Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1900-01-25
The Stanton CoaChmal1
BY Paul Lawrence Dunbar.
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THE morning sun touched the little
old-fashioned Virginia church with
glory, while in the shadow of its vine
covered porch an old negro alternately
mumbled to himself and dozed.
1t was not yet time for the service to
begin, and as 1 stood watching the bees
go in and out of the honeysuckle vines
there came up the road and halted at
the door strange equipage. Side by
side upon the one seat of an ox-cart sat
a negro, possibly so years of age, and an
old white lady. No one could have mis-
taken her for one of the country women
coming in from any of the adjoining
farms, for she was Enthusiastically lady,
from the white hair which crowned her
high-bred face to the patched and
shabby shoe that peeped from under
her dress as she alighted. The black
man had leaped down and, holding in
one hand the ropes that did duty as
reins, helped her tenderly to the
ground.
The grace and Difference of his man.
ner were perfect, and she accepted his
service with certain genial dignity
that bespoke custom. She went her
feeble way into the church, and was
surprised to see the doing old negro
wake into sudden life, spring up and
dof his cap as she passed. Meanwhile,
at the heads of the lazy oxen stood the
shabby servitor, erect and fine-looking,
even in the tattered garments that COW
cred his form. -
The scene would have been ludicrous
if there had not been about it an air of
dignified earnestness that disarmed rid
icule. You could almost imagine that
black differentiation there a coachman
in splendid livery, standing by the side
of his restless chargers, and the OK cart
with it's one seat and wheels awry might
have been the most dashing of vic
torias. What had I stumbled upon
one of those romances of the old south
that still shed their light among the
shadows of slavery?
The old negro in the porch had set
tied himself again for nap, but I dis
regarded his inclination and, the serv-
ice forgotten, approached him:
'Howdy, uncle.''
'Howdy, son, howdy; how yo' come
on?"
'Oh, I'm tol'able peart," answered,
falling easily into his manner of speech.
81 was just wondering who the lady
was that went in church just now.''
He looked questioningly for min
ute, and then being satisfied of my re-
spect. replied: dat w de Stanton lady
or Mis- Stanton" ....sa
'And the black man there?''
"Dat's Ha'ison; dat's de Stanton
coachman. reckon yo' aim f'om
hyeah?"
"No, but should like to know about
them
"Oomph, hits wonder yo' amt
nevah hyeahd tell O. de Stantons. l
dom know whah yo' been at, man. Why,
evahbody knowed de STATIONS roun'
bout hyeah. Dey wuz de riches folks
anywhah round'.'
"Well to do, were they?"
ssWell to do! Man, whut yo' talkin'
bout? I tell yo', dem people owned
neatly all de dahkies in de county, an
dey was'n' no him out people, neithah.
I didn' long to dem, but I allus wished
I did, case"
"But about Harrison?"
'sEz were a-goin' to say, my OF mas
tab hi'ed me, an wuz on de go mos
all de time, ease sholy wuz spry an
handy dem days. Ha'ison, he wuz de
coachman, an proudah, fnah-dressed
dahky yo' nevah seed in all yore bon
days. Oomph-um, but he WIZ sta'chy!
Dey had his lib'ry made at de same
place whah dey made de OF cunnei's
an de young mastah's clothes, an dey
wuz sights. Such gol' buttons, an long
coats, an shiny hats, an boots The
old man paused and shook his head,
as if the final glory had been reached.
"Dey amt no mo- times lax dat he
went on. "Hit used to be DIES lax a
procession when Ha'ison come ridin'
down de road on top O. de Stanton ca'ige.
He sot up thar DIES ez straight, de bosses
a-prancin', an de wheels a-glistenin'
an he nevah movin' his naik to de right
er de lef', no mon eff he wuz froze
Sometimes yo' could git glimpse O de
missus' face inside, an she wuz allus
beautiful an smilin', lax a real lady
ought to be, an sometimes dey'd have
de ca'ige open, an de cunnel would come
a-ridin' down 'longside o hit on one O
his fine bosses, an Ha' ison I'D sit
straightah dan evan, an yo' couldn' a
toll wheddah he knowed de footman
wuz sittin' side o. him er not.
"Dey wuz mighty good to all de
people, de STATIONS wuz, an dey fairly