Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-02-28
THAT SINNER WOMAN

hope that country air may restore the long !
lost color to my pale cheeks.
To one who has been immured al ones
life in city the country Is full Of strange
things, but to my way Of thinking there
is nothing more strange than the country
negro, with his unoanny superstLons and
weird ideas Of religion.
Mrs. Jones, with whom / was staying
| tells me that the negroes on her place
| have been a constant source Of amuse
ment and wonder TO her ever SINCE the
| day her husband brought her here,
| week-old bride, direct from her city home.
At present, | am living IN chrome
| ,tate OF terror for fear some Of them viii
'put hoodoo" on me, to punish me for lis
| teninp to what was not intended for the ears |
Of Ter white oman"
just this evening was sitting on a rustic |
bench. half hidden by huge marble urn, |
and watching the old yellow hen Industrious
" hunting bugs for her one chicken, when
i heard the husky voice of Mrs. Jones. car
rage driver say:
Good chen, Bre'r Richud. WARS yer
ewine so briefly
.sNow. | shall have some fun" ! said to
myself, and listened to hear what was com.
ing next.
GOOD chen, Bre'r Silas. Use gwine ter
ring de chu'eh bell" replied Bre'r Rich
ard.
1How come dat! Dis ain de reg'lar
meetin, night" said Bre'r Silas, slowly pull.
inc forth a large chunk Of tobacco, and help
ing himself to a goodly @ehew." He put the
chunk back into his ragged pocket, wholly ig'
noring the little courtesy Of offering some TO
/ his neighbor.
| aWby. mani" exclaimed Bre'r Richud,
l ahasn't yer heerd de sprisin' news dat
Judy Pendeton's done come though Wild
III dat sof' circulated Bre'r silas,
showing the whites Of his eyes and pre-
senting a picture Of great astonlshment.
4 "Y-a.a-s. il am, an ives gwine ter gip
'er a chanst ter talk ter night, Gaze she :
"a onehangeable ives a-skeered ter wai1
TWEEN mex 'pin'ment. But so long, Bre
silas; Is IN er big hurry.
The reverberations Of the bell had scarcely
died away before the flock began 70 eongre-
eate-for the news Of Judy fendietoh 6
4 perienoe had spread far and vide, ana ~
were eager 70 hear what dat SINNER oman
had to say for hersef."
All the elders, deacons and members O
" good and regular standing were ~ ~ ~,
LEAD a. they marched up the church aisl'
were to pass Judgment upon Judy ate
hearing her story. If the story proved sum
GENTLY frightful Judy would be : copied
- member: If not, she would have to q
home and "pray ergin."
Il ike Bre'r Silas. wanted 70 hear VIVA
Judy would say, so | slipped around 70 "
haek OF the "meetin' house, where a mag
nolia tree spread out its friendly hranehe
e al near A window that | could easily see 70
M interior Of the room by climbing up to or
of the boughs.
Just a. had fixed myself comfortably to
l. proceedings began.
There were a number OF questions ~
Inv the elders. and Their Judy began IN a Weir
tone that made my flesh creep;
e sYas. my fren $ il am Tack ! : pee
On. - nravtn' long. and Ii been er prayin har
n IN 81 hard lit wild De ole anllssary, an !
Won Al yie'try at las T,Fuz iist yistido
r,svpip' | done Ill | had been erprayin
AZ, ermoanin'. an er.ras'l Tin wild de denl
Al, All over suddint / got dat onrestless
rould'n stay still, 50 ! started to rambie
lrx, de woods.
ling "Wheu / got down dare whar dai nae
ber' tree wild dem yailer iesmins ciailp'
n on hit. my burden was so heavy CAT
St. fell fat to dc groun 49,.
Il knowed | wasn't sleep, but y peer
AK | los my senses. All az onet hee
AL er voice say: Judy, my chile, run Ter
ssex life ..u,a,
any II looked eroun' quick, and OAR stala
close ter me was Mandy Green lou
knows she allus s'cused me NV steam
ton, husban' erway fun her
uses oWeu when / seed il was her got
MI s,r, AR IN er hurry, an / flew DIES as 4
- txvo foots an my burden would lei y
MANDY Green tnk after me, an WI
rior iook hack TO see how fas she was er GO
ping IN | seed her stoop down and PICK UP
tracks an put 'em in her pocket.
en1 @Da,'s hnceome, she neber coteh me.
sWblst / was er watchin' Mandy, !
q. ,;nv kpowed. went ker-splash ID DER os
. men / fought sho' was gone; but when
m ontter dat Dyer / was on de udder siae
~ aI elrp, ont an Mandy didn't follow
,,, mo- / spose twas Gaze she coui
,,set m no mo- tracks, but she stood
sbalin' her fisses at me, an screamin
have nv 'venge yit.'
..Sumpin' KEEP tellin' me ter keep
Zinc an, KEEP er-gwine twell putty $
found myself in er dawk hole lax
Non walls all roun' me, an ever
'neared 10 be gittin' hotter an hotter
ara nick up one foot an den de uo'
speckin' ter fin blisters on dem, oue
ames want none. 1t was de biaeAes pa.
on OF cher was in-T had to gripe my way,
ne 70 4Befo' had gone fur, knowed wa
mend tawment Gaze | cud hear de tryin an
with Vim an sereechin' o. de loss souls,
para Il was so skeered dat my har gun
come straight ,.L.,,,
Il was hopin' ter slip tn ough thos y
Dat, debH SEEM me, but JUS den er greas =
come fun somewhar, an STOOD s'oe ~;
fer dare befo' me, be was stanaih wy
pitchfork in he hands.
~ was trimblin' all over, fur spe
r;,h+ den and dar to be speared.
u.s.. dat skeered | fell r;gh' down all in er
INT AT same voice dat had whispered I,
III onct before spoke ergin, an said; y
Nj Sin, up'-an TO de debil eud git ter
Ill felt nv burdens drap often me, an she
'ess info al air lax goose feather.