The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-07-19
EUening Story
A Belle of che Sixties.
BY MARTHA Mcc-WILLIAMs.


| de tear was in her mouf,
Says !, Susanna, don't you cry; I'm
comm frum de souf.'
o, Susanna, don't you cry fer me,
m just frun Alabama wild my banjo
on my knee"
| Billy sang the old minstrel melody
in strong rough bass. as he plunged
down the wide ancestral stair with the
banjo he had retrieved in the big gar
ret. Now I dare you to say shan't
go to the costume ball. Marquette
contrary" he half chanted to his
cousin Marion, who laughed, tho she
wanted to sigh, and shook her head,
saying Impossible, Billikin! You
clothes-not with search warrant
and a microscope-and time to so
thru every cabin in the county"
| How Gomez" from Billikin.
War cotton" from Mistress Mary.
TT made the darkies the real swell
dressers Ned. mammy,s oldest grand
son, bought himself a seven-dollar silk
shirt every Saturday night. In full
panoply he was a riot-and all the
rest are like him"
"why, that ought to help" Biliikin
interrupted. "Such splendors must
equal anything that went before"
| You don't know anything" Marion
retorted. at don't know much, but
| I'm Mrs. Solomon compared TO you.
| Listen-hard. Paddy Solomon was
our grandpa's valet. He died at ninety
odd and was buried in real Sunday
igo-to-meetin' clothes-such as you
need and can't hope to find
what sort ?" Billy demanded.
ssThe accumulation of nearly CEN
turv." Marion answered. lone OF
9reat-grandpa's ruffled shirts-finest
| iinen-cambr.c ruffled, and 1900
| linen. His vest was black velvet. scar
broadcIoth with brass buttons as
bright as gold, and a collar that rose
UP to his ears. He had nankin small
clothes, silver-buckled, buckled shoes
too. but his long stockings were nome
knit. of red, white and blue yarn, IN
broad stripes. Nanny had knit them
herself; said she couldn't 'ba'ar to
think about her Ole Man stann1n UP
at Judgment wild dest dem hoiey SIX
stockinS OBJ Ole Marster ter keep dc
rheumatic outen bis po' legs They
spoiled the picture, but it makes me
almost cry to think of them"
'sAnd they buried all that--things L
need so terribly!" Billy calculated.
but say, 'Trary Mary" coaxingly,
nobody else knows the real thing.
Can't I beg, borrow. buy or steal an
outfit from somebody on the planta-
tion-one full of crumples and SMELL
ing of cinnamon drops?"
mo, not even If you could find such
an outfit" Marion said decidedly IF
you wanted to go white, why you'd
have a. truckload of finery thrust on
y
fofxs-we Ashleys-they stand by us,
and for US, because we have all along
done the same thing for them But
in blackface-why, complexion that
can't borrow a complexion along with
all the rest. then you'd win the prize,
especially if you did a, cakewalk.
I'll go somehow-bound to-" Billy
protested. See If don't. Come with
me back to the garnet; there must be
some clothes left up in all those big
chests and wardrobes and bureau
drawers" rf
How ignorant you are! But. then.
you got your growth up North,
Marion commented, otherwise youfd
know that real quality white folks
well say the Ashleys-never kept
clothes after they were thru wearing
lthem-they went to the cabins just as
the leftover victuaIs went out to- the
kitchen. Nanny always impressed it
upon us that keeping old clothes was
a real poor-white habit. She had for
her burying clothes granny's blue bro
bonnet I don't grudge anything but
the lace-it was real Chantilly.
IT see. I'm learning a heap this
morning" Billy answered. looking
dead and gone Ashleys. in heavy gilt
frames deeply furnished, glowered on
him questioningly.
There's the bonnet-granny as
BRIDE Marion said softly, motoring
toward pensive pailid beauty smiling
across a huge sheaf of orange flow
ers. Look at them, Billy. and never
forget what you have to live up to,
almost solemnly. THE last CT the
name-we two. You must hand it
very best. The girl you give it to
must be fine to deserve it Money
doesn't matter; look for a lovely soul
in a beautiful body"
slSuDncse I'VE already chosen ?'
Billy all but whispered.
Then I hope it is a good choice"
Marion answered evenly. IT wish you
had waited; you are just twenty
Il didn't say I Intellectually" Billy
broke in.
But you have-your voice told
me-" Marion returned steadily.
Billy dropped into a big, easy chair. |
beating time holloway on the string
less banjo.
fright" he said hoarsely; that's |
why must be at the Endors tonight"
She will be there?" from Marion.
Billy nodded, his head in his hands, |
the banjo at his feet. 81 want to take |
her unawares," he said. ''She-she !
holds my heart in the hollow of her |
than I can possibly love her. But !
There is another man." Marion |
said. BILLY! Billy!-where perfect |
love Is tnere must De perfect trust |
What ground have you for distrust?" |
Nothing nly she has next to no |
money, and you know dad has mill |
lions The other fellow is no pauper; |
but his half million looks small COM
pared to what may inherit. Also /
he hates work; I love it, being of the |
lazy southern strain" Billy said, his |
chin lifting. "Anna-her name is |
Anna Clare-loves luxury; her eyes |
brighten at the sight OF jeweIs-au |
the things money can buy. IT couIdnst L
buy her-understand, I know that |
Shed have to sove a man, else she 1
couldn't marry him. But somehow 1 |
feel she could persuade herself she !
loved one-wel. say even me-rather |
than go without"