The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1901-1903, 1902-08-24
daily Short Story
Brunswick News.
8eH4's grineesS.


The Martha Washington was an
hour behind time On the pier at Old
Bay was piled a waiting cargo-coops
of restless chickens, watermelons
whose dark green rinds proclaimed
their inner lusciousness, barrels of veg;
etables and disconsolate calf in a
crate, which gave forth occasional
complaining means, protests against
the suangeness Of its position and its
separation from its kind
Betty sympathl2ed with the calf
She, too. was lonely. The only other
visible occupant of the pier was Pink
Johnson. Pink was grabbing, and Bet
~ wondered If 1t would be beneath the
dignity of her position as "A Traveller
if she went over and watched him I'M
til the boat came On ordinary occa-
sions she and Pink visited freely, but
Pink had recognized an extraordinary
event and with true negro instinct had
kept his distance.
Before Betty decided, however, there
appeared just above the horizon a faint
streak of smoke, then a dark body,
which, growing larger, proved to be
the Martha Washington She came
along slowly, throwing up a crest Of
white water in front of her ana leay-
ing behind broad road of dancing,
foam tipped waves.
AS she steamed up to the wharf
many hands were ready to receive the
lines thrown to hold her fast, for ne
groes Of various ages and sizes rolled
out from behind boxes and barrels,
while from the OK carts on the shore
descended lazy drivers, who lounged
down to get the small stores which the
boat would bring.
Pink Johnson was on his feet wind
ing up his crab line He threw the
chicken head which had served for
bait back into the water.
hit cert'n'y do seem a pity to vase
good haids," was his reflection, but
I'ze got to hep Mis- Betty Ma'shall
on to dat boat. seem she ain got no
white folks dat'll do hit"
He went over and picked up Betty's
satchel and lunchbox
"To waw'm TO de cun'l, WASH hit,
Mis- Betty" lie questioned.
ooh. yes, Pink. Grandfather couldn't
come. Some gentlemen called and he
had to stay to talk over business"
Perhaps the "cun'P might have had
the grace to blush over the excuse he
had given had he heard the trustful
words, but as he was at the moment
engaged in compromising mint juleps
for four gentlemen who had dropped
in to discuss the merits Of the new
horse which was to be entered for the
Pimlico races it is not likely that
thoughts of lonely little Betty weighed
him down
But Betty was not unhappy This
was the first great event of her life.
How it had come about she hardly
knew, but cousin Mary MARSHALL
was to be married. and Aunt Leila,
Betty's dead mothers favorite sister,
had written that the little girl was to
come to the wedding.
So DiIsey, Betty's nanny, had
packed Betty's simple white dresses
and had promised to take good care Of
grandfather. and, with kiss, Betty
bad started away in the old surrey.
Upon hec arrival ut the wharf she had
sent Calvin, the driver, home at once,
that he might wait on the colonel's
guests. Hence ii happened that Pink
Johnson was the only person to bid
Miss Betty Marshall Of the HAP
goodby when she started on her first
trip FROM Old Bay.
TO the man and woman, passengers
from a famous watering place down
the bay, who leaned over the rail lazily
watching the loading and unloading Of
freight. the Martha Washington APP
peared merely an old tub Of a boat but
in Betty's eyes it was glorified.
Betty knew every one on board from
Captain Warfeld to the stewardess,
for while Captain Warfeld was
Maryland man and the MarshalIs were
Virginians, still the captains mother
had married Colonel Marshall's third
cousin, and if that does not constitute
kinship nothing does, at least in the
opinion of these clannish and warm
hearted southerners. AS for the stew
ardess, she talked Of Dilsey and Cal
win in a tone which bespoke familiari-
ty while the unqualified respect with
which she asked after Colonel Marshall
showed the marks of certain pickanin-
~ days, when the colonel was "Marse
Bob"
1t was supper time before Betty fin
isbed exploring the boat. Betty had a
place Of honor near the captain, and
size answered his questions and told
him the news Of her little community
In the charming fashion and uncon-
seriousness of self which are the inher-
itance of the well born child OF the
south.
The princess watched the eager,
sweet face from the other side of the
table. She was not really a princess,
but that was the name Betty had Civ
en- her when first she came on deck.
She was tall and fair and there was
something about her gown which was
different from anything Betty had
ever seen. 1t was straight and plain
and dark. but there was dash Of