The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-19
The Goodness of Things
That Come From Virginia

around the table and leaned over my chair
in his extreme soiicitude. Now, sub, we
come tub sumpin evan gemman is boun'
tub respec'. Yuh like game NV cose. evan
gemman does. Game is tub whut yuh
have just had as roses tub uh sweet lady;
not mo- beautiful, but just swappin'
smiles with one mother an addin' tub thu
gen al joy
Game, sub, is game anywah, but bein'
so nigh thu State Nv Fuhginia l might say
1 can offer yuh sumpin' yuh kahn get no.
whah else in thu worP. | refer tub thu
canvassback, sub, thu royal bird of Fun
ginia; with thu red of thu ole soil on his
feet thu yellah Nv thu frost-leaves ON his
bill, an thu whitecaps NV thu Ches' peake
on his back-thas him.
Some folks like quail at this season, but
quail amt duck, an nevah was. Othah
folks think Spring chicken is fittin tub eat
now, but, sub, it's ma pus nal expe' enee
tha' when uh chicken has riz tub tina age
whah he has tub stOop tub go undah thu
fence, he ain no longah thu propah mat
tab Nv uh gemmans regyard. We will
say thu duck, sixteen minits an no sauce.
Have you ever, in the course of this
troubled life, sat you down at the end of a
gray November day, heard the wind
whistle around the house, heard the trees
moan, saw the earth grow drear and sad
with the falling shades, and sitting SO, put
a knife into the breast of a sugary can,
sixteen minutes and no saucer Then
of gastronomy. Nothing should ever fol-
low a "can;" nothing of moment, at least.
1t is sufficient unto itself and to YOU A
little coffee, perhaps, sip OF warming
cognac; no more. And then memories and
peace.
My virginian rose to his utmost endeavor
with the duck. 1t was the embodiment of
his tradition, his breeding, his birthright,
the link which bound him to his glorious
| past; his demonstration of his proud,
ri
talked as / ate; talked with a certain touch
| of pathos in his voice, so sacred were his
| thoughts.
'"Fain' evan day yuh meets uh gem
/ men whut 'preciates hsse'f in thu mat
| tab NV duck. But bein' so nigh thu State
NV Fuhgina I reckon yuh mus have had
| one NV thu right sawt befo Mos evan
body knows uh steak or uh chop or uh
! slice NV red ham, but duck, like hopes NV
| heaven, belongs tub but few Ole Majah
wainwright, NV Richmund, ustah say tha'
! he could allus tell uh gemman by his love
faw his mothah and his respec faw thu
! duck; an thu Majah was hisse'f uh GEM
| man whut lived many good years on them
| lines
! 1t was with regret that he saw me finish
! the bird. 1t was a good deal of a bird
| too, but hardly less welcome was the ram
| bling tribute to the canvasback. The
| coffee was brought, the cigar was alight
| and then to close the incident, this Vr-
| ginia gentleman served a biting brandy
! which he was forced to confess did not
come from the State of Virginia, but which
he acknowledged had gained a power OF
good through long storage in a Richmond
| warehouse.
When it was all over and I rose reuc
| tant but glowing from that repast so typi
cal of another day and time / had word:
| upon my lips. words of gratitude
"Ain no thanks comm, sub. I allu:
| tries -tuh keep up thu reputation Nv ms
State. I've been waitin' on thu table eval
sence I was uh pickaninny, an I'm sayin
thah ain anothah niggah in thu State u
| Fuhginia whit can sarve uh gemman bet
tab.
THANK yuh, sub, thank yuh. thank yuh
| Is yuh comm 'roun tuh-morrow night?"
CHARLES e. TR3VATHAN.