The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-03-15


would tell us stories Of Brer Rabbit
and Brer Fox, and the times when
the animals could talk like folks
the same as have been written up
by Uncle Rcmus. Sometimes she
would vary the stories and tell US
Of her home back in Africa, and
how the wild animals came and took
off little negro children. Of-imes
she would sing to us about pretty
white and black horses, and of baby
Bunting in tree top. Sometimes,
she would violate her rule of not
sending US to bed with the chickens
and let rs stay up later than usual
around the fireside and listen to
the steaming kettle singing sweet
music hanging on crane over the
fire. on very rare occasions, we
would all sit around in our night
gowns and Easter would bring ont
a dish Of collards. some boiled
bacon that was used in cooking the
collards. and old corn bread or corn
dumplings as the case may be. We
would sit around her and help her
do away with the food that she had
saved. and hear the stories and then
be tucked away IN our trundle beds
for the night to sleep the sleep OF
the weary But old Easter is no
more. aud but few of her kind are
living today to act as a leayening
to the horde of trifling negroes who
exist at present.
Many a time when We would do
wrong SHE would frown down on
MS and tell us Miss Lena's chillun
got no business doin' such tings;
dats for pore backras and white
trash to do, not quality folks.
Sometimes when she used her slip
per and we would cry that we were
going to tell mama, old Easter
would say, You just do, and you
will get more Of it, now YOU 80 and
tell missus If you wants to- We
would never go. But just let either
our mother or father attempt to
give MS whipping for some little
/ breach I'm our manners and Easter
would flare up in a minute and say,
Now Miss Lena YOU cant whip dat
chile for dat, dey doan need no
whipping And if We We're crying
Easter would take us mp in her
arms and Groom to MS until We were
quietly sleeping away our troubles.
If We wanted to anger the old wo-
man. jst let one of us run off and
play with some of our less fortunate
white neighbors, and let her hear
about It or see MS, then We would
catch it good and proper botn by
mouth and With switch. II was
worse in Casters sight for us to
play with the po buckras, as she
called the humble white people, than
for us 10 play with one of the tri
fling negro children down b. the
creek side. Poor old Easter had
one fault-that OF drinking too much
whisky when given an opportunity
To get II. We would sometimes sliI
out of our rooms on a rainy day
and bring her some whistley, as sis
ter called whisky, and give it te
her or ask either mother or father
for some for Easter Every morn
ing, in the winter time, Easter and
father would make each of the chill
dren an egg flip"
THE picture, as all dream pic
lures do, soon vanished from view
perhaps to appear no more. | ther
began to think of the old school
house-the academy on the hill, the
old oak tree, and the spring beneath
the hill where | spent many happy
davs that will be no more. have
talked enough for once and some
time will tell you of the times
we spent in school and the differ
cnce between schools now and then
Come again soon, and We will have
another talk
When we left the colonel, tears
were trickling down his checks and
frequently during the course of his
remarks he would bring his hand
l,crchlef into play, being almost
overcome In relating the story oI
his old negro nanny,