The times., 1901-03-17

bathod in light: 10 the welcome hour
when the sun surrounding itself with
mantle Of purple and gold and gradually
sank below the horizon, and the ringing
Of the bell at the slave quarters told that
the long day task was done And. when
the moon rose and the tiukling of the
banjo and the sound Of laughter and the
dance rpatsd out upon the Still night
this same woman, now Old and feeble,
but strong and agile then. wandered out
alone into the fields and the shadowy
woods 10 gather the herbs whose healing
properties she knew by instinct, as the
pointer knows where the game is, and
the St. Bernard where a life is in dan
ger. And when some among those who
danced the longest and laughed the loud
est in the slave quarters that night, were
able no longer to laugh or dance, but lay
Stll and quiet upon the bed of sickness.
the herb woman dispensed the fruits Of
her solitary Tambles In the fields ana
woods and behold the sufferer rcgained
gradually his wOnted health ana strength
and became again the soul Of lie ana
gaycty among his people.
And even the master, when his best
loved child was near to death, and had
been given up for lost, had called in
the negro woman. with some hope, too,
Tor he had seen the effects Of her wonder
ful ministratipus. And the shadow Of
the grave was dispeIled, and the boy
rose ia the fun light and bloom of health.
Then the freedom Of the herb doctress
was offered TO her, and refused, because
her husband could not go with her
and also perhaps. because she was we'll
of ana kindly treated where she was.
Then came the war and the loss Of
all her old life Her husband fell upon
the battlefield. and she found il hard to
live. But she bethOught herself Of her
knowledge of the herbs and hence her
stand today in the rear OF the Centre
Market There she is To be found, win
ter and summer, presiding over her mea-
gre and scarcely inviting stock OF goods
waiting for such customers as may come
rFaF.- 4 frfrT fFnF
old people Of her own race, who know
the powers Of the 'yarb' doctor, and
the virtue Of her medicines. These. IN
deed are said 10 cure all the ills that
flesh is heir To.
The doctress lives in an adjoining coun-
". in Maryland, and comes all the way
to market every morning IN a flck@ty
cart drawn bv q no less rickety horse
which appears 30 be kept alive itself by
some supeThUman means, ana to nave
been long since due upon the sable shore
The first thing the old uegross does, on
arriving at her destination and display
ING nor goods upon her little stall is to
sOact herself with q pipe of tobacco.
" hateEtr may be the virtues OF her other
hor's there can be 10 doubt that from on,
most satisfaction. and TO see her with
her short clay pipe in her mouth IS to
sec perfect picture OF satisfaction in
ANTIQUE ebuuy. A small charcoal fire
keeIs away the bitter blasts Of winter
and an ola umbrella the heat Of the gun
iu summer.
There She is. relic OF African tradi-
tiOn. and state of society that has van
islted from this continent. She looks with
quiet scoTu upon the later editions of her
sisters dressed ia tn" newest fashion
with automobile coats, and hair "A Ia
mod. holding their skirts and their
noses al the correct angle of - degrees
She viii sometimes sigh FOR the old SlaN-
cry days again when the scent OF the
fields and woods WAS frcsher, when the
music OF the song and the banjo was
sweeter and when there was less of
burnbuE among folks both white and
black.