The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1894-12-19

the light But how will she get 10
church without spelling them? It's Il
mile from your house, and tho mud
will bo knee deep You know it always
rains week when the wind is in tho
south.
"Yessum, hit + gwine bo bad. DEFY done
'cided at church mectin dat Nicely mus
dress in de clostes house dar an den
come out, an be sot up in CT no top bug
gy, an have eight CT dc big boys pull
her up ter de church do. Den Mist
Pasco. he gwine take her outcu hit mt
tote her up dc aisle an set her in de
cheer ON de table. =
Lucy laughed aloud Her mother
frowned and said, triflo sharply:
II would not allow that Charlotte
Neoly is Ne, child.
Aunt Charlotte looked ut the floor in
meek obstinacy,
Dey tells me queens don't walk
mono tall " she said, IAN de buggy
CANT git no higher an de do. y
''Then let two of the big girls make
bee saddle and tote her. That won't
look half 50 bad MS to see Pasco Juggling
her like an old cat does her kitten, :
Mrs. Lee said, still sharply.
ITS the hugging, not the lugging,
ma objects to" Lucy said through
her laughing, "but that does not mat
Nicely.
che do, " said Meely's mother, "but
she done sot her min on dat ar owda-
cious Pete Meacham, who'vo got no
'ligion tall is DIES always whistlin
reels an petitions an singin bout
ooh, Master Rabbit, 80 years mighty long.
Yes, my dear, dey are sot on wrong.
OATS what make me try so hard ter
git her fix up nice fer dis zero time. I'm
gwine git all de things an den tell 'er
she CANT have um 'dout she'll gree
ter take Mist Pasco'
Lucy's eyes flashed, but before she
could speak her mother said;
'Well, l hope You'll succeed, but it
does seem to me that when girl sets
her heart ON trifiing, no account fell
low there is no use trying to change it.
didn't know Nicely was like tho rest,
hut I'll help you all can. y
$50 will r. said Lucy, running
away, with scarlet cheeks. Meely's case
was her own. Bert Wilmer had her
heart and her troth plight; rich Dave
Allen, tho backing of her parents. Pos.
sibly it was this fellow feeling that
made her SO wondrous kind to Nicely.
Possibly also the fact that Pete had been
postman for the lovers over since Bert
was forbidden the Lee house had some
thing TO do with tho case.
Then, too, the Lcos were habitual
providence to tho poor blacks about
them. Love for the merry, careless,
simple shreWd race was in their blood,
comprehension likewise. They saw M
Ger the grotesque extravaganza Of tho
''queen of Christmas" germ Of solf
reliance and furthered it accordingly.
When st last it came to pass, Lucy,
with her brother and q dozen more young
folks, stood outside and looked on
through the window back of the pulpit.
The church was big log structure, lit
with kerosene lamps in flaring Tin re-
fiectors, and fairly crammed with dark
humanity.
Besides the country negroes for miles
around the Sons and Daughters OF ]
Will Arise were ont in full rcgalia, u
hundred strong Each brother wore n
red sash crossing his breast, with tin
star over the heart, green apron turned
mp with yellow, and blnc and white
rosette upon the left lapol. Each sister
was gorgeous in purple cape, long
white, freely ruffied apron, deep red sash
about the waist and orange turbn with
green plumes. They marched to their
allotted places, droning out weird,
wordless chant, and yainly tried to
maintain an attitude of solemn criti-
cism. The crowd was dotted with smil.
ing familiar faces, the sayory scent OF
barbecue was in tho mir, and Brudder
Paschuro, otherwise the Rev. Mr.. Bar
ker, shook hands up and down the
benches with u fervor that almost set
them shouting.
Presently the deacons hustled and
squeezed the crowd back from the aisle,
and Mr.. Pasco came through with Nee
ly in his arms. She was slim slip Of u
girl, bnt he staggered under her weight
and would have fallen when mounting
to her chair throne il Pete Meacham
had not sprung forward and relieved
him of his burden.
"Umph. My Lord l wouldn't have
dat Niger fer soap grease Of he cain't
tote no bettcr'n datl" exclaimed the
foremost Daughter of | Will Ariae,
while one Of tho country lads murmur-
ed: "Lordy! Wouldn't | des lex ter sec
Inn put 'ginst Pete at or log rollin He
done stay dar IN dat school 'ouse twell
he amt no stronger'n CT skeeter."
! Nicely reached her throne about equal.