The Washington times., 1902-02-09

there. old clothes, that aint the way TO
the pound. Turn around an 20 back. if
his legs Ii stand it; an say. don't hit
him so hard, we're Liable to hurt yer
whip"
With legs swollen by old age and hard
work, with hide toughened by exposure to
all sorts of weather. the shaggy nag joys
along. philosophically unmindful of the
blows that are rained upon his back. Ex-
perience and hard usage have taught him
that the goad is less harmful to his con
stitutiCn than the strain consequent on
energetic effort. Experience likewise has
taught him that whipping is a bad habit,
which. like other bad habits speed or no
speed, his master will continue TO indulge
until physical exhaustion prompts his
leaving off.
when Work Is Done.
While the sidewalk merchants business
is not particularly lucrative, ii sup
ports little place and a little life in the
country and, after all. there may be worse
places to live in and far less happy lives.
In the evening. when the tiny stand is
empty and the tiny purse is filed, the men
among the sidewalk merchants. like men
in higher and more cultured circles. seek
little surcease from life of labor.
Occasionally. they seek a trifie too much
fall asleep in their wagons. and are de
pendent upon their horses to bring them
safely home.
Luckily. the faithful beasts know every
turn and twist in the road. and sooner or
later, usually later. arrive at the distant
farm yard. The women wander up Seventh
Street on shopping tour and. judging
from the keenness which they carry into
their dealings with the smaller merchants,
enc would hardly conclude that they were
country
Distinct and separate from the ordinary
type of sidewalk merchant, and far more
interesting, are the old negro women who
sell herts and roots which they gather in
the woods around Washington. They have
no morse and wagon. not even wheelbar-
row. to transport their wares from the lit
lie cabin in the country. but trudge to
town win stock wrapped in large bundles
and thrown over shoulders that many a
dandy might Willingly purchase at an ex-
orbitant figure
On Shanks' Mare
One of these old .'aunties" was asked bv
a customer if she had a horse and wagon
No, indeed, honey was her response
Then how in the world do YOU get TO
tGwn?"
'Ah comes on Shanks' mare All do
And so she does. II is hardly credible.
Many OF these women of sixty years or
more walk from their little places in the
country to Washington frequently dis
tance OF ten or fifteen miles. On reaching
the market they take up positions on B
Street. strew their unpretentious wares on
the sidewalk, light their little clay pipes,
and imperturbably await customers
How is business today, auntie?" asked
a passcr-by.
. ''Tol'able. Ah sold 50 cents wuth O.
pennyroyal this mawnin'.
rs that all you made?''
We'll. uh lady from New York guy me
two bits TO settin' TO uh photograf uh
while ago. That amt so bad is it,
why did she want your photograph"
She wanted it cuz Ah'm a 'scendant of
Genrul Gawge Nasbin'ton's body SER
VENT
II these old ''mammies" are to he be-
lieved George Washington must have
been very difficult to please in the way
of valets. or else his body servant begot
untold progeny; for, singular as it may
apr ear. not one of these aged negresses
but claims direct descent from the body
servant OF Gen rul Gawge Washington"
More singular still each pretends TO be
genealogically certain of her statement
and will glibly trace her ancestry straight
back TO the original valet :: Mount Yer
non
The greater number of these old ne
Policy and Fortune Telling.
crosses play policy and few of them.
more gifted than the others. are fluent
fortune tellers. An occasional half dollar
is picked up by warning a dark complex
Toned lady to be 'keerful' OF a gentleman
with light hair and blue eyes or by Civ
ing information concerning Il piece of
jewalry that has been lost.
rather cynical woman who discharg-
ed from her employ the daughter OF one
of these old negresses missed valua-
bic watch shortly after the servants de-
parture Happening to know that the
girls mother sold herbs on Street, she
visited her and asked for an opinion on
the Whereabouts Of the watch. The old
"mammy." after drawing pack of greasy
cards from the folds of her dress. closed
her eyes and began to humble some in
comp ehensibie jargon. which sounded
like nothing in particular.
IF you please" observed the cynic. in
terrupting, Il Should prefer your personal
to your professional opinion
What. TO- a half dollar exclaimed
the fortune teller.
Is one blameworthy for being cynical
after such an answer from simple old
country darky?