Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-02-18

a SLAvERY-DAY CEREMONY
A Black Bnby Given To n White BABY
When Both Were II Day Old.


Mimi was white, and Yuyu was
black, and they belonged to each other.
OF course, these were not their real
names; Mimi was christened Eu-
phemia, and Yuyu's name was Julia.
The little girls were the same age,
exactly; and on the very day they
were born they were presented to each |
other. OF course the babies knew moth
ing about it at the time, as they were
both asleep; and even if they had been
awake they would not have under
stood, as they had no experience in
the ways of the great world into which
they had just come.
The presentation was very pretty
ceremony, although it was very slight
1t all happened in the old slavery
days, on Louisiana plantation.
When the mistress of the place heard
that 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 hus-
band and whispered something to him.
and he smiled delightcdly and called
the black fellow Tom from the din
ing-room, and gave an order that sent
him grnning out to thequarters. Then,
presently old Granny Milly came
trudging into the great house, with a
big gray bundle in her arms.
1t was Christmas morning but there
were late honeysuckles in bloom and
hummingbirds at large. Still, it was
thought prudent to wrap the new
Christmas baby snugly in soft WOO!
shawl for her first little journey in
the world.
Old Granny Milly was so fat that she
could hardly walk, but she bore her
self proudly as she carried the little
slave-baby across the narrow field and
through the garden up to the great
house. The "boy" Tom had told every
body 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 barefoot black
children followed her even to the very
limit of their range in the campus OF
the quarters.
1t was 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 their
turbaned heads together watching, all
agreed that "Sabina's chile" was "sho'
born in luck"
When old Milly, short of breath from
fat and Importance, finally approached
the great bed upon which the white
mother and pink baby lay, the master
Of the house babe her place the chill
lren side by side, and then he gently
opened the tiny -igl. hands, and lay.
ing them one within the other, closed
them for moment. Then he lifted
the white hand and placed it on the
black baby's head. This last was of a
double significance and meant obedi.
ence on one side ard protection on the
other.
The joining hands meant simply
that the children were pledged to life,
long 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 al
declared that while they held hands
both babes had smiled ia their sleep
and it was considered good omen.
The ceremony closed with a shor
thanksgiving and prayer, and the ser
wants standing about the bed and on
In the hall all bent their heads Will,
the master asked that Heaven would
bless the children to each other.
: This was all. And then old Mill,
proudly took her tiny charge wrapped
again until it looked like n gray cocoon
/ back TO its mother in the cabin.
= The babes did not meet again unit
!, the Sunday, n few weeks later, whel
they were both baptized in the grea
square parlor. They were to have ST.
= years to sleep and play and grow in be
fore they should assume their rela
: tons. On every birthday there was
formal visit, when the little Mimi pu
:. Into the growing Julia's hands grea
!, bundle, so big and heavy that stron
" hand had to support it during its pas
- sage.
This contained clothing enough 70
= the coming year-a few new things
- and such of milady's dainty cast-off
" as the black baby could use.
" The children often met in the inter
: walls, naturally, as when Yuyus mothe
y Sabina, would come to the house on a
y errand, bearing Yuyu astride her hil
or sending her toddlng on before he
as she grew older; and when Sabin
d would 90 in to confer with her mi
r tress, she would send Yuyu to the nu
re sery, saying: "Run along an see Vt
d little mistus.' Mrs. Ruth McEner
6 Stuart, in st. Nicholas.