Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-02-14

knocking birds and cardinal grOSbeakS
had mated for the season. The air was
warm and soft. and all Woodville was
excited over the coming Washington
birthday celebration. There was to be
a procession of the military and civic
organizations, and the eloquent young
lawyer, Howell Marion, of Richmond,
would deliver eu1ogy upon the great
patriot and soldier.
There had been no commemoration
of the day since the war, and the Wood
villeites felt that it reflected upon the
patriotism of good Virginians to suffer
so important an event to go by unno-
tieed. All the neighboring towns mani
Tested lively interest in the coming
ceremonies, which promised to be of
exceptional Importance.
This is why old Mizraim Temple was
moving about so restIessly over the
plantation of his former master, Col.
Elton Temple. The orator of the day
was to be the guest of the Temples,
who lived but two miles from the vii
1age, and Mizraim, who had Loyalty re-
znained upon the old place after eman-
.cipation, felt that all the responsible
tiles and duties of the coming event
rested upon his shoulders.
Old Mizraim, his wife Dinah, who
later passed to her reward, and his
daughter Piney were the only ones of
the old servants who lived on with
their master, the hundreds of others
scattering in every direction after they
were set free.
'Marser needs me, m ain gwine;
nuther's you, Dinah."
''Who done said I wuz?" demanded
Dinah, Indignantly.
Piney grew up under her mothers
care, was taught all the mysteries of
her skillful cookery and succeeded the
old woman when she died. Piney de-
spised the ''Lincoln-freed niggers,'' as
she termed them, and as there were no
Others Whereabouts she had remained
single.
AS Mizraim and Piney stood under a
big magnolia that grew near the kitch-
en- door, the old man scratched his gray
locks and said: ''Piney, huccum dey
meek SIGH er furse erbout Ginrul Wash
in'ton's bufday?"
The daughter endeavored to explain
the part taken by the immortal hero in
the struggle for independence, conclud-
ing with:
''He was the Father of His Country,
paw"
ode farder of all dis yere country, POI
white trash an all? Den, lawsamussy,
-ef wuz him I'd be p'inted ershamed er
myself. 1 don see no use CT bufdays
uohow. Dey just naterly keep on err
'mindin' yer dat yer's ergittin' older
all de time, n my aehin' bones done
tells me dat. Whuh Ginru1 Washin ton
lib?"
-'Why, paw, he's been daid jamby err
1Iunnerd years"
EG1ong, gall Den white folks is
bigger fools den I fought. Waiter
good gwine do ter him n he daid?''
cts to larn the Twin how good he
WIZ an how he fout an saved this
country NJ"
-'Look er here, gal, does yer teck me
fer er fool? Did he do all er dis yere
ON his bufday? Den whatter dey
jisser don meckin' myself sick worryin
ober de foolishness er white folks. Shet
up, Piney, shet up. Oar come Miss
Gracey now"
The old negro pulled off his some
what battered hat and began to bow
and scrape in acknowledgement of the
presence of most beautiful and charm
ing young woman, who smiled pleas
antly upon him and his curtseying
daughter.
''Now, Uncle Mizraim, you know we
do have to depend upon you. Can't you
get us some nice fish and game? You
know we shall have company on the
Twenty
"Yaas'm. Miss Gracey, yaas'm,
know, but yer see hits pooty soon fer
de shad n hurrin' n ruther late fer a
fat viii tuckey. 1 mought git"
Il knew you would, Uncle Mizraim.
i am especially anxious that everything
shall be pleasant and nice and am sure
you will make an extra effort to please
me-
'Datter de way" grumbled Mizraim,
when the young lady had passed on.
~s'Hit's Mizurm dis n Mizurm dat, n
Mizurm tother," and he went off mutt
tering.
LA, paw 'ould be mis'able eff he
couldn' complain. s eff I didn' know
he druther be in muss nur eat,
laughed Piney, as she entered her
realm.
Elton Temple was an old-school Vir-
ginia gentleman, whose blood was blue
as indigo and ran unsullied back to
mobile lords in old England. He was
disposed to regard with great favor the
xzaarl1ed preference shown his daughter
S1y the gifted young lawyer who would
Csc his guest in day or two. Marion S
Family was as ancient as his own and