The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1897-05-22
IN EASTER SYMBOL.
A Monologue of The Plantation, by
Ruth McEnery Stuart.
Speaker-A Black Girl.
Time-Easter Morning.

"Scuse me knockin' at yo' do 50 early.
Miss Betty, but lie in trouble. Don't set
up in bed. Jes' lay still an femme talk
to yer"
81 come TO Ak yer to please ma'am
loand me pair o wings, mistus. Nom
/ amt crazy. mean what say
"You see, to1ay's Easter Sunday, Miss
Bette, an we're havin' a high time in
our chu'ch. An is gwine sing de
special Easter carol. wild Freckled
Frances an Lame Jane jinin' in de
chorus an our choir. Hits one o deze
heah choirs sot up next TO de pulpit in
front o de congregation.
"Of co'se me sIngin' de high solo
makes me de prin:iplest tiggur, so We
ranged fur me to stan in De middle
wild Frances an Jake on each side, an |
got a bran Few white tarlton frock,
wild spaugles on it an Easter lilly
wreath all ready. OF co'se. me bein' de
fust singer, dat entit'e me t. wear de
highest plumsge, an Frances. she knows
dat, an she lowed to me she was gwiDe
to wear dat white nainsook lawn you
gin 'er. an des plain secondary hat, ar
at de pinted time we all three got t.
rise an courtesy to de congergat on. an
den bust into song. Lame Jake gwine
wear dat white duck suit o Marse
Johns an a Easter lily in his button
hole.
We'll, hit was all fixed dat away
peaceable an proper, but you know de
trouble is Freckled Frances is JEALOUS
hearted, an she ANT got no principle. |
tell you, Miss Annie, when niggers gifts
white enough to freckle you look out for
EN-. Dey jes advanced fur enough
along to show white ambition an niger
principle, An da,'s a dangerous mix
ture.
An Frances She mt got no
mo- pr nciple n a suck aig dorg! Ever
sence We .rarged dat Easter program
she been studyin' up some owdacious
way to Quito me today in de face of
everybody.
But l'm jes one too many fur any
yaller freckled niger. I'm black-but
dey's heap = trouble come out O. ink
befo' today.
Il done had my eye on Frances
An fur de las endurin' week | taken
notice ev'ry time We had a choir prac-
tisin'. Frances, ste'd fetch in some talk
about butterfiys bein' Easter sign o
de resurrection o de dead. an all seeh
as dat. Well. know Frances don't keer
no mo- bout de resurrection O. de dead
n nothin'. Frances is too tuck up wild
dis life fer dat, So / watched her. An
las night ke.ched up wild 'er.
You know dat great big silk paper
butterfly dat you had on yo' pianner
lamp, Miss Bette? She's got it perched
up on wire on top o dat secondary hat
an she's a-tixin il ID wear it to church
today. But che don't know know it
You see, she knows | kin sing all over
her an OATS hue come she's a-projectin'
to ketch de eyes o de congregation,
But ef you'll hep me out, Miss
Bette. we'll fix 'er. You know dem
yaller gauzy wings you woe in de tab
leaux? Ell you'll loand 'em to me an
hep me on wild EN- terrs ckly when I'm
dressed. I'll he whole live butterfly an
bet yer when | fiut ers into dat choir
Freckled Frances II feel like 81 atchin 'da I
lamp shade off her hat sho's You born.
An fur oncet I'm proud I'm so black
compk csed. Gaze black an yaller, dey
goes toge, her fur butterfiles,
Frances lowed 10 kill me today but
l lay when she sets eyes on de yaller
winged butterfly shell pre- ciate &c Iesur-
rection O. de dead eff she never did befo'
in her life.n