The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-07-22

ever come to send her up here, of all
places in the world?"
she got next to the sympathetic side
Of me, and I didn't know what else to
do with her. And I happened to re-
member what you said the other even
ing about the old-time negro women.
What have l done?
IF YOU had been our good angel you
couldn't have done a lovelier thing.
DO you know who Nam Sephny is?
She is papa's old black nanny She
was a house servant in Grandfather
Dickson's old home in Virginia"
"Well, I'll be -. - - You don't
say! Why, it was the merest chance in
the world! AS ! say, didn't know what
else to do with her"
1T was au-an inspiration. think"
declared Lois impulsively. Papa can't
make enough of her, and she-wen. I
just thought she would die with the
sheer joy of it, Poor old woman! She
has had such a dreadfully hard time
of it,"
Has she? l guessed as much-from
her eyes, you know"
Then she didn't tell you her story ?"
mo"
child, a little boy who was years old
when she lost him it was in the last
year of the war, and Wythe county
was overrun with negro stealers, maxi
ing the most of their opportunity while
/ it lasted, papa says. They stole the boy,
and Nam Sephny could never learn
anything more definite about him than
| that he was sold south with a lot of
IL
| ful?"
The young man nodded. He had abOli-
| tion blood in his veins. and it made him
| glad to the finger tips to know that a
| daughter of Shareholders could also
| sympathize with a black mother
| bereft.
"Of course, there was nothing for her
to do at the time Lois went on, "but
| when grandfather and grandmother
| died, and papa was reported killed at
| Petersburg, she was free. and she
| started out to hunt for her baby. Did
| you ever hear Of such hopeless task?'
| Never" said Russell, trying Ia
| imagine himself seeking a loved one
| say a sWeet-faccd young woman with
| star-like cyes-under like hopeless con-
ditions Did she find the boy?"
go, no; it wasn't 10 be expected. She
has spent her whole life going from
! place TO place all through the Southern
states, looking and asking and al
ways hoping. But she has given it uT
at last, and she was trying to get back
10 the old home place I'm Virginia"
Yes; to die and be buried beside
her old master and mistress. She told
me that It's very pathetic, and-and
Miss Lois, you don't know how glad
l am that YOU can sympathize with
her." He said it because II was in him
and clamoring for speech, but he was
| quite unprepared for her half-re.
proachful protest.
Glad but surprised; is that it?" she
queried, with little note of antagon.
ism in her voice.
II suppose I ought to be polite and
say no, but I'm going to be truthful
and say yes, I've always been led tC
believe that your sttitude-that is, Tho
attitude OF the Southern pcople-to,
ward the--er--the negroes was-a-'
He stumbled. not knowing just how Ia
put it in the least offensive phrasiug
but he needed no tot go on.
"I know" she laughed, and the little
Whit of antagonism was gone. "But
after you've heen here longer you viii
understand. They are men and womer
to you, yet, / suppose, but to us they
are simply good-natured. overgrowr
children. And we are kinder TO then
than you will be-until you know then
as wei las we do"
The young man suspected that hi
! was getting upon thin ice, and made