The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-05-11

neat new shingle bearing in bold black
letters the following: Il don't want
no niggers hangin' round here and
don't want nothing to do with niggers
nohow." 1t 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 a glimpse Of
the occupant, though l 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 q
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 q
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, 80 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 was rewarded by smile and
a 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. | 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
cen yeahs 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 ev'yone in Nashville, so All
1es' 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 a long time, and then
All got kinda tired SO jes' went to
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, and
would bring me long. She didn't half
think Aid come, but pears like Aid
got kinda desp'rit, SO All come, and
the only thing All brung wuz nah lit.
tie ole grip and nah dawg.
"Well, All got along fine heah, too;
you see, Miss White knowed lots O.
people roun' heah and All had all
the work All could do.
But lawd, All hadn't been heah
more'n two months when them pesky
chillen o. mine comes pilin' In on me
like the wrath O. God. Seems like
they'd been writin to some fool mig
gah heah, and they just got 1t into
their haids to come. They didn't have
no money, 30 All had to let EN- stay
till they got work. An finally 1t was
les as bad as ever; got so All couldn't
keep enough to eat In the house to
feed nah dawg, let alone me. All
didn't know what to do for a while,
and then one day All got to thinkin',
and went down to the sign man and
had him paint me that air sign. Them
fool niggahs done took the hint too;
an All hain't never seed hide nor
hair uf 'em since"
But don't you get lonesome for
them sometlmes?" | asked.
Lawd, honey, If you'd been both
cred with them like All have, you
wouldn't think Aid evan git lone
some; sides" she added, with a
twinkle In her eye, "they's enough
white folka cnnaa In boah m aak mn