The Tupelo journal., 1916-01-28
Migrating in the Thirties
BY LEILA BACON DICKSON

my OBTAINING query, seats herself on
the lower step of the jassamine covered
porch, and with neatly kerchiefed head
inclined to one side, the while she shook
u the creases from my dainty white
muslin and laid it across her arm with
q caressing pat, saying:
"Darlin', nanny is gwine ter do up
little dress eerse'f an make hit so
purity dat dem boys'n count yo' ez de
onlies gal at de party wuf lookin' at.
70 see if dis niger don't"
Every well, Aunt Rose; / want to.
look my best and captivate that hand
some young getleman you saw me with
the other day."
"Who? Dat long, tall fellow | seed
walkin' wild yo' comm from meetin
t'other day? Yo' won't have no CAPT.
vatin' ter do. He's done coch."
.How do you know, Aunt Rose?"
''Wat yo' AK me dat fur? Amt /
got eyes?"
Nov, Aunt Rose, do you not think
he is real handsome? He has beautiful
eyes and a lovely moustache, too
go long way fun heah wild yo' fool
ishness, chile. Yo' is jes lack my young
mistiss useter be, alluz plagin' after
nanny"
"Did your young mistress have a
sweetheart, Aunt Rose?'
"Lis'n at dat agin. | neber is yIt
seer a gal dat neber hab one but hank
cred ter git one. In course Miss Nellie
hab beaux swamin' after her fur her
purity sef, an dey know, too, when
Miss Nellie lef' dat plantation, dar'd be
a gang OBJ niggers close on behine. But
de fus' one dat AK Miss Nellie, honey,
neber had niger ter study. He jes
naterly hub dat chile de minute he sot
ewes on her, an de fus' day after dat
nice young teecher com dysh nanny
seed hit in bofe of 'em. Miss Nellie
wuz de onles gal dyah wuz, an ole miss
sed dey wuz gwinter SEN her off to a
boaden school gin Chris'mu an dey,
wuz jes bleege ter hab a man teecher
fur dem onruly boys.
"Mr. Hunter he jes teech Miss Nellie
to sing an play on de p~ianner an sich
ez dat, but dey mostly talk an ride
dem bosses Nanny seed hit all de
time, but mistes wuz onspicious like,
fergittin' how she wuz when a young
gal lack Miss Nellie.
"But dat night, honey, dey sho wuz
happy as two birds in matin' time,
wen nanny seed 'em settin' in de
summer house wild de honeysuckle all
in bloom an de moon shinin' ez bright
ez day an Mr.. Hunter holm Miss Mel
lies han twixt his'n an Miss Nellie
lookin' fur de worl' lack she wuz in
hebben. But honey, hit wuzent tended
fun de fus' dat dat wuz gwineter las.
Nanny knowed all de time sumpin'
would cum twixt EN-.
can jes lax / tole yo', dat night
Marse Henry wuz late gittin' home
fun Abberville, an ez he pass de sum-
mer house he heah de talkin' an went
in an s'prise 'em bofe, an dyah wuz
loud talkin' an l hear Miss Nellie say
ter her pa dat she Tub Mr.. Hunter an
wuz gwineter marry him. Den Marse
Henry tell him ter leave desroof dat
night an neber ter set foot on his Ian
-agin. An den he fetch Miss Nellie ter
de house wild i'm. An de mex mornin'
ez Violet wuz combin' out Miss Nellie's
purity long hair she drap a note in her
lap an hit wuZent no time tell Miss
Nellie hurry pas nanny or de stairs
an sed: NANNY don't tell which way
] went An | ketch hole O. her arm
an sed: Fur Gods sake, honey, yo'
amt gwine ter go is yo'?' An she sed
Yes, nanny, good bye An fore |
knowed hit she wuz done gone. | jes
drap dat broom an set down on de
step an cry bout dat chile, kase | dun
nussed an raised her sence she wuz a
baby an luv her de same ez mine.
Den after while ole marster cum all
blusterin' in an AK fur Miss Nellie, but
ebervbody layed low an sed muffin.
Den ole marster cuss de teacher an
sed he wish he had err killed de
blame rascal. Den he jump on his
black mare an went flynn down de
road. knowed in reason he'd ketch
up wild 'em. An sho 'nough, honey,
jes in a little while here cum ole mars
ter back totin' Miss Nellie in his arms
wild her long hair hangin' down an
|, lookin' fur de worl' lack she wuz dead,
fur de precious chile had Gun tainted
clean away. Ole Miss went ter her
room an stayed wild her dat night an
mex mornin' Honey, when nanny
went to take breakfast to mammy's