Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-04-12
DIANA'S VISITOR.

all put on their overcoats and tho wom-
en- their wraps The doors were shut and
the windows pulled down. The violets
were hiding their purple petals under
the broad green leaves; the golden bios
som Of the Siberian shrub that, almond
like hung On its leaf1ess branches,
seemed to be shivering. Only tho brave
snow white Roman hyacinths out in the
yard stood erect in the cold, clear air and
brought thoughts Of pure eyed Faith,
white handed Hope and lowering angles
girt with golden wings." Queer fancies
about the old doctrine Of the transmit
grafton Of souls seemed whispered by
the tiny tinkle Of one white bell, while
the Naturalization Of another hinted
that the spirit of the lady in Comus had
como again to earth and was visibly
embodied in this beautiful flower.
The unattending ears Of Mrs. de Lam
cey, however, caught none of these
sounds az she trudged past the stately
old Graham place, where the hyacinths
stood in the yard in great groups. Far
other thoughts engaged her mind, while
her eye sought her own cabin home on
"de turr side de great house" "How
long have you been living out herer"
asked her companion, straight, 1.-THE,
chestnut colored young man, well dressed
and with certain self respecting air
that was unmistakable.
Ever sence de beginment Of de war
times bin hv dar. Dar whar all my
chillern wuz borned Hit gwine on 10
year sence de las one come. jes' been
see dat gal, kase she saunt after me.
She o smart gal, she is, an she teachin
school down in Atlanta now. De chile
done change her name so dat doan'
know who de folks talkin bout when
dey dress her. I name her Dromaky,
arter de pictur ole merster had bout
Hector and Dromaky' hangin up in de
dinin room, but she say dat mighty
ig'nant name, and she done change to
Ruth. calls her Dromaly, an dat what
'spect to call her. I'ze 58 year ole, de
boss say, an you cyan't teach old dog
new trick. Amt dat so?''
Ahndly smile rested on the face Of the
young man who was SO courteously carry.
ing Mrs. de Lancey's black, shiny valise.
His answer was an indirect one: "I think
Ruth is beautiful name. Dromaky,
too, seems beautiful when it means
Ruth"
"Whar you come f'om, man? You
talk sorter proper, like my gal do. I
how'd soon as sot eyes on you when
de train stop dar you wuz q quality mig
ger bedout you openin your mouf. Now
you done tote my cyarpet bag and done
show de 'havior of gint man, know
you bin fotch up right. amt got no
disparagement bout you. Knows quail
ity folks when sees 'em. Dat de kind
I bin use ter all my life. Dat de kind
Dromaky bin use to, but us doan talk
alike, 'kaze she got de vantage of eddi-
cation an book larnin more dan her
nanny is Bat she got good horse
sense, too, dat chile is, an she amt no
more shame Nv me dan eff wuz high
learnt 'oman lack de black folks is desc
days. I fotch Dromaky up right. When
she want to be runnin round wild, lack
some de black chillern an de white chill |
lern, too, does, I took holt Nv her, I did,
an checktise dat gal tell rectify her.
Dat huccome she SO spectacle and 'spon-
sibled now. Chillern got ter be check
tised, man!'
Again that pleased, quiet happy smile |
played over the face Of the young man,
xr,bo hod i,,cf raaobaJ 1v,f n S,,,ootb
brown hand to take the rough, horny,
age veined hand of Dromaky's mother |
and assist her in stepping across mud
dy place in the path that, turning aside |
from the big road, led by nigh cut"
to the whitewashed cabin among the |
clustering pines.
SIS the nearest house your home-the |
one with the honeysuckle clambering
over it and the jonquils in the yard2
How pretty they lookl"
''Dey bleedged ter look bright, dem
blooms is, 'kaze Dromaly sot dem
ont when she want knee high to q
duck She a mighty chile fur lovin
flowers, an ole miss gin her dem roots,
'kaze de pig yard done overgrowed
wild 'em, a. she want mo- room for
her hyacinths what you see bendin an
wavin 'hout yonder. Dromaky wuz
de white folksN favorite an de black
folks favorite too Wharsomever dat
chile go she 'taches folks to her. She
ain discontemptious an bigoty like some
gals, an she got heap fun bout her."
By this time they had reached the
gate Of the little yard with it's clumps
Of pines its patches Of tender grass, its
great bed of daffy y-down-dillies dancing
in the February breezes, and like the
face Of Lady Una making sunshine in a
shady place. The young man held the
gate open for Diana to pass in first, hesi-
tated moment, then went in himself,
saying, 'T will put your valise on the
porch"
''You got ter eat q snack wild me,
man. You done act dc gentleman to me.
You must er come from de low country.
De black folks and de white folks bofe
down dar, got raisin's and behavement.
Dey amt got no righteousness an de
disparagement dat de folks got up hyar
in dis part de worl Us used ter live
down dar after we coined f'om Freder-
icksburg, fore we coined up hyar. Come
long in an eat asnack wild me. Igwine
meek some coffee an fry some meat, an
Dromaky done stuff dat balise plumb
full nv good things ON one side. gwine
give you some, kase you got sich good
raisin's."
She seemed scarcely aware that her
companion had rarely spoken during
their long walk His very silence had