The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-08-16
BOLD HOTHOUSE FLOWER
a Story of Woman's Pluck After
the War In the South.


Three persons were sitting around a
table in a large down town cafe. two men
and one woman. Two We're New York
ers The fair man was a southerner.
women as a rule" the woman re-
marked, seem to think it attractive to
appear as incompetent as possible, espe-
caly when they are out with men. At a
lunch counter yesterday heard wo-
man say, Thank you very much to a
bullying waiter who threw charlotte
russe on the counter before her. There
wasn't twinge of sarcasm about her.
She looked grateful after waiting Is min
utee. Thank you very much minick-
ed the woman
The southcrner laughed. u thought
thi. wasn't an age in which women were
accused Of lack of independence"
"Thry're pretty bad" replied the wo-
man decidedly, but what they must
have been in your part of the country
when they married at Is and were treat
Cd Ike dollhouse flowers is beyond imagi-
nation. Even now southern men are full
Of sentiment, aren't they: They'll work
Ike dogs to keep a woman from earning
her living. Why are you anxious to
maka us dependent creatures?'
">aal. tell what one of these hot
house flowers did in a case of life and
death and property" asked the fair man,
smiling. she was the Wife of my uncle.
He married her before She was %. but
size was Il bold dollhouse flower. Her
husband died at the close of the war. and
sheru his plantation herself. This was
10 Louisiana. The plantation house was
near Bayou Sara creek in a thuly set
tied part of the country In busy times
She #as adcId by 6 o'clock All the work
men We're former slaves Her husband
had been popular with them; he was I'm
easy man. Whenever they had lacked a
ha.f holiday or their ratiouS had been
curta. He'd This is some of Miss Annals
doH s. yo Kin I've bound. was the COM
meut passed. She never sought to be a
popular mistress.
I'm the house with her slept her two
children and great masculine. beauti-
full uglatto woman named Nictorine. who
had been Aunt Annals maid since her
marriage. She adored Aunt Anna. but
they were both violent spirits. and my
mother says she has heard them fill the
house with their quarrelng, like two
fshmougers' wives. My aunt had Cener-
alcd the raising of three rice crops on the
plantation when it began to be whispered
that the Louisiana cX-SlaveS were lust
awakening to the indignity of their for
mer state and We're planning To revenge
themselves for that period by killing the
planters in Bayou Sara parish. taking
possession of their property and installing
themselves masters of the soil. This Aunt
Anna heard with constitutional indffcr-
encc to 'niggers' whims' Some Of her
neghhors advised her. but neither she nor
Nictorine tlinched
One afternoon Aunt Annals house
hold-that Is herself, Nctorine and the
childron-drove ten miles TO make call.
It was dark when they started home, and
Pompoy the coachman, stood up to wrap
his blanket about his knees, saying posi-
lively
BEST go home by de high road cross
de bridge, Miss Anna. lis shorter fur de
horses
This was sufficient to make Aunt An
ma rcrly obstinately:
"Wc'll 90 by the lower road, It's safer
on dark night
Ills powerful hard on de horses
veu1red Pompey. Aunt Anna, deigning
no further remark, made sign to Ncto-
ilue ana that peremptory person, settling
herself in the seat opposite Aunt Anna,
with little Caroline in her arms. caution
cd him TO shut up and drive on Pompey
turned and gave Nictorine's back such a
look as caused Aunt Anna to cry out
sharply:
Pompeyn
My aunt's willfulness saved their
iiyes for by this time the plantation dar-
kes had loosened the railing that guard
90 the bridge and were waiting to assist
Tompey to drive the carriage over the
edge
Half mile away from these opera
IONS Aunt Annals garbage passed at
about midnight, Nictorine on the front
seat with Caroline curled up in her arms
ana Aunt Anna on the back with Eliza
uetn head in her lap, talking and quar-
;ieAhg as they went. Arrived at the
AolSe iompey's wife screamed when she
saw the carriage and stood on the kitchen
steps saying:
l'lcss de Lordr
WHY are you not in bed, ChloeY
,Ih!oe trembled and cried
ze stad up to see my old man.
: Aunt Anna looked at Chloe and at
ionbey. She remembered his daring
DoR n Nictorine, and she watched Chloe
us the sleeping Caroline, whom she took
IN her arms.
Pompey.' she said, put up the horses
una come into the kitchen. Chloe1 give
sUu something to eat. Chloe, open box
VI sardines for Pompey.' Pompey was
very fond Of sardines.
:. later, when Annt Anna went into the
Alchen, Pompey was sitting ut the bitch
"a table in his driving cloak, his shout
atfs hunched over his plate. Chloe stood
away from him sulleny. Aunt Anna
mem TO the sink under pretext of getting
,p.lhh of water and, with her back turn
"'o both OF them, remarked:
near there's an uprising Of some
sn planned among the darkies. Mr.. Ell.
asos told me this afternoon that | should
%9s 9recaution. He said, "You are the
IIost Unprotected woman in Louisiana"
'ld him that for that very reason the
Se Of every white man from Bayou Sara
~ new Orleans would be turned upon
AN piantation the moment trouble arose,
ns a 'he darsies who harmed lonely wo-
S5 au would receive terrible punishment.
sag rank her glass Of water and turned
sound She was very tall.
hail. SIDES, III shoot the first man who
a. D az, suspiciously. | am prepared to
a. lat BEFORE she closed the kitchen
I'M. sne said, cheerily: Good night,
'S .SI Good night Pompey.'
- aezt morning Aunt Anna staid in