The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-04-08
DIANA'S VISITOR.

en- their wraps. The doors were shut and
the windows pulled down. The violcts
were hiding their purple petals under
the broad green leaves; the golden bios
som of the Siberian shrub that, almond
like, hung on its lcafcSs branches,
seemed to be shivering. Only the brave
SNOW white Roman hyacinths out in the
yard stood erect III the cold, clear air and
brought thoughts of pure eyed Faith,
white handed Hope and lowering angles
girt with golden wings. Queer fancics
about the old doctrine of the transmit
grafton of souls seemed whispered by
the tiny tinlllc of one white bell, while
the Naturalization of another limited
that the spirit of the lady i'll Comus had
come again to earth and was visibly
embodied i'll this beautiful flower.
The unattending ears of Mrs. dc Ian
cey, however caught none of these
sounds as she trudged past the stately
old Graham place, where the hyacinths
stood i'll the yard i'll great groups. Far
other thoughts engaged her mind, while
her eye sought her OWL cabin home OH
'de turr side dc great house" "How
long have you been living out hcrc?'
asked her companion, straight, 1.-the,
chestnut colored young man, well dressed
and with certain self respecting air
that was unmistakable
Ever scncc dc beginment of dc war
times | bin liv dar Oar whar all my
chillern wuZ bOrned Hit gwinc Oh 10
year sence de las one come l jcs' been
see dat gal, kase she s;lunt after me
She a smart gal, she is, All she teachin
II AL. ~
done change her name so dat doan'
know who de folks talkin bout when
dey dress her | name her Dromaky,
arter de pictur ole mcrster had bout
Hector and Dromaky' hangin up in de
dinin room, but she say dat Il mighty
ig'nant name, and she done change to
Ruth. / calls her Dromaky, al dat what
l 'spect TO call her. I'zc 5S year ole, dc
boss say, an YOU cyan't teach old dog
new trick. Amt dat so:''
n kindly smile rested OH the face of the
young man who was SO courtcously carry
ing Mrs. de Lanccy's black, shiny valisc.
His answer was al Indirect one: Il think
Ruth is Il beautiful name. Dromaky.
too, seems beautiful when it means
Ruth. y
"Whar you come f'pn, man? You
talk sortcr proper, like my gal do.
know'd soon us | sot eyes OH you when
dc train stop dar YOU WIZ Il quality mig
ger bedout YOU opcnin your mouf Now
you done tote my cyarpct bag and done
show dc 'havior of Il gint man, l know
you bin fotch up right i amt got no
disparagcment bout you. | knows quail.
ity folks when / sees 'cn. Dat dc kind
l bin use ter ali my life. Dat de kind
Dromaky bin use To, but us doan talk
alike. 'kaze she got dc vantage of cddi-
cation an book larnin more dan her
lnammy is. But she got good horse
sense, too, dat chile is, an she amt no
more shame NV me dan Of | WIZ Il high
learnt oman lack de black folks is desc
days. fotch Dromaky upright. When
she want To be runnin round wild, lack
some dc black chillcrn an dc white chill
lcrn, too, does, | took holt NV her, did.
an chccltisc dat gal tell / rcctify her
Dat huccomc she SO spectacle and 'spon-
siblcd now. Chilern got ter be check
tiscd, mani
Again that pleased, quiet, happy smile
played over the face OF the young man.
who had Just reached ont Il smooth.
brown hand to take the rough hornv.
age veincd hand of Dromul.y's mother
and assist her III stepping across mud
dy place i'll the path thar. turning aside
from the big road, led 10y Il nigh cut
to the whitcwashcd cabin among the
clustering pines.
q" Is tho nearest house your homc-thc
one with the honcysucklc clambering
over it and the jonquils in The yard:
How pretty they look
"Dcy blcedgcd ter look bright, dem
blooms is, kazc Dromaly sot dem
out when She want knee high To Il
duck. She mighty chile fur lovin
flowers, an ole miss gin her dem roots,
'kaze de pig yard done ovcrgrowcd
wild en-, an She want mo- room for
her hyacinths what you sec bcndin an
wavin bout yondcr. Dromaky wuz
folks favoritc too Wharsomever dat
chile go she 'tachcs folks To her She
aim misconceptions IN bigoty like some
gals. an She got heap Il fun bout her -
by this time they had reached the
gate of the little yard with its clnmps
of pines, its patches of tender grass, its
great bed of datfy dancing
i'll the February breczes, and like thu
face of Lady Una making sunshine in u
shady place. The young man held the
gate open for Diana topass i'll first, hest,
tatcd moment, then went in himself,
saying, IL will put your valisc on the
| porch.
You got ter eat snack wild me.
man. You done act de gentleman tome.
You must CT como from de low country.
| De black folks and dc white folks bofc