The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-29

rel, who insisted on making me a julep. I
declined, and ] was wondering wis, fuily Il
drinkingAook the place of eating in this
strange house, when little Mason's head
was stuck through the door. 'Grandma's
got your supper ready he said. and van
ished as he came
The clock was striking 9 as I followed
the Colonel across a w-pitched hall flank
ed with black mahogany, high-backed
sofas and chairs, into the large. dark
Walnscoued dining-roOm, where a single.
dim kerosene lamp smoked on the huge
highly polished table
DO come in,Mrs. Strangely my host
ess said, rising TO meet me. Tn sorry you
will have such an uncomfortable meal but
my son. Tucker went off to a party 10.
night, and We had an early supper on his
account. Win you let me give you cod
tea or coffee? Matoaca. fill Mrs. Strange
ly's glass with milk.
Eagerly pressing each dish upon me
the entire household stood ready to answer
every uuspoken wish, and ! wondered if
they had left anything for the morrow
There was broiled chicken, cold ham and
lamb potato salad, sOft-boiled eggs hot
biscuit and Sally Lunn, hoe cake and corn
meal mullins, trawberry preserves ana
orange jelly heavenly sponge cake and a
great thick slice of black fruit cake a year
old, clabber and apples cooked in butter
and sugar with cream thick enough to cut
II was a feast fit for a king
"Aflerward we sat in the fine covered
stone porch with the Clipped yellow col
umns and new green benches rum ng
along the sides. They talked freely and in
timately of Epictetus and Putarch spoke
of old Dan Chaucer as a friend and had
never heard of Dreyfus. The whitehaired
grandfather quoted Spanish verse, and told
of his travels through Florida in the carry
POS; and in the midst of il all. pretty Ma
i
Were still in fashion and whether l thought
there was any truth in the rumor that
oVerskrts We're 10 be worn again.
when l went up for the night my way
led through square, old-fashiCned room
where the young widow was lying beside
her little hoy on a yellow trundle-bed. She
put IN her hand TO warn me TO silence,
and l tip-toed into a tiny apartment, whose
only entrance was through this room,
shared by the three sisters and the child.
Matoaca struck a match. and lighted the
lamp. 1t went out instantly.
"Oh! I must have forgotten to fill it,
she whispered. Never mind; it's bright
moonlight and you can see the Digit from
our room. 1 can't bring ID out for Mason
would yell. Goodnight let us know If
you need anything
Another night l went up early to write
some important business letters and was
just settling myself when Mrs. Murray
came IN.
You don't mind my taking your lamp,
I know she said, hurriediy. picking il
up. 1.-THE girls are dressing for a party,
and an the Others are in use.
There were great many servants, il
seemed to me, and yet Mrs. Mason and
the girls were eternally at work cooking
and busting washing dishes and waxing
floors. They had a cook and a boy, a gard
ener and a housemaid, besides a little girl
who apparently had no duties but to pass
the bread and wake up the family. to say
nothing of the washer woman who Seemed
TO be nameless as far as I could make out,
for she was always spoken of as the wo-
man who lives on Brook avenue, and an
antiquated dame, who came on certain
days TO make cake, sweep the yard and
shake the rugs.
Little Pocahontas was 10 years old,
and wore her hair 'wropped.' l asked her
once what size shoes she wore when she
didn't go barefoot. Sometimes ones she
said gravely, sonnet times twos; these I've
got on now is fves.' She had very vague
ideas as to time She would bring me a
pitcher of water in the morning, and say,
pleadingy: You'd better get up; breakfast
is goin' on de table now. I would rush
madly into my clothes. and fly downstairs.
only to find there was long vista before
me of reading the poems of one George,
Lord Bryon, picking the fragrant roses