The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-09-02
DETSY HAMILTON.
w ~&@ "NICEY,"
An Ebony CrapOH Skeffb
"NICEY,"
An Ebony Craon Sketch.
copyrighted by the Author)

NCoPS iifShtto ny tho @NhehpA1
One of the strangest and most pathetic
life histories which has ever come within
my knowledge is that of oolored wo-
man.
She appeared to be about fifty years of
age, and was very, very black. with such
irregular, homely features one would hard
ly suppose she had ever, even in her
palmiest DAYS, been called attractive: new
ertheless "Nicey"-for that was her name
knew what il was to have been admired,
wooed and won.
She was, at the time we made her
quaintance supposed TO be a widow Her
eldest son-'born de las year of dc wah,"
to quote her words-was an indolenL thrift
less fellow, who had never contributed
TO his mothers support; on the other hand.
he had usually kept her scant purse dram
4 of its last nickle.
Nicey was our cook. but had lodgings
off Of the place. where her eldest daughter
was left in charge OF the younger children
during the day.
That IA love story of any interest was
connected with the simple life of this old
woman no one was aware, until one DAY
a letter came to her addressed in care of
Antioch church, OF which she was IL mem
Der.
Never before in all her life had she known
what it was to receive a letter. She had
several times been summoned to appear
as n witness in court; and once IN cross
examination had come near getting into
serious trouble. 50 when the letter was
handed her she, supposfng il to be another
summons unwilling to even touch the
paper. She stepped back and deliberately
folding her arms, said: Il amt got no
recession whatsomever to be a-gwine to dat
co'touse an L amt a-gwine dar.
But when told that it was genuine
letter. postmarked from prominent town
In Texas. she consented to it's being read
to her.
The letter contained a startling revtla-
tion; il was from a man whom she had
not seen in over twenty years-a man who
vas once her husband. and one whom she
had long mourned as dead.
He had by some chance heard that his
wife was yet alive. and still member Of
Antioch church. The letter assured her
of his undying affection and asked about
the health of his two children-a son and
daughter-and stated that he was coming
back to her. There was also a modest re-
quest that she should send him the money
about twenty-five dollars-necessary to
defray the expenses of his trip from Texas
to Alabama, and was signed Joshua --.
The information was paralyzing, Nicey
seemed daZed.
She spoke in unnatural. husky tones.
fun Of sadness joshua! said she, dat
--man-wuZ-nly- fus-love.'
Then followed most profound silence.
which with one accord We all respected.
yes. dat man was my hus-man endurin'
of slavery; him an me was sho married
lawful. right car In ole miss's kitchen,
Christmas night, an she gre us a big sup
per. He-wuz-m y-fus-love."
But why was Joshua in Texas, and she
in Alabama?
She stated briefly without hesitation. or
show OF embarrassment. that Joshua was
once "a fugitive from justice. She related
in detail the various ofenses OF which lie
had been guilty, and for which he had re
ceived punishment in Jail, in the cnaingang,
and otherwise; and finally how he had
made his escape and never been heard
from until this letter. which was THE very
first news from him IA ,weuty years.
DE las tire day tried to ketch him."
said she, "wuz when he wax excused Of
burnin OF a house. He Knowed wouldn't
DO TO let 'em ketch him dat time, kase de
law would sho harg MIN, or pcn-ten-cher
him for life: so he LEI dis country, an
never lef no word behine him; 1 couldn't
fol- him. kase l did'n know whar he wuz
at; Mhi' folks coIlG'n ketch him, kase
dey did'n know whar he wuz at. 1t bin
so long ag) dat | made shO Josh wuz done
dad--I dreamt heap Of times Dat Josh wuz
daid-but thank dc good Lord, Josh amt
daid-he alive-an' a-thinkm about me.
-wuz-my-fus-love."
Through the assistance Of a member OF
our household, who kindly consented to De
her amanuensis, she sent an immediate
reply to Joahs letter and told MIN of his
son and daughter, now grown; she also
mentioned the other children, younger, but
as they were not related to him he was
net expected to take much interest in
them She told him she would be glad 10
nave hin. return; but was obliged to say
that il was out of her power TO send HIM
the money 10 defray his expenses
When the CID man heard Of his grown
son, his next letter contained the request
that BUD" the boys familiar name.
should send him the amount-twenty-fv
dollars-at once.
The poor boy could not raise even twenty
five. cents. only the day before he had
borrowed the last cent his mother had,
with which to buy 'possum dog. The
father was duly Informed of his sons in
ability to send him amy money. Then fol
lowed a letter teeming with the fathers
wrath and indignation; he meni.oneu
bud" as an ndutiful. disObedlent son
ole whom he never wanted to lay eyes Yh
as long as he lived. This message had no
effect whatever upon Bud, any more
than the proverbial water on the gray
ducks back HIS interest in the absent.
worthless father had never been aroused
il mattered little to him whether his ialh-
er ever laid eyes on HIM or not.
"He done been wid-out seem me all dis
time" said Bud, "he kin des 80 on WIZ
out seem mel doan keer-l doan wants
to see him no more'n he do me-
But with the wife it was quite dllierehli
she would willingly have sent twice the
amount of money had 1t been IN her pow
er to do so; and she was ready to receive
the fugitive criminal al any time he might
return.
That lie still remembered her. after so
many years of separation, was a compll-
meut she appeared 20 enjoy beyond eN-
pressicn. Hopes long buried seemed 10
I-y,x,-the oId love rebindled-ahd Nlcey
Transformed Her whole nature appearou
TO be ohanged-she lad no mind or heart
now. for anything except to be reuhl'eu
with her long absent husband-her hrsl
love. -, .cr,,o
she went about the kitchen singing Inc
Ola shin of Zion" and other religious sonss
Iosh used to sing at Antioch meeting. me
biscuits might burn, the fire dle out the
work all 20 wrong-the clock sIoP 'he
earth stand still-nothinS concerhed NlceS
now. except the one happy thought u
heing restored TO her "fus love- Let MN
be what he would-trilling-not able TO
sunport her-a crimnal-an escaped con-
vict or what not-he was tie same to her;
she saw him only in the one light ana the
refrain was ever the same: "He-wuz-my