The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-08-25
THE herald AND NEWS
70 de- Lo'l." exclaimed the woman.


I'm Souri, Slack. Whar's tn jail:"
The woman led Souri, out to show
her the way. and the man left the cab
in on his way nomeward:~ Souri, was
taken to a place where she could see
the iail, ana the woman told her where
to find the crack through which Jakey
had conversed with her.
Souri, went to the place alone, and
going to the fence hunted till she touno
the crack She peeped in, hoping to
see her brother, but Jakey was not
there. She waited an hour or more,
but he did not appear.
"Reckon I'm wastin' time hyar," she
said at last. I'm goen right in ter
git round th' ole woman, eff there is
one" And she went to the gate and
presented herself before the sentinel.
"What d. y want?" he asked
Souri, didn't know whether the ja1lef
had a wife or not. but she hazarded
the reply:
DE jailer's wife tole me to come
ID n tote Ge WdSQeU.
The soldier looked at her doubtfully
but suffered her to pass in.
She had scarcely entered before she
saw a party of soldiers conducting
man from the Jail. They passed near
her, and she recognized Mark. He was
going to his trial. Jakey followed his
friend and was going to pass out with
him, but was stopped by the guard.
Souri, saw tears trickliug down the
boys cheeks as he went back and
strolled about in the yard She longed
to take him in her arms, but did not
dare to even make herself known to
him. She did not know where Mark
was being taken, so going back to the
guard she asked with apparent idle
curiosity: z.s.sse-
"Whor dey goen wild dat man"
"Reckon thar goen ter try him"
Souri, determined to attempt to get
service with the jailer's wife. She
went into the Jail and found a woman,
whose hair was streaked with gray.
sweltering over a cooking stove.
"Y' amt got no washen ne- muffin
fur me. hab y'?'' said Souri,. suddenly
appearing before her.
mo! Git out O.. hyar."
"Any cooken?"
"Cooken? Can yer cook? don't
want no niger to cook. TO- me. but
there's niggers in the black hole l
wish I had some un ter cook fur"
"Iql cook fo' EN-
"Who owns ""
"I'ze a free Niger"
'Waal. amt got no money ter pay
TO- a cook. and l reckon I'll hev to
sweat it oct. Git long"
Il don't want muffin but sump'n ter
eat l can sleep at my auRt's. ober de
hill"
"Waal, take hold hyar fur a spell;
I'm boilen." And she drew away from
the stove and nopped her face.
Souri, took hold and showed q pleas
ing aptitude at baking corn bread and
mered in a pot on the stove.
Presently the jailer came in. and TAX
ing some food lifted trap door and
lowered a meal to those below in the
black hole.
"Hyar's a gal" said his wife. "ez
bankers ter do some cooken TO me-"
"AIn't got nothen ter pay with"
Don't want no pay" said Souri,
~Tze starven. Want sump'n ter eat"
"Waal, y won't git much hyar." said
the jailer. "but reckon it's good nuf
TO- niggers."
So Souri, was allowed to help. but
there was no understanding that her
services should extend beyond the pres.
ent moment
She was leaning over the stove when
Mark was brought back. he had just
been sentenced. and there was bag.
gard. hopeless look on his face as he
passed the girl without noticing her.
In the afternoon Souri, saw that she
must make work for herself or there
would be no excuse for her to stay
about the place. So. without saying
word, she took a pail Of water and
scrubbing brush and began to scrub
the floor. Then she suggested to Mrs.
Triggs that she sweep her bedroom
The woman concluded that as 1t had
not been swept for more than month,
Souri, thoughts WELL do it, especially
as the girl seemed to be willing to do
oil this work for a little boiled meat
and corn bread.
"Ye' don't look right smart, Miss
Triggs," said Souri,, after cooking the
supper and eating her share, IN don
know whar l gwine t git any break
fast less come n cook fur y"
Mrs. Triggs succeeded in getting her
husbands consent to Souri, coming
back in the morning, and the man
went out to the gate with her and
told her if the guard did not pass her
in to send for him.
She was at the jail bright and early
and got in on telling the sentinel that
she was Mrs. Triggs' servant She
cooked the breakfast, and when she
Mo