Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-02-23

stan why de craps didn't hol' out no
BETA. but arter Unc' Nahum dun come
thoo' deu he know zuckly why de craps
las"
'Ellen. why didn't some of the col
ored friends tel! my grandfathery' /
asked.
Honey. we was feared Gaze we
wud sit cOnjured. dat We was sh0'.
member one day we was gwine to
hab con Shuckin. an all de niggers
I'm dis part Oh DE- country was to be
dere. Aun' Ginny call all we young
gals w I'm de- uuartah to cut de pun
kins up to make de pies. Gaze. Miss
Lily. punkin pies is pow'fui skrulnp-
shus to niggers. So we gals wen up
to de straw rick to get de punkins. an.
honey. If yo' believe me. we foun' q
bari Oh whisky where Unc' Nathun
done hide 1t. But we was p'intedly
feared to tell on i'm. sho'."
but why. Ellen?" inquired.
Gaze. Miss Lily. Unc' Nahum
gwine to conjure US. Unc' Nahum
couldn't erzackly conjure us 'isself. but
be buy de stuff f'm ole Aun' Lucy er
pay ole Lucy to do hit fur him. She
was de- conjure oman. an she live in
de mex plantation to we Alls. in 'er
cabin all by 'erself. ebba since could
member ontil dey foun' her daid in
De bald one day.
But. honey. de meanes' thing Unc'
Nathun dun was de way he beat Aun'
Judy. Aun' Judy ulster kneel down an
pray out loud in de daytime. an dat
allus aggervate Unc' Nahum. Bnt ole
marsha was passin' by one day, an he
heah Aun' Judy hollerin'. an he sho'
did gin Unc' Nahum beatin' wiz his
cane. An be toll Cnc' Nahum he
amt gwine to low no man to hit er
'oman on his place. an. mo- ell dat. he
say eff Unc' Nahum ebber strike is
wife ergin he gwine to sen i'm up to
de dollhouse an gin him de streme
| penalty OBJ de law. Gaze, yo' know.
honey. in dem days ef er man beat his
wife. white or cullud, dey carry him
up dar an gin UNI what dey serve.
Dat dey did sho'.
"Nudder thing Unc' Nahum did dun.
he play de fiddle. an he dance, an he
| cross bis laigs Wen he dance. Now,
Miss Lily. so know eft 20 dance yo'
in danger Oh hell fire. but eff yo' cross
20 Iaigs Wen yo' dance de debble
gwine get yo' sho'. Dat wat Bruddel
Jones allus say, an he de ole time
| cullud preacher. an be know all dem
ole time hell tire dangers. But now
! gwine let yo' heah Unc' Nahum tell
de rest"
The next night carefully put on my
best Sunday tinery. and felt that
even then ! was hardly deserving o1
the words Of approval from Ellen
| whose unquestioned social leadership
! In coIOred circles would have put &c
shame the pretensions of an Aston OF
| Vanderbilt.
The ueat white meeting house was
new to me and seemed out Of keeping
! to one who remembered the old log
| ''chu'ch' which had given it's name to
one Of the minor battles Of the civil
| war; but it was M evidence Ut the
: prosperity and welfare of the race that
was cheering to note after the pes.
F.! simistic stories of the degradation Of
! the negro with which the northern
! reader is constantly fed.
The light skinned specialized minis
: ter sat OH the platform. and below
, him. turned toward the people. stood
large spljnt bottomed chair in which
was huddled Il little weakened faced.
4! mummy-like old man. evidently fast
j asleep.
| This l knew without being told was
! ''Unc' Nahum" even before Ellen's
knowing wink and nod indicated him.
He and Aunt Ellen were about the only
ones present Ut the ancient ''befo' the
, wah" type Of darky.
The meeting began In circumspect
manner with hymn Of Wesley's. "Oh,
For Thousand Tongues to Sing" a
clearly read chapter giving the story
| of the wise and foolish virgins and
then short prayer, the we'll chosen
words evincing the Hampton training
Of it's author; then a pause. and the
preacher said "Sister Claybu'n. won't
you raise ont one OF our old time tunes
that we don't need the book fur?" And
| then in full rich tones the voice OF q
buxom matron near the aisle started
up:
My bred'ren. don get weary:
! Angels bring de biessin' down.
! Don get weary: we're boun to see d.
| I-awd.
TE(R> ,<nr ~
dignitied. self conscious demeanor van
ished. and the congregation grew freel
and more natural in behavior. Arm:
were stretched. feet stamped. seats
moved. and here and there Il groan OF
a half suppressed cry showed the be
ginning of de wu'kin' OBJ de spirit.
and soon the room seemed filled witt
fervor Of religious excitement thai
carried me back to the long gone days
Of my childhood.
The weird hymn ended only to be
followed by other and wilder meIodie:
characteristic Of the ancient days.
From my seat ! could just see the
grizzled head Of "Unc' Nathun," hut
would have known from the cranin2
necks and eager faces Of the congre
cation that he was rouSing from hi:
stupor. Voice after voice died down
and finally the singing ceased as the
old man opened his eyes. raised him
self and leaned forward in his chair
stretching wide the shrunken an(
withered arms.
The time had evidently come for his