The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-03
BROUGHT BACK OLD TIMES
"A Fort Worth, Texas woman nan t e .5
some OF her confidential friends about
hearing POLK Miller and the after results,

Fl "A Fort Worth, Texas woman tclilHs
soma oe her confidential friends about
hearing Polk Miller and the after results
writes: ~ II: VIZ
III hnve been in Texas ever since !
was a very little girl and seldom thlns
anything save an accompaniment 20 9,
Texas song of praise. went 20 near
Polk Miller purely to please sons OF my
friends But in a few minutes rct I'm 'll'F1
able revival OF my childhood memory eo c'e
place. The first darby story he told did
not carry me back TO old Vlrsln'1nly y o ''l
to another Southern scene. Whch ne
iva nged the strings OF that guitar OF ms
I saw Just as plainly as see you' r ,''f
pey, our old carriage man. white halreu
and fee Bile, but as nlmblc fingered ana
tunetul on a corn stalk fiddle with which
10 kept mo always supplied When he
sang Nellie Gray came 70 my se'l
singing with him, and then recalled thas
Aunt Mandy had taught me the tune
"Aunt Mandy had belonged to our fam
uy. and after the war had moved to town
md had made herself q home on the OUT
skirts Of the county seat, She hau u
ttny garden filled with flowers, VIII money
suckle, pinks and cape 1asmi1lees. iiei
strawberries were s%eter tna nan .u or, n nnno
where else, and collards and corn pone
Wed with any sweets have ever tasted
since. Aunt Mandy was much IN demand
among the town folk, and her needle sup
rlied the simple clothes OF the chl!dreh
and men folks of dozen or more iamt-
lies. No trip to town was ever coHlp,eto
without a visit to Aunt Mandy. ana WINE
the grown folks attended to inc pu Is1. y
at the stores md postoltlce, ! was }ieit 70
snend the day with her. In the sprins
would sit on high chair under the
rbor IN the back yard with my DOW
filled with pot liquor and dumpllhss' VIZ
| chickens would cluck around me- ~, ~.
ROSTERS would crow with Prloe ha I ,,ls
family would scratch and watch LOT ING
crumbs .Iswould throw them. me ''oWe.
beds would be full Of bloom and Aunt
| AZ = nflv would have poses OF sweet SCENT
| cd blooms for me to take home.
7"Tghad not thought OF Aunt Mandy 16r
Won re- until heard Polk Miller. 1 Went
home humming old Kentucky and
| Garry Mo Back to Ole Virginny.' me
next day still thought Of Aunt Mandy,
| and went about unconsciously sihs!ns
her songs until my little girl asked, ,,Al Wig
what Is that doleful tune you are sine
ing? I was hummng that o'a soHs,
u SuS My sCEpsS AAuN l5
regular darkey way.
con my way to town 1 discovered some
turnip green's, and like an inspiration !
decided that would cook them like Aunt
| Mandy used to cook collnrds, corn meal
dumplIngs and all,
| 4E"At the dinner table everybody iooKea
| re ther suspiciously upon tureen WV y
q greensh looking soup, and there was
| a pushing back OF the bowls soon h11 teF
| the contents were tasted.
.nsey what on earth Is IT. asked my son.
| Tl,sn explained that 1t was pot LIQUOR ana
| dumplings. the choicest edible on the "a
I IL of the plantation folk before tho war.
"i'Well, we are living In Texas now,
| and I'll take cream tomato soup next
| time II you please.
ls9"After dinner ! pourcd the contents OF
/ the tureen into the dog dlsh, pul :. was was
! treated with even moro contempt ny our
canine net, He shifted it and then look
1 I'd around In the most puzzled way, say
| ing as plain as words could do, What 70
| this stuff you arc expecting me 20 eut
AFTER this ! felt somewhat supduea,
Evidently tho memories OF youth are Tor
secret musings and are not 70 pc s''atea
with the twentieth century Iexan' man
o., dog, Secretly was a little dtsap,
pointed in the dumpllngs myself but !
i would not acknowledge IT.. a,
i "But I have moralzed considerable
SINCE J. 4, !, !
m emorIes OF the old times IN the olu
states polk Miller was a delight beyond
4 words, There Is not before the pupils 9ilc
any one who has the negro dialect, vs.
Eegro expression. the negro attitudes az
has this accomplished lmpersonator a .ll
story teller. TO the Northerner or INC
young southerner he must speak ,,,,,k y :, : :
strange tongue. He Is somewhat o.
Il philosopher also, and the friendship lol
the ex.slaye is expressed In every tons
and word His philosophy and frlendll
ness is both told In this simple remark I'm,
,rreedom spoiled mighty good Niger
ond didn't make white man out q
hhl him, elther'' But the southerner Y
turning against the negro, and IT may p
q questionSif In q few years there wiz . Q
a left m audience who vii care to hear the
iV,e ~ spoken OF with affectionate remem,
\ trance The new kind is becoming nore
and more exasperatlng, and their ehaFa q,
lterls4cs have none pf the virtues q fhns
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