The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-04-07

no niggers hangin' round here and l
don't want nothing to do with niggers
nohow." It is signed Caroline Lee.
Now, to a person born with almost
as much curiosity as a cat, such q
sign is like red rag to bull. How
ever, for long time, in spite of all
could do, never had glimpse OF
the occupant, though | often heard q
somewhat cracked yet Enthusiastically
darby voice singing AT the cross, At
the cross" Then finally, one happy
afternoon saw her, little and old and
wiry, black as the ace of spades, clad
in calico skirt and bright red sweater,
and welding an ak with all the vigor
of farm hand. OF course was over.
joyed at seeing her, but was still
long way from knowing what the sign
meant thought of every way to be-
come friends with her. but none
seemed to suit, until finally had a
happy thought-her dog.
When ! meet cat she always gives
me one look and Immediately remem.
bers urgent business elsewhere. But
every dog seems to recognize in me q
boon companion so from that time on
my path was clear. Every day as
went by I'd have visit with the dog,
while his mistress peeked surrepti-
tiously from behind the curtains. At
last l was rewarded by smile and
q tentative "Mawnin'." And such a
, smile! 1t was for all the world like
the sun breaking through fog. In
this way matters went until | came
to know her better, and finally one
day took my fate in my hands and
asked her to explain the sign l had
been afraid she would take my request
as an offense, but instead she smiled
broadly and invited me to set down
on the porch step" Needless to say.
was only too willing to set"
you see," she said, its neah eight
eS1 eahs since my ole man died down
In Nashville and lef' me with six chill
len and nothin' to keep me on. But
lawd, All didn't care; pears like All
knowed evyone in Nashville, so All
jes' whirled In an went to work. All
raised ev'y one Of them chillen, and
when they got married they jes'
picked up one after nuther and lef
me. Well, All didn't min that. but
looks like ev'y time any one Of them
chillen or their husban's got out o
work-and that's mighty neah all the
time-they come to stay with me. All
stood that for long time, and then
All got kinda tired, so jes' went tc
Missus White, that All worked TO-
and tole her Aid made up my mind
to light out. She was a powerful fine
woman, Miss White wuz, and she tole
me she was a-comin' out heah, ant
would bring me long. She didn't hal
think Aid come, but pears like Ah't
got kinda desp'rit, 30 All come, ant
the only thing All brung wuz nah lit
tie ole grip and nah dawg.
We'll, All got along fine heah, too
you see, Miss White knowed lots Q
people roun' heah, and All had al
the work All could do.
But lawd, All hadn't been heal
more'n two months when them pesk,
chillen O. mine comes pilin' in on m
like the wrath O. God Seems lik
they'd been writin' to some fool mig
gah heah, and they just got it int
their haids to come. They didn't hav
no money, 80 All had to let EN- sta
till they got work. An finally 1t wa
Jes' as bad as ever; got so All couldn'
keep enough to eat In the house t
feed nah dawg, let alone me. Al
didn't know what to do for a while
and then one day All got to thinkin
and went down to the sign man an,
had him paint me that air sign. Then
fool niggahs done took the hint, too
an All haint never seed hide no
hair uf 'em since"
But don't you get lonesome TO
them sometimes" asked.
"Lawd, honey, II you'd been both
cred with them like All have. yo,
wouldn't think Aid evan git lone
some; Sides" she added, with
twinkle in her eye, "they's enough
white folks comes in heah to ask m,
about that sign to keep me from eval
gittin' lonesome"