Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-18
The Diligent Reporter
And Old Nanny.

we'd les set en- study en- talk bout dem
good ole times when Marster and Mis-
tess en- all de ole folks was libbin'; en-
row dey Amt no body lef 'cep po' ole
me!'' And Aunt Susan rocked to ana
fro in her desola ton Va
4 was deeply distressed Eat this sad an;
nouncement, for Aunt Lizzie had been
the chosen companion and friend of my
childhood, though even then grown elder
ly. and seeming the more so because of
her delicate health. ASH first remember
her she was "chicken-tender," or manager
Of the fowls. to which humble occupation
she had fallen from the high estate Of
"house-gal." in earlier days. The last few
years of her life, sorely stricken with an
incurable. disease. she had been a hearth
ly welcomed pensioner on the bounty Of
my father. who was still her young
marster.'' though the slave had been, for
more than thirty years, a free woman,
and the "marster's' head was silver
crowned.
s.1n dat very room dar,'' continued
Aunt Susan, pointing through the open
door in the dining room, Young Mis-
tiers n1arr'd Sis Lizzie to Brer Joe. I
members it jes' as clar as If twuz yes
tldd'y. I WIZ churnih' on dis very back
butter-milk fer his breckfus', en- Joe wuz
bilir' de coffee on de tribet by de dine
room fire; Sis Lizzie he'd jes' done totin'
fresh water to de chambers, en- she wllz
rubbin' de knives. When dat gal want
waitin' on de white folks YOU WIZ
mighty ap' to ketch her In de dine-room
long er Joe dem days He! he'll he: Well,
IN come Young MIST ss. 'specF
you heered yo' Pa tell dat she
spent mos er her time long er her
gran'ma in Porchmuth; but dis time ole
Miss had done sent her hume case de
folks down dar--de navy of'cers en- sech-
wouldn't GLIB her no res from balls en-
suppers Ole Miss wrote to DIist'ess and
tole her young Mistess needed res en-
yearly hours. to git back her roses befo'
her weddin' ia de fall-fer she wu2 prom
ised to Cap'in St. Clair then. So OATS
how come she got up TO breckfns'.
We'll, she come in, she did, en- she stood
by de FIRE er-warrnin' de bottom er her little
slipper, en- .Joe.' she seq. why don't you
hurry up brekfus I'm as harngry es er
bari, Lord. Miss, you knows ! KANT hab
lit 70. 1Iarster come down, en- he don't
come nair secon' TO eight sharp. But
he hurried up, all de same. case Young
Mist'ess word wuz de law en- de gorspel
to him. Den she reach up on de shelf.
en- she tuck down de Prar Book whar
NllSL SSSE4 alluSz ICs1u III o1Ss Oh1St.
She commenced er-readin in de middle
part. L see 1t all through de crack er de
do. Fus' she look mighty sad, den she
look up en- she see Lizzie en- Joe er-settln'
de table, en- she say, Come here, you two.
Tn er-gwine to read de marage sarytce
ober YOU $50 Is.
..YVell sdey stood up TO her en- she read
outer de book, en- she glib Joe 9. little ring
often her finger en- made him put in on
Lizzies. When she come to de las part
she look mighty sonum. en- she say:
Dose dat Cord hab jned togedder let
no man put asunner-dat means part
Joe, she seq, 1en hits er mighty ser'us
thing. S'lute yo' bride. sir: En- Joe
popped Lizzie plump in de nanuf right dar
'fo' Young Mis- ess! come mighty nigh
ar -bustin out latf1n. Lizzie did slook
SO shame face. Young Mist'ess slaffed. too.
en- she ruined out in de gyardin to git
a bokay fur de breckfn tabl 49,
den poke my haid In de do en- say,
How bout Aunt Cherry Mandy now,
Joe?' en- joe, he say, I amt studyins
bout her. Amt you #jes seed Miss Louisa
marry me- to Lizzie II aint gotsno call
to study bout nobody else now. Mandy
don't suit me uo11oW. sl gWine to be Miss
Louisa's butler when she habs de Cap
tin, SO what I do wild err no-manneFed
corn field nigger.s Lizzie ain 1ikesys.e en-
strappin, like Mandy, but she's mighty
lu1a,aninerly. en- shes got real quality
ways. she suits me ~ En- he WIZ jes' In de
ac' err s1utin' her agin hen IN come
darster.. 70 oe WIZ er handin ev him q
scheer In paipi 4 but me. en- Iizzie.sWu
tpo skeered to- n1ohe-
..Marstfr say: Conform you. Joe a.
you got all desc women er-conta nina tip'
de yair er de d..ae=room fer tsllssy
Has hanished ollzer dat room .sss