The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1895-02-15
cHAPrER yIII.-(Continued.)

100 - SsE
room and the two ladies finding CON
genial tastes and sentiments,
friends, almost on sight. Mrs. Blake
furnished Vivette with n of her own
maids to attend the room OF her
guest and act as personal attendant.
This colored girl" as Mrs. Blake had
calledhe was a woman OF near forty
years, an intelligent mulatto and a
slave. She took to Vivette las she
told the other servants, because she
said please when she wished any
thing done. Besides, she thought
Vivette mighty good lookin'.e which
was in itself a strong recommendation.
And then, like most negro servants
Who have seen cultured and polite peo-
pie, she knew as by intuition that
Miss Bivette was a lady, an none o
your white trash. From this woman
Vivette learned many facts in the
history Of Mrs. Blake, .Ole Mas'r Tom
Blake and the whole family, past
and present. Mrs. Blake also com
municated some facts of her personal
history.
At one time Vivette said: "What is
your name beside Eliza?" to her maid.
my names nothin' but Liza" was
the reply, ..Cullud folks don't have
but one name. Does you b'long to a
free state, missus?'
81 live at Cincinnati replied vi
vette.
"Must be mighty nice to have two
names, Missus. All de cullud folks
have two names in Cincinnati?'
Eyes. | think So, Eliza. Names cost
nothing. How long have you lived
here??'
Lived on de place ever since ! was
Dawn
Here in the hote ?'
ssFo' da' wasn't any hotel. ! was
Ole Mas'r Tom Blake's niger"
.sWhy, you are not black. Eliza; why
do you call yourself a negro?"
sAll de same, Missus," said Liza
with a chuckle. .De black folk call me
white niger kaze da' SO black dem
selves still dressing Vivette's hair.
who is that fine, tall gentleman
who appears to be at the head of
afairs?!' asked Vivette.
Oats Mas'r Sam Blake. He don't
own nuthin' hisself. Ole Mas'r Tom
Blake W all lie whole place; an he
lets Mas'r Sam run de hotel. Mas'r
Tom glib me to the Missus; and when
she die / is to be free. But l hope she
nebber die"
"Your mistress appears to be an ex-
eellent lady, Eliza"
Miss Myra-po' Jefs wilder?
She's-she's de bes' lady in de worl'!"
How long has her husband been
dead, Eliza"
Don't know when he died; don't
know he am dead at all. Went away
twelve ye'rs ago an never come back.
Mas'r Sam want to marry de wilder.
Eth, eh.' with q nasal exclamation
which defies photography. "Missus
keeps putin him off an putin him
off. Oar now, look in de glass, young
Missus. Your ha'r almos' as purity a.
you-kase / dun fix it de lates' fash
ion.n
Vivette thanked the girl withou.
looking in the glass, andthe maid wen.
out,
"A short time after, Mrs. Blake called
on Yivette ina kindly way, and ate.
some general conversation said:
II suppose Liza has been giving yo,
the family history, including her own
as she feels herself one OF the Blak,
familyws
She has given me only a few gen
eral facts. \ replied yivette. "She ha
been ind screet.
ooh, no. car trust Liza. But i
5 Justice to myself would like to max
d brief statement to avoid miscon
s%truction.
j doSnot seek to know your history
Mrs. Blake. But indeed I am unde
obligationst to you for your kindnes
To an entire stranger
81 o am from a land of free
dom-from q city where there are n
NsIaVes, and where it issnot a crime t
teach d colored child to read, and {
tell him he has al immortal soul
is that a crime in Kentucky?'
INV husband was d~isinherited fo
marrying a woman who, in the gros
Language 81 the people here, ha
tanpht "a niger school. Ny fathe
wa Christian minister, and taugh
me- Us hate slavery, and to make n
difference between white and black
bond and free.
ssAnd your husband disappeared 70
know not how or where2 as Eliz
sEays