The Washington herald., 1907-08-23

No deep emotional feeling is stirred up
by the mention of that name in the
breasts of the uninitiated. No water
gathers in the mouth of the Phillistine;
no eager lenging In the stomach Of the
superfastidious. The overdelicate may
turn up a disdainfuI nose and avow that
the mere mention of ham and cabbage
or liver and onions quite upsets them,
but there are many inhabitants of Wash
ington 20 whom the mere thought Of the
cabbage wagon is benediction.
Just why it is called a wagon its
patrons have never been able TO de-
termine, for its appearance indicates a
dismantled baby carriage more strongly
than anything else; baby carriage IN
which whole families. consisting mainly
Of obstreperous boys. must have been
raised. The wheels OF the carriage are
badly shattered, and the way the
imprOvised spokes bear their burden of
treasures seems miraculous. It's bottom.
once lined with pale-blue upholstery, now
boasts of nothing more than theNside Of
a cracker box It's handles, are the
branch OF a tree. whitfield so as 70 be
useful: it's sunshade gone with the ages:
its wicker sides mere memory.
No Exterior AdOrnment.
No horses drive the cabbage wagon,
nor festooned coffee tanks and polished
ham sandwiches ornament It's interior.
Instead, there are two large pots through
the tops OF which steam issues, and the
plain. wholesome. inviting odors bespeak
the cooking Of a mothers day. which has
become tradition.
Neither does a white jacket adorn the
driver. She is an old negro woman. Aunt
Nancy. and her bent back shows clearly
that her life has been spent between the
stove and the ironing board.
Every day at noon, Aunt Nancy wheels
her load Of ham and cabbage. and corn
pone and "chitlens" 10 the buildings along
Fifteenth street, on which many Of her
race are employed
/ She is rarely 10 be seen even a minute
before Z O'Clock, and she never arrives
a moment after, but as the whistle blows.
she takes her position at a point Of van
tage from which she can apportion cut
her luxuries and collect her stipend.
For 10 cents a tin Plate full Of cab
bage, a generous slice Of steaming corn
! pone. and gravy to suit the taste can be
| procured from Aunt Nancy. She is a bad
bargainer, and can often be cajoled and
hattered, too, and the honey tongued
workmen frequently fare much better
than their ungallant brother.
Can BE FIattered.
II she is told that her corn bread
'certeny IS delicious" she smiles and
cuts an extra slice. II her cabbage {:
seasoned, indeed" a few more leave:
are added 20 the plate. but II things
don't suit her Buyers, she is grieved anC
incredulous, and must taste everything
herself.
For years she has conducted this bust
ness, cooking in the mornings and sellinl
at noontlme. ironing in the afternoon anC
delivering the ironing AZ night
She is Industrious is Aunt Nancy, and
It is whispered. rich. She is going TO re
tire some day soon, she informs he1
patrons. with great and alarming regu
larity. but they gather round her anC
protest, and in the end she consents L
feed them awhile longer.
She isn't talkative, and abhors newspa
pers, except TO wrap her cornbread in
but she doesn't object to a bit Of adver
tising, and for thsS reason allowed hersel
to be interviewed.
Once Was a slave.
She was a slave and the daughter of /;
slave. and is one OF those remnants o
her race that longs for the days o
slavery. She remembers her master witt
tears in her eyes. but cheers up when sh
tells how many hungry men she has fe,
and how they love her cabbage. She VII
not say how she cooks II, or where sh
gets 1t, but says that she has given tn
recipe to many Of her patrons, who re
turn to her and tell her that It doesn'
work for them.
The workmen say that fine as cabbag
and cornbread is in summer land they ca
amazing quantities Of it. it is in the col
winter days that Aunt Nancy is trul
loved. They treat her retirement as a joke
but confess that such an indiscretion o.
her part would leave horrible void f
their lives and stomachs.
II Aunt Nancy were q candidate 70
canonization. she would have the entir
vote of her workingmen. She is alread
beatihed by them.