The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-05-19
THE COURTSHIP;
BY JOSEPHINE H. NICHOLS. !



a conversation not altogether of a pleas
ant character, and she had just in
formed me that she was too busy
keepin' her soul clean, ter keep de house
clean" and | was about to make fit
ting response when Charlotte Deals, old
Peter Deals youngest daughter, ap-
peared in the doorway.
Charlotte was a small, weakened lit
tie creature, with a put-upon express
sion, that always appealed to me
strongly, and now, when saw her hesi-
tating on the threshold, straightway
forgot Priscilla and my grievances and
called to her to come in" She wore a
blue calico skirt, an old pink silk waist,
that had once been mine, and mans
ogercoat; her shoes were laced with
strings and her hair "wropped," as
Priscilla would have expressed it, in
innumerable tight twists.
She was not prepossessing looking,
and as much as | liked her, | was fain
to confess that from picturesque or
fashionable standpoint she was hope
less, but L was always glad to see her,
for back in the dim past, when | was
a little child, she had been one of the
few quarters" children that | was al
lowed to play with, and l could never
quite forget the glorious blackberry
ing and crayfish expeditions that she
had successfully engineered for me.
Priscilla did not approve" of Charlotte,
and never lost a chance to run her
down; she said she was common" that
old Peter was de no countedest niger
on de place an her ma"
Not a word about Sophy," would
always interpose; she was with grand
mother when she died and mother told
me that no one could be tenderer or
kinder"
So Charlotte continued to call at the
big house," sometimes to bring me a
watermelon or a bucket of figs, some
times merely tC say ''howdy," to use
her own words, and now and then to
tell me her woes. For hers was not a
path of roses. The other negro girls
on the plantation were as ready to
laugh at failure as their more cult
waited white superiors are, and Char
lotte, clumsy, slow and timid, was a
legitimate target for their 'ridicule.
To-day l guessed that she had come
to unburden her soul, so dismi.sing
Priscilla, who departed shifting, in
vited Charlotte onto the front gallery
where she might talk at her ease.
What is the matter now" l asked,
sitting down on the steps and leaning
my head against pillar. HAS anyone
been worrying you again."
Charlotte grinned and began to fun
BILE with her limp sunbonnet. "Dey's
all mad against me-" she remarked. but
in no detected tone; "dey sholy is mad,
but dis time hit don't mex no difference
at all ter me-"
st doesn't?" ! said. well, am glad
to hear it; l have often told you how
silly it was to mind them; what was the
trouble, anyhow"
[ was gazing over the grassy yard,
but as Charlotte did not reply l turned
in some surprise and looked at her.
why, Charlotte" said. what has
bappened?" For her black face fairly
beamed with happiness and her dull
eyes shone with excitement.
Miss Mary" she said, in a shaky
voice, Use ingaged ter be married"
Now | had always known that to eX-
press establishment over such an an
nouncement, no matter how unexpect-
ed or extraordinary, was exceedingly
bad form, and among my acquaint-
ances had hitherto failed to betray my
amazement, even under the most try
ing circumstances, but l regret to say
that when Charlotte's tidings fell on
my ears, my good breeding suddenly
failed me.
Engaged" repeated in the utmost
bewilderment, "to whom?"
ITO Lincoln Smith," she said, shame
facedly.
Lincoln" crisl, mot Priscilla's Lin
coln?"
"Yessum."
"Oh, sweet revenge" I murmured;
"the mills of the gods grind slowly, but
they grind exceeding fine"
'Ma'am?" said Charlotte.
Nothing" l replied, hastily, moth
ing; tell me how it happened" For that
Lincoln Smith, Prscilla's pride and
boast, Lincoln-who taught school on
she Howell place and who was in train
ing for a preacher, should contemplate
marrying old Peter Deals daugter,
seemed really incredible.
''Hit wuz like dis" said Charlotte, in
a reminiscent tone. MAS sister Dinah
you members Dinah Green, Miss
Mary?"
Yes, yes"
well, mas sister Dinah, what lives
on de Howell place, TUX sick Christmas
week an sont ter ma ter sind her one
OF us gals ter nuss her"
"And the others wouldn't go, and you
dido" broke in.
why, yessum," cried Charlotte. open
eyed; 'but how did you know dat?"
81 just guessed it," laughed "go on,
this is a story with a moral where
virtue is to be properly rewarded"
Charlotte very wisely paid no atten-
ton to me, but pursued her narrative:
We'll, went, Miss Mary, an Lor'
knows seed sights wild Aunt Dinah {;
she's a church member, but don't seem
ter mex no sort of diffrunce ter her, an
her Ia n enid Ue ShOlv WIS pnn fra Mi ions