The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-09
PLANTATION PAGEANTS.
The DIAMOND MINE.


Il know what you all want" said Aunt
Minervy Ann, with an air OF protest You
want me ter tell one or dem ar creetur tales
But kin tell you mo- tales bout folks dan
what | kin bout creeturs. b'icye de creetur
tales tooby sho': / dunrer how anybody kin
hep b'lievin' UNI. but dey all tell bout de
time when de creeturS wu2 kinder up In dc
worr like folks is now. But sence den look
like dcy been takin' dc wrong kinder
doctor truck. bcka2e icycr done swunk
up so dcy halter hide out. Dcy ain't quit
talkn'. kaze hear um say dat Aon an you
all know how ter hol confabs wild UNI. But dey
amt nigh what dey useter be. Folks done
come in an tuck der place. / dunno dat any
body or anything is been bcttercd by de
change but dar doy is. an here we is, an we
all an dem will halter scuf1le 'roun' an do dc
best we kim
We'll. anyhow, you told us one tale the other
day. and youl have to tell US another to make
it even. You know more than one" This was
Buster Johns argument.
"Pieasc stay to dinner and tell us one. Just
one. We are going to have crablandcrs." This
was Sweetest Susan's plea.
Aunt Minervy Ann looked at the little girl
and laughed. Honey. you know my weakness
mighty we'll Crablandcrs! | ain seed none
in so long dat dunno what dey look like much
member de taste. but dat's all"
why. they boil sweet potatoes till they are
soft. scrape the skin off. mash them. sprinkle
sugar on them. and then wrap them in pie
crust and put them in the oven to bake" said
Sweetest Susan.
"Sho nuff sugar. honey?" inquired Aunt
Minervy Ann solemny I'VE amt had no sho
nun sugar at our house sencc d battlin start"
Yes replied Sweetest Susan: real sugar
We have IA barrelful."
"A whole barIIul! Run. git de key err de
sto'house an lemme kncel down by dat bair
and hug it,
The children laughed and Sweetest Susan
pretended to be going after the keys. but Aunt
Mincrvy Ann detained her. Don't do dat.
honey Miss Rachel'd think dat OIL Aunt
Mnervy Ann perdue come yer fer ter say
'howdy ter de vittles. stdder sayin' good by
ter de folks"
She paus ed and looked at the children seri-
ously. "l'll stay scncc hear you say dinrrr.'
kaze we don't have too many dinners at our
house. an dem we does have amt gwine give
nobody de dysrepshy. Whar Miss Rachel |
got sumpn i wanter tell her. an den. after
dinner. I'll tell you tale. an den I'll take my
foot in my han an 20 on bout my business
an it'll be a long time moro TO you see Of Mi
Merry Ann Ierdur."
The chilren's mother was in her room sew
ing. and thithcr they lnlotcd Aunt MinCrvy
the best thew could unit. after dinner. What
Aunt Minervy Ann had to tel! their mother
heard her laughing so l9udly that they looked
at each other and laughed, too. IN pure SYM
EanrSl their a"eh 5" hey and so
long and il gave them pleasure to hear II now.
Aitsra whic-a very long while it seemed to
the chdren-the tinklEg he'll announced din
ner. and after that meal was over they waited
patiently for Aunt AIincrvy Ann, who was hay
Jcmimy the highest of compliments by eating
z great deal of everything thai came 70 hand
use to b'lirve dat could do sumpn wild de
pots an ovens myself, but you young folks
say II, but de trutr mought ~ well be toll
sIsshually when it can't hc hid.
This was thu, sort OF tattery JSemima aprrcc-
plate high with the best tho kitchen Afforded
Then when the guest had finished Jemimy
cIarrd that Aunt Mincrvy Ann had been
Finally Aunt Minrrvy Ann having swallowed
a much as she could. announced her intention
OF hunting for the children. but she didnt
havr to hunt at Az for they were were 3usd" The The
but for the fact that they had been warned
that they must not watch other people while
they We're eating. ncit her at the table, in the
dining room nor anywhrr" else.
Aunt Mnervy Ann wiped her mouth with the
back Of her hand and laughed when she saw
-, You-all isde ontdonost whit. chipp I ever
yt SyGT on ont "T u Hr dos Sn h% TT %kS
heads oil HOY vuu hnuw got any tale ter
toll? houn' you'd nc cory fer 80 self ef wuz
ter start in an MAJ" az a tti".
Nevertheless. in spite OF thcs" protests, Aunt
Min"rvy Ann, went around tothc front vcranda.
how" and the children followed her One"
there. she seated herself on the steps. and
buster John. Sweetest Susan and Drusiih
much furmnlty In thi, that Aunt Minervy Ann
laughed and protested once moro -
Il drclar' ter gracious! she cried, you al
loos SO solemn an riouI dat il maxi" my hchd
feel empty, You set NJ here SO stnr"hitcd. DIES
my head had been full er tales dey wouldn't he
na'"rr one in it now. WHY, You maxi me feel
." on me at at S SnSan"e m"e'n H. say $lster
Puddrw' Aunt Minervy Ann was a wonderful
mimic. and she rolled her eyes and closed them
T 1%TTdSw". ' What "" < de- state State err "' 20 soul
is YOU. still, walkin in dc "rI,dc cr-nar-
nicg"rs dar. men an wmmin.. an some
erde wimmin had upan srpkr. an one un UNI
toted out MOI ter b" outdon" by, UNI riz an
try ter say. Sumpn nice. but my han gun ter
trm6Ic' an, my k@e"s ter shnk" an my tongue
reach; Well et >ou-aI! had been trln' close ter
veal you'd know a. no Aunt Min, HimGryy Ann lots
what wantcr say, my dnmdor riz. say Sis
Ter puddew ~ YOU rall ,Gr is TaIkin, right
she's doin' lots hctt"rn some ,"r dem what
come yer spcshnaHly fer ter have iits.'
Blrr JOnn ticnFE uThWcu IN ms pre1 an
f"tch'd Il long groin. ! low. ef youer fetchin
da' Groan N mo, DIES walk outer dat door dar.
an III gI you sumpn ter groun fer an you
won't stop Groanin' nud,dcr twrl long after 4"
doctor git holt 81 Won. Ef you wGntrr show of
III help you. I'm a mighty han at hc'pin
folks an II! fix you so folks can see you e@
you is"
The truth is. Aunt Mineryy Ann was talking
to get rii of the embarrassment which had
seized her. Aud when they laughed heartily
at her description of tho experience meet
ing" she felt Letter
Now. dem" she said. Il sortcr feel like
wu2 ut home You all sot down hero and look
AT me so har dat it tuck my hreff way. An
right now l dunno what l come 'roun here
why. you were to tell us n tale, Aunt Mi
neryy Ann, Sweetest Susan declared.
What | wauter know remarked Aunt
Min"ryy Ann, us why You come ter me ter
tell tale when deys 80 many ta!e-tellers on
de place? What DC matter wild dat IA. dar o.
pointing to Drusla She got a InOnst GUS
nice NANNY: : how come she can I tell no talC?'
As nobody said anything, Aunt Mineryy. Ann
went on: W hat kinder tale you want? Which
tale mus | tell you Y
Why if knew which tale ! wanted YOU to
tell could tell II myself said Buster John
Don't YOU know any more tales about Brother