The Washington herald., 1919-09-11

there were Frank Adams, a farmer
out here now; Charlie Spurgeon, in
the clothing business over in
Brookf1eld: William C. Love, in the
mercantile business out in Pomona.
Cal; Michael Dewey, an engineer
on the c., B. G. O., running be-
tween Brookfield and Kansas City;
Leander Wesley Love, Yves Love,
We called him, used to be a conduc-
tor on the c., 3. & O., and is a
shoeworker now over in Brooktield.
Charlie Bigger the lawyer here in
Laclede; Jim Pershing, Johns
brother; Laura Love, works here,
clerking in the hardware store; the
Lomax brothers, Henry. the banker
here, James. in the clothing busi-
ness here, William, head of the G.
A. r. here, and George, a travelling
engineer down in Denison, Texas;
Mayor Allen, Judge Libby, Jack
Barton, the druggist; Mrs. James
Lomax-Arabella Artlipp in those
days, the prettiest girl in Lacleda;
John A. Crowder. runs a hotel up
in Milan, forty miles north, now.
and a lot of others 1 can't remem-
bcr now. Moved away. But you
see them. Then call on Aunt Su-
SAN Hewitt, used to run the old
Missouri House here. She can tell
you a lot. Used to make pies for
Johnnie. After you see them I'll
tell you some others"
1 followed old Aliens advice. l
talked with all these people-many
more. too.
Right here. though, before visiting
tell of Johns old negro nanny
Hattie Gilham now, Hattie Lewis
then. I found her out in that part of
Kansas City. Mo-, where the negro
people live, out at 1909 Thirteenth
street, in a little colony OF brick and
wooden tenements and rookeries,
many of them like the old negro
cabins of slave days. garden plots in
the yards with old-fashioned flowers
growing and vines twining about the
doors.
4 typical negro mammy-a regular
stage nanny is Hattie.
She don't guess" everything. If you
know what 1 mean. She don't
guess" she knows how old she is; she
don't guess" it may be cold today or
rain tomorrow. But she does remem-
ber John! And she talks OF him with
that delightful little Southern drawl
in her words.
Member him? Law, honey.
should say this old negro does mem
ber John" she declared, when I ex-
planned my mission.
Then, how she did ramble on,
"Ah don't guess 1 know JUS how
old All am" she said. But All was
13 when the wah ended" 1t was OBJ
vious that Nanny Hattie meant the
Civil War.
"Ah knowed John when he was JUS
so high" she went on. stretching out
a hand about three feet above the
floor Perhaps it was not quite three
feet. My, but he was a lively boy
All first member him a wearin
dresses. Aid have a terribl time a
dressin' that child. An Aid have 4
terribr time a putin him to bed
some nights. II you slapped John.
he'd slap back But think he loved
his ole nanny. He'd kiss me fore
he went to sleep.
An he'd usually lie quiet when All
washed him. But how he did yell IL
All got soap in his eyes. He didn't cry.
He want 'fraid o nothin'. But he
didn't like soap in his eyes and he'd
yell.
He was always a gettin' his
clothes torn. For he'd always be a
playin' soldiers and a huntin' and
shoOtin' in the woods.
But who'd a thought" and Nanny
Hattie became interpretive. who d
a thought it would ever come to this
his bein' a great general, as great as
George Washington.
''Ahu bet he thinks sometime now
o. his ole nanny. Aid like to be
there with him now. All used to cook
for John. All wonder who cooks for
i'm. pies, an chick'n and roast beef
and cookies and chick'n dumplin's
and fried apples. An All used to mend
his clothes for i'm. All hopes he's n
gettin' 'em mended now all right.
Maybe All don't guess he ought to
have his ole nanny with him. All
could take care of i'm. cook for i'm
and look aftah his clothes"
Much more Nanny Hattie told me
She told me how, when she wanted to
get John and put him to bed he would
run and hide from her perhaps climb
a tree and laugh down at her from a
perch of safety far, far above her old.
black head
"Ah." Nanny Hattie sighed. but
he was a tightin' sturdy little rascal"
Poor old Nanny Hattie. She prob
ably never will see her John again.
She is pretty old now. is Nanny Hat
tie. Rheumatism cripples her at
times. But she seems happy-happy
thinking Of her John. She buys ev-
cry newspaper she can to read about
him and in spirit she stiTl watches
over him
But Ah'se havfn' a hard time"
she told me. "Ah work each day for
a family named" she couldn't pro-
nounce It and she handed me sIi'
OF paper. The on It was r. W. Van
Trump and the address was s622
LoclQidge street Kansas City. -Ah