Woman's enterprise. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1921-19??, 1922-04-07

delicate sense that "Mistus" woul,
miss things and this was a good TIM
to help her.
After bit Nanny brought up tn,
uhder nurses and decided that it wa
scandalous that we were not al
dressed, but we could not bulge unit
Joe came and put his arm around u!
and said Santa Claus would bt
mighty mad by mex Christmas if VIZ
dldnt look in our stockings" Wei
we had glanced that way, saw that
they were filled and thought they
would keep. Brother and l had toys
books, candy, apples and oranges, a
great luxury then, but the blot on the
day was, Will got a stocking full Of
ashes, turkey foot and switch and
note from Santa Claus saying that
it was because Will told story. There
never was three more miserable dis
graced children. We screamed aloud
and at last Leila, one of the under
nurses, said she did it to make Will
behave and produced his hidden Santa
Claus stocking. We would not have a
thing to do with her all day.
By the time the sun rose, great logs
had been piled behind the big brass
andirons, not because it was so cold,
but just because it was Christmas.
The sun shone on the red roses at the
gate; on the jewelled frost and the
great oaks that are past in sweet
memory yet present today as they
watch over the big old gray house
that we love.
Joe and Betsy were married the
night brother was born and when
Father built our cottage he built a
house also near US for Betsy and Joe,
Richard, (Mother's carriage driver)
and his wife, Belle. They have been
our humble friends all our lives. The
gourd vines grew on their fences,
saddles and hounds Uttered the floor.
The long old horn that Joe blew when
the sun made no shadow for the plow-
men to come home, hung by the door
and babies everywhere.
Many moons looked down on golden
or snow white harvests while the boys
whistled to the clanking mule chains
and the girls tucked up their skirts
and brought trimming "blue buckets"
up the red clay path from the spring.
There was nought but peace on
Earth in that old plantation home.
Although the quarters would be
alarmed some times at Betsey's hol-
lering for a few of her offsprings to
"com dis minute or she'll kill 'em in
her sight if dey didn't git desc fried
Eggs, butter milk and hoe cake down
to dat gin for your PAS white chillen"
for that was the fond name Joe gave
US, "his white chillun what Marster
had left him." Betsey's worst threat
would be Ito some half dozen of her
running children) "Do you spec dem
white chillun to die hongry wild your
iaziness." When I think back it seems
to me Joe was everywhere, guiding
the young negroes, managing the
plantation and helping US.
Once I fell down in the road and
three blind mules, old Wooden legged
Munday was driving, jumped over me,
l never did know where Joe came
from but when those awful heels
were passed, Joe dragged me up to
his arms, out of the dust and cursed
Munday.
He was the main reference of the
boys on the ear marks Of dogs, the
points of horse, the habits of ticks
and the best swimming hole. In joy
and sorrow they helped US and once
when the death angel lowered so close
that we were stricken with the touch
of his wings, Joe came and sat down
by mother and put his hand on his
knee as he said: eve gwine to keep
him, Miss Kate, you'll see kase old
Marster tells me SO every night when
I sit up" We kept him and one Of
his highest duties in life is to "tend'
Joe and family when they need him.
And today, we know that Will anc
his seven sons, with all the rest Of
the family that can get there are
standing near Betsey by that humble
grave and none of us are ashamed o.
the tears that have rained today be
cause we will not see Joe again "thi
side of the River"
SALLIE TURNBULL STIRLING