The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-10-17
RACE IDlOsYXCRAsY.


Of the following story Of race idiosyncrasy:
Just after the late war. gentleman |
and his wife. residents OF large clty In |
the East, crme South for a winters So
journ in Florida. They were childless
couple and much attached to each other.
When the family physician decided that
Mrs. Be- bad pulmonary troubles and
or. the husband left his business without
murmnr for the proposed trip, with a
six months absence IN Wow. On reaching
Atlanta, Ca. they decided to spend a
couple OF weeks visiting the battlcneies
and othsr objects OF interest to strangers
in that vicinity.
THE chambermaid In Charge Of their
room at the hotel became an interesting
| study tc Mis- b., whose oplaions upon
| the subject Of African slavery wo; Q strong
| and pronounced The gil was hand
some, very bright mulatto, and hal been
raised in a family OF rehacme1t, The white
blood in her veins spoke OIL. plainly In
her manners and general al peararce.
"As 1t was the hrst visit tiade by Mrs.
B. TO the South, and this coored girl
view by this ultra advocate OF abolition
doctrines. their Intercourse was naturally
| Interesting TO both parties. L. wss JLder-
stood, when they parted, that tho n.uiatto
woman would, il possible. retuta With the
| tourists TO their Northern home, where
she might find enlarged opportunities ana
] encounter less OF race prejudice IN Ler life.
mrs. BIS stay il Atlanta was pro-
longed by spell OF illness, ana the cham
bermaid's attention .or her new friend in
tensiiied their mutual attachment. On
leaving for Florida. Mrs D--.- made her
a number Of substantial gif's. both IN
money and clothing, promising 10 return
In the spring. and assist The Irulatto
woman In her preparations tor NORTH ern
home, advising ner 10 make all her plans
to that end until they met again.
| The BIS were detained In Florida
until April, and as their railroad tickle, S
had nearly expired they expected to find
the colored servant at the hotel and thus
get away as soon as possible en- route for
the North, after a succeRsful search for
health.
But they were told mon their arrival
and prompt inquiry in Atlanta that the
mulatto woman had been away since De-
cember, some one said she was sick, not
able TO do her work.
Mrs b. persuaded her husband to search
for the missing coored frenl-and he
finally located her In back street In very
uncomfortable quarters An ebony black
negress opened the door and ushered the
visitor into poor little bedroom, will
scanty fire, and they discovered the sick
woman in n galloping consumption. corse.
quent uron violent attack OF pneumo
mia. She was proppod up with pillows. Il
breathe more easily, In her extreme suf-
fering. The meeting was affecting. ant
the sympathy of the kind hearted visitor
was greatly excited. This interest wa
even intensified on finding Il little chill,
In its crlL near the sick woman's bed
They were informed that II was the glrl'
baby Nts father white mani, and borf
out Of wedlock. Nor was there any Sc
rious revulsion OF feeling when the blacl
negress notified Mr.. and Mrs. b. that III,
mulatto girl was her own child. by whit,
father, and that the white baby in Its lit
tie crib was even her own grandchld, al
though there was the utmoet 6issimilaritS
between the two.
"To make long story short, the dyine
woman gave the baby to Mrs. b.. and the
negroes grandmother acqulesced In the be
stowal. There could be no question as t
the willingness OF both women 10 place tn,
poor little waif in such good hands.
when the funeral was over, It's ex
, penses borne by Mr.. they lost no time
, in hurrying home with the helpless littl'
,. creature that was motherless and ia
worse than fatherless. II was 80 beautiful
in its innocence, and 80 dependent tina
Mrs b. resolved to rear It as her own.
!. when her more sagacious husband de
INJURED as to the adoption Of a child OF {
different race, she met his argument Will
! the plea that no one would ever know I
! was not white child except themselves.
"As time rolled on and the little girl
, grew in beauty and intelligence, II was
! an easy matter. also. to grow into their
affections. until their neighbors congratu-
lated them upon such an acquisition in
, an adopted daughter. The foster parents
gave her every advantage that wealth
could afford, In literature. art. and for
eien travel until she became the toast
OF her circle Of acquaintancee, and had
many admirers OF wealth ana conse-
, quence.
$ sutton whom she afterwards married, hel
: foster father died suddenly OF heart fail
y ure. He had always told his wife that
! he should consider bt his bounded duty
5 Whenever asked for the beetowal OF hel
hand In marriage. to tell the story OF hel
5 birth. that there might be no misunder.
]. standing or reprceches afterward. Bu'
a she had not the heart to make such :
g revelation to either the girl or her be.
r trothed when they knelt at her feet ant
] asked her blessing. They were st
e happy she dared not blight theil
t Joy. In process OF time the expected
v arrival Of an infant was announced u
: doctor and nurse Elaborate arrangement
e we're made for the interesting event anf
i the handsome layette was duly advertised
i among the large family connection.
when the baby was born and delivered
!, to tho nurse the physician and fathel
r congratulated each other upon the remark
able success OF the case.
h 'In q shont time the nurse tapped a
= ,he door ard requested the Doctor to giv'
r. her some needed advice IN managing he
y part Of the business. but his surprise wa
n beyond words when she presented VERT
. able negro baby. with indisputablc marks
: as the subject OF her difficulty. Hair, skin
and Other distinguishing characteristic
% made II plain that negro blood was pres
- ent In force. and II the child lived to pas
!, the Infant state the hair would certain
:, betray its race to even tho careless OBJ
In server
- "The interview with the young husban
!, was most painful and embarrassing. IN
r. situation was inexpiicable. unless lmagina
!. ton was given rein with repulsvo thought
IL .e.ftf al