemme hep tote 'em in he said. TAX
ing up the basket he carried it to the steps.
"Roxie. it luks honey bout hyur." he
said presently. "Doan it, now?'
Roxie's eyes travelled no further than to
where the crooked, stopped old man stood,
gazing contentedly about him, drinking in
the peace and beauty of the hills and val
leys and little brooks, not overlooking
Roxie's clean yards, big wood-pile, and
show on all sides of a modest plenty.
1T do now she answered. softly. Go
bull on a fire in de kitchen, JADE. en- les
git supper. En- when dat poke-easy chile
of a Beck whut mus TEX her observations
ez she goes long, puts in her pear'nce,
o. har for 10 Nhar