The Iuka vidette. (Iuka, Miss.) 1894-1912, 1895-01-31
SHE LIVED TO BURY THEM ALL.


Just after the war there sprung ur
as by magic in various portions of the
south an infinite number Of societies"
imong the colored people. male and
female.
Nothing like them was seen before
upon the face of the earth. while their.
names were as homogeneous as their OBJ
jects and aims Thus there were
Weeping Sisters the Glad Tidings."
Holy Daughters of the Scored Pcrdi-
ton" Immaculate Sons Of the Nine
Cities" Daughters of the Sacred
Candlesticlx," and so on.
The negro who didtnot belong to one
or more of these organizations was a
social pariah; the very children would
curl up their lips at him or her in pass
ing.
Whatever the occult forms and pur-
poses of these various societies. all of
them had one public and avowed OBJ
ject-namely, the turning out in full
regalia-collars, aprons, or uniforms
at the burial of any broth or or sister:
not only the particular organization of
which the deceased was member, but
also all the others participating with
infinite pomp and pride of circum-
stance.
y was surprising how many deaths
they contrived to exc ont in single
small community. Ladies were driven
half distracted over the repeated leaves
of absence taken by their cooks, laun-
dresses, and maids. because no amount
OF bribery and no necessity of illness
could induce one TO forcgo the enjoy
ment of a street parade.
The mania prevailed with equal po-
tential energy among the sterner ses.
the members of which deserted the
pillow, the shop, any and all employ
nents, with this object before them.
Possibly the annoyaDces that grew
out of this practice give rise TO rumors
which were heard in some localities,
that the all-prevailing desire for moro
funerals caused the providing of sub
iects, in the persons of certain old pep
pie who did contrive to die very sud-
denly.
1t is certain that some ancient col.
ored DANES showed a remarkable anx-
iety to go off, before the societiea
should expire by limitation or exhaus-
ton. This was the case with old Aunt
Chany Pcgwell. an octogcnarian dame
of Elizabeth City. \. c., who was a
member of the Rising Daughters of
the Setting Sun"
Aunt Clancy had been an honored
member Of the society for nearly two
years, in all of which time she had not
failed once of ''toting" herself in the
procession in full regalia, from thu
house of The deceased person to
the church and thence to the
cemetery mile or so away.
She had paid her dues regularly
and enjoyed thousand times, in an
ticipatior, the triumphs of her own
funeral, when she would have, as she
explained it, "a big black huss m
blooms wild white HOSES. jest lack de
white follSses N all de niggers CIR
draggin' artcr."
Some disaffection had finally sprung
up in the order, when several sisters
withdrew. Fearing disintegration,
Aunt Chany took to her bed and soon
worried herself into an illness that
was pronounced mortal by the physi-
| ciau VINO was summoned.
| Chany expressed her satisfaction at
this decision, babe those present good
by, and turned her face to the wall to
die. She was silent so long that the
two sisters who had been delegated to
watch over her while living and lay
her out when dead. agreeably to tho
practice of the Rising Daughters of
the Setting Sum-" supposed her spirit
had taken fight, and therefore laid
aside all reserve
DE s'ci'ty's gittin' so 'scusin' po dat
Sist' Kizzy Glars ives jis' gotter chop
off Expense. So, bein's Ain Chany's SO
oil N no count -"
Here there was a movement in the
bed, but the two sisters, whose backs
we're turned and who were greatly in
tent upon their gossip, did not hear it.
"Yaas," broke out the other sister.
''dat's right. Us kin tote her out in err
common cart m thee sisters go out
wild it fer dc looks. Real oil folks lack
her shouldn't 'xpec' no turnin' out, no.
ways"
waiter yer say? No turnin' out. N
no huss? Den haint err gwine ter die.
yer sorry sarpints."
Whack, whack came Aunt Chany's
big walking stick upon the back of
first one and then the other of the as
tonished sisters, who fed the room in
terror.
Nor did she die either, but lived
twenty years longer, or until she was
q full one hundred, having the pleas
ure of attending the burial of the last
one of the sisters before her own final
call.--Chicago Tribune.