The Hartford republican., 1897-02-12
ONLY A MEMORY.
The Old Black Nanny Of
Ante BeIlun Days.

wal ndu the eauNantakcot Close aSSOci'
alton with gentle and refined ladies'
Essentially initiated as the colorec
race is they copied the manners anC
grace OF the people they served. anC
many an old black nanny has tn,
manners Of a graude dame, many an
old uncle has themanners OF a Ches
ter6eld The young negroes have
had no such opportunities aud would
not have used them II they bad. They
have chosen to initiate the worst class
of whites, and it is as If one saw g
vulgar picture iueffably seasoned by
being reproduced in glaring colors
that emphathized in every uulovely
detail. They believe liberty is Ii.
cense, and do not know that rever.
ence and respect are attributes that
adorn the highest station.
One of the saddest pictures Of the
passing away OF the old fashioned me-
groes is the loss Of that negro NAM
my. In every southern home she
was a figure unique in the peculiar
love and tenderness that surround
her. In her strong arms every white
baby was first laid, with the certainty
that nothing amiss could beiall it
there. On her broad breast childish
sorrows sobbed themselves out, and
2 broken hearts we're mended by the
magic Of mammy's touch. Her hands
guided the FIRST falteIing step, her
tongue first opened the doors OF ro-
nance and marvels; her deep, soft,
mellow and sweet as the voice of love
crooued the lullabies that lie on the
Threshold of hush a>by-lsnd. The
passing years but strengthen the ties
that bound the black nanny and her
white children. 1t was her province
to watch over their growth and
"minc you mannersl" was a stern
admonition no well-bred southern
child dared disregard. She packed
the trunk Of the boy about to start to
college; she inspected the suffers who
a.wooing and passed judgment; often
as shrewd as unconventional, upon
them, she pinned the vail over the
face of the bride, and gave sage ad-
vice on the best way to manage her
husband to her baby" about to em-
bark upon the uncertain sea Of matri-
mony. In every event Of lie, Joy and
sorrow, mammy's faithful heart beat
like the echo Of her white folks.
Did sickness come, what hand so
tender on the aching brow, what
watching so unwearied as mammy's9
Who so wise in the knowledge Of
herbs and simplest What breath has
ever such Havoras that made by her
skillful hardsf And when death kiss
ed the eyelids down it was mammy's
loving hands that did the last sad Of
fees for the dead and robed them for
burial. She folded lilies in the
pulseless hand and she aud her mis-.
tress, white mother aud black nam.
my, who had both known the passion
and pain Of motherhood who had
both lost the child that had lain upon
thei. breasts. walked hand in hand
behind the tiny coffin to the little
graveyard in the corner of the garden
Afterwards when the sweet ground
myrtle had hidden the mound with
living green, it was mammy who
would go in the quiet dusk of sum-
mer evenings and bring her mistress
away from that hallOwed spot.
True. loyalty, devotion. knihgtly
qualities were stamped in every line
in nammy's fne old face and made it
beautiful. Sometimes misfortune
befell her white people. but mammy's
love never Jailed. The war came and
set her free. Nanny stayed on. She
scorned new people, and would not
leave her own. Shrined in the un-
written history Of thousand south
homes If the story Of the faithful do.
votion of some old negro woman who
remained and served for love the peo-
pie too poor pay her wages Some
times she turned to account her talent
for cooking or nursing, and with the
money thus made she educated the
children Of her former mistress, and
gave them a start in life. II any
thing could justify slavery It was this
mutual love aud tenderness that ex-
,sted between the black nanny and
their white "chillun."
So few so few.o the white children
now who are privileged to know the
spelling and correcting and Gliding
OF black nanny, who listen to the
tales "Breer Rabbit and the tar
baby" from the inspired lips that
embroider thetale to SUIT the occasion
who miss the delicious terror OF hav-
ing their souls scared out OF them by
tales OF witches and haunts. Unior-
tunate htlle people, who know nothing
OF a colored nurse except somebody
who jerks the little arms out OF the
socket and stands the baby perambu-
lator in the glazing sun, while she
examines millinery in a shop window
Or ilirts with a 'cullud gemmum" in
tan shoes and hand me-down clothes,
who, too has embraced the profession
Of loafng for livelyhood.
Soon the last bandana headdress
will be gone from the street. The
will have no more cause to !