Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-05

Copyright. 1884, by Bachelor. johnson Bachelor.
1t was fine SIMMER morning In one OF
the southern counties of Virginia, and in
front of her own little house sat Aunt
Belinda Tinsley. pairing potatoes. This
worthy person was a colored woman, some
thing under forty years of age. light
brown in color and comedy to look upon.
She was neatly dressed, and her surround
ings as well as the amiable and satisfied
expression of her countenance. showed
that her circumstances were comfortable.
In her earlier days she had lived with
white people and had been cook and
laundress. Retiring from domestic service,
she had ma ried Dick Tinsley, an indus
trious and worthy blacksmith. who, about
two years before this summer morning,
had died. leaving his widow a small but
well-built house of more pretentious de-
sign than any of the negro habitations in
the neighborhood, a few acres of land. all
paid for. and. as report had it. an income,
although there was not unanimity in the
neighborhood regarding the amount of this
income, nor from what it was derived. But
everybody knew that Aunt Belinda, as she
was called by her older friends and ac-
quaintances. or Mrs. Tinsley. as some col
ored people of progressive views now chose
WED. because. so far as outsiders could de-
termine she had all she wanted.
Aunt Belinda lived alone, and when she
had pared four medium-sized potatoes she
knew these were enough for a meal, but
she was considering whether or not 1t
would be well to boil some more which
might be cut up and fried for supper, when,
raising her eyes, she saw a man coming
along the path which led to her house. At
first she did not recognize him. but In
few minutes she saw that he was Moses
Lipscomb. n man somewhat younger than
herself and a little browner. She had
known him all her life as a good-natured.
jolly fellow. who. although spasmodically
Industrious and able to perform surprising
feats of labor at hog killing time, or On
other occasions when the work was suit
ably mixed with excitement, was in gen.
eral. on account of his aversion to monot-
onous employment, as needy a man as
ever strutted through a cake walk or
twanged a banjo.
This morning, as has been said. Aunt
Belinda did not at first recognize him.
Ordinarily he dressed in garments quite
simple and ragged but now he was attired
IN grand style. On his head was a high,
black silk nat, somewhat battered and
rusty, with broad band of Grape around
1t; he wore a yellow waiStcoat, much too
large for him, and blue coat with tar
nished brass buttons, some of them MISS
ing, which was so small for him that he
was obliged to throw out his chest very
much to keep his shoulders back in order
that he might not split it along it's spinal
seam. His trousers were of brown linen,
clean and very much starched, with the
bottom OF the legs frayed and worn in such
way that the starched threads hung over
his Northumberland boots like icicles over
tho mouth of cavern. His collar was
high and evidently unpleasant to his Jaws.
His large cravat had once been all crimson
nf ho6 Col sv,t1
brown, and from the outside pocket of his
coat projected the corner of a white silk
handkerchief.
his hat, but before he could speak Aunt
Belinda sprang to her feet.
You. Moses Lipscombr' she cried. "Wot
you mean, comm hyar rugged up like dat?
Has you got the imperence to come hyar
for de purpos' to pay 'tentions to me?
broad smile spread over the visage
of the jolly Moses. Oats it, 'zactly Aunt
B'linda," said he. II was kunjurin' what
to say to begin wild. an dar you plumps
right in, an hain't got trouble at ALL
L done come hyar. Aunt B'linda, to pay
'tentions to youse'f wild view to mater
mony"
Aunt Belinda sat for few moments ST.
lently gazing at her visitor and then she
broke out: IF ever / see a hedgehog In
a beaver skin, Use 1ookin' at one now.
What you mean. playin' dem fool tricks on
me? Now. you Moses, you take off dat
coh't. wot b'longs to Uncle Pete, an was
guv him by his mah'ster more'n forty years
cents ter any colored man in dis county