The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-05
A SLAVERY-DAY CEREMONY,
A Black Baby Given to White Baby
When Both Were Day Old.
Ruth McEnerY Stuart. in St. Nicholas.

Ruth McEnery Stuart, in st. Nicholas.
Mimi was white, and Yuyu was black,
and they belonged to each other. OF
course these were not their real names;
Mimi was christened EuDhemia and Yu-
yus name was Julia.
The little girls were the same age ex-
actly; and on the very day they were born
they were presented to each other. Of
course the babies knew nothing about it
at the time, as they were both asleep; ana
even If they had been a wake they would
not have understood, as they had had no
experience in the ways of the great world
into which they had just come.
The presentation was very pretty cere-
mony, although it was very slight
1t all happened i'm the old slavery days
on a Louisiana plantation.
When the mistress of the place heard
that a little black daughter had come to
one of her favorite slaves at the same
hour that her own wee babe was laid in
her arms, she sent for her husband and
whispered something to him, and he smiI-
ed delightedly and called the black fellow
Tom from the dining room, and gave an
order that sent him grinning out to the
quarters. Then, presently, old Granny
Milly came trudging into the great house,
with a big gray bundle in her arms
It was Christmas morning, but there
weBe late honeysuckles in bloom and hum
ming birds at large. Still, it was thought
prudent to wrap the new Christmas baby
snugly in q soft wool shawl for her first
little journey in the world
Old Granny Milly was so fat that she
could hardly walk, but she bore herself
proudly as she carried the little slave habv
across the narrow field and through the
garden up to the great house. The boy
Tom had told everybody he had met on
the way out. and by the time Granny
had started there were many spectators
at the cabin doors, and a flock Of bare
foot black children followd her even to
the very limit of their range in the cam
pus of the quarters.
1t was a fine thing in those days for a
slave-born baby to be chosen as a maid
to a young white mistress and the old
women, who stood with thr turbaned
heads together watching. all agreed that
"Sabinas chile was " sho' born into
luck"
When old Milly, short of breath from
fat and Importance, finSily approached
the great bed upon which the white moth
er and pink baby lay, the master of the
house babe her place the children side
by side, and then he gently opened their
tiny white hands, and laying them one
within the other, closed them for mo-
ment. Then he lifted the white hand and
placed it on the black babys head. This
last was of a double significance and
meant obedience on one side and protec-
ton on the other.
The joining hands meant simply that
the children were pledged in lifelong
friendship, and that they should stand
by each other as long as they both should
live.
The servants, who had tiptoed into
the room to see the presentation, all de-
clared that while they held hands both
babes had smiled in their sleep, and it
was considered good omen.
The ceremony closed with a short
Thanksgiving and prayer, and the servants
standing about the bed and out in the hall
all bent their heads while the master ask
ed that heaven would bless the children to
each other.
This was ALL And then old AIillv proud
ly took her tiny charge, wrapped again I'M
til it looked like a gray cocoon, back to its
mother in the cabin
The babies did not meet again until the
Sunday, few weeks later, when they were
both baptized in the great square parlor
They were to have six years to sleep and
play and grow in before they should as
sumo their relations. On every birthday
there was a formal visit, when the little
Mimi put into the growing Julia's hands a
great bundle, so big and heavy that a
strong hand had to support 1t during its
passage.
This contained clothing enough for tho
coming year-a few new things, and such