The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-07-13
MANI SEPHNY'SQUEST
By FRANCIS LYNDE.


'Is you all de cap'n of dishyer rail-
road, Suh?
Russell looked up from his desk. II
was not the omnipresent negro vender
of persimmons or muscadines. 1t was
woman, gray, bent and wrinkled and
with the pleadingest old eyes that ever
looked out upon a masterful world.
She wore knotted bandanna on her
head, and her dress was of the coars-
est, but Russell, whose glance was
that of a trained summarist, remarked
that everything about her was scrupu-
lousy neat and spotless.
81 am the passenger agent" he said.
'What can | do for your
'Yes. sur; dat's whut dey tole me,
an | des climm up dem stars ter see
eff you all couldn' holp de po' ole mig
gah CONAN git back ter ole Firginny.
Ize dis nigh home, mahsteh, but desc
ole laigs dey ain gwine cyar me dah-
no, sub. Dey des mex out lax dey
couldn'."
Where are you from, auntyY Rus
sell was new to the south. and all
negroes of certain age were yet
"aunties" and ''uncles'' to him.
''I'ze f'om Alabama, sub, dis las time,
yes. sub. Done tromp all de way f'om
Montgomery, suh."
Now, railway passenger agent, be-
ing stationed at principal junction
point Of human desires and disabili-
ties, must needs harden his heart, but
it is long walk from Montgomery to
Chattanooga.
'What will you do when you get to
Virginia? Have you relatives there p
'Kinfolks? No, sub. But dah's wha'
I'Ze bon an rais'."
How long have you been away"
"Ain' been dab sence de wah time,
sub."
''Since the war? Why, you won't
find anybody there now that you
knowv'
''No, sub; l don't 'speet ter. But I'ze
lax ter lay my ole bones en- de ole
manneh fahm wha de mahsteh an de
missis is sleepin: yes. sub, l would"
Russell put business aside and with
it tie stereotyped rule in such cases
made and provided. An application for
half fare account charity should
have come from the proper official of
the county court. but he waived the
formality.
What Is your name, auntyT he
asked. dipping his pen
"Sephny Dickson, sub yes, sub.
Tank you kin'ly, suh."
'Dickson?" 1t was a family name in
which the passenger agent was deeply
interested for cause.
"Yes, sub; Sephny Dickson"
Russell filled out the order for half
rates, but when the money stage of
the small transaction was reached the
little heap of nickels and dimes which
corner of her kerchief was all too
small, and the charitable causeway
broke down in new place.
sis that all you have, aunty?"
"Yes, sub; ev'y las picayune, suh."
'lt isn't half enough, even for the
half fare"
The dim, old eyes filed with tears.
Oul o-udt uSS WudI Ze SkeciGu OF,
sub. 'Spect l'ze des got ter tromp it
after ALL How fur Is it, mahsteh"
RusselPs hand sought his pocket. but
something in the old woman's manner
made him withdraw it empty. "It's
too far for you to walk. Can't you
stay here till you've earned money
enough to pay the half fareY
Oats whut l'ze layin off ter do twel
tried. yes, sub; but I'ze mighty ole an
no count, an de white folks dey wants
de young ones nowerdays-yes. sub,
dey does"
Russell recalled something which had
been said on the occasion of his latest
visit to certain hospitable household
on the hither slope of old Lookout.
"Can you cook. aunty?" he queried.
II kin dat, sho'ly, suh."
would you like to get place in a
good family here for awhileY
"Deed would dat Mo- 'speshully
eff dar's any chillun."
Russell smiled under his mustache
and wondered if certain young lady
| he VOTED of, young woman who had
recently attained TO the dignity of be-