The record-union., 1894-09-20

thing that he can have a colored man do
for him. Almost the first thing that was
done for me in the house was
the appointment Of a valet to take care OF
me. Every male person in the house,
even to the little boys, had his valet. and
every woman had her maid. The Wallets
are always called boys no matter what
| their age. After my first nights sleep
was awakened by hearing some one
moving about the room, In my half
asleep condition | saw that the sun was
just rising and that the person in the
room was my boy Moses. | watched
with some interest to see what he would
do.
''There was a sound of pouring water
on the little balcony upon which my
room opened in the rear-a balcony in
closed with Venetian blinds and divided
by similar blinds into little pens, one be-
hind each room. a moment later Moses
was in the room laying out suit OF
pajamas for me. Then the mosquito net
ting opened and his smiling face ap-
peared.
lis you ready for your bawth, Maws
Thomas?' he asked.
Everyone in the house was invariably
addressed by his or her first name. Even
the mistress of the house was Miss Beat
rlce,' though she was a gray-haired mat
ron. The sole exception to the rule was
the planter himself, who was 'Maws
Colonel
''Moses, with big sponge and tub of
water in the balcony bathroom, made the
best shower combination | ever en-
countered, and when it was over he pro-
duced razor and proceeded to barber
me. l was surprised that he left me to
climb into the pajamas without assistance,
but / understood that a few minutes later
when he re-appeared with tray, on
which were dish of fruit, a cup of coffee,
some biscuits and Il box of cigarettes
This early morning bite was spread out
on the front balcony, where all the
other gentlemen and boys OF the house
were already gathered in their pajamas
behind similar trays, the ladies not
being visible till several hours later
had had hardly made start before Moses
came with another tray, bringing a cock
tail tor me. There was no cocktail for
anybody else; but my host was under the
impression that IL Is universal custom
in New York to begin the day with
cocktail. 1t was always the choice time
Of the day, thai early morning bite, in
the cool breeze and the loose pajamas,
with the sun just up out of the distant
sea, and the birds singing.
"By O'Clock we were all in our usual
clothes, with the assistance of our bows.
and there were always saddled ponies in
the yard for ali who choose to ride. Some
times we rode down TO the shore, some
times into the mountains, and occasion
ally 10 neighboring plantation; but
whatever way we went our boys went
with us. because we might possibly be in
need of some attention while away. In
my subsequent excursions into the
mountains my Moses was always along
OH another pony, and never dinner
time came but he took pains to prowl
about the distant kitchen to learn what
was cooking. He took care to then in
form me of what was coming, and to in
quire whether | liked light meat or dark
rare or well done. salads dressed with oil
or without. This was because each mans
boy waited upon him at dinner and
knowing his tastes, had everything ready
to his liking. Naturally l soon fell into
the habit of depending upon Moses for
everything, and L am sure that another
fortnight of that easy life would have
made me utterly useless.
Il had chance to spend only one night
in the mountains of Montserrat, but then
l learned the necessity of surrounding
the houses with white sand. OF course
no such pains was taken with the mount
ain cabins, and l made the acquaintance
of a fine variety of insects. My arrival
at the cabin was very different from the
way in which | went to the Jamaica
cabins. There the colored people, though
hospitable, were entirely independent.
and knew that they could either take me
in or send me about my business, as they
chose. In Montserrat they are much
more dependent upon the planters; and
when Moses rode ahead, to tell the peo-
pie of the cabin that he and a guest of
"AIaws ColoneP' would do them the
! honor to spend the night in their
house, the effect was very much as
if some Englishman in New York should