Newspapers / The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, … / Feb. 11, 1906, edition 1 / Page 15
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C11AIIL0TTE DAILY OBSERVER, FKBRtJAHYj 11, lM 'PASSIM OJAUNT HILL1E ETOnr OP JJSTB-BEIiLirSf JIA5DIY 4 IVhlte la Every .Way bat th Color ; of Her Skin, Hot Willing , J lauds Y Ministered " Unto White and . Black Alike -Practiced the Teachings of the Christ ller Simple, Devout Soul U Worshipped How Her Faith Was 4' Rewarded-i-Th? Adoption and Care V '. .of "CsUllneV Whose Truancy Broke j.' tlie ,OW Woman Heart. ; '"rou win be ofry to hear, that poor Aunt Millie died laBt'olgbV' Thu read ''i'.th letter from th old home, and there f - ; was a sudden eaten at the heartstrings. . ; .'sue had been alck ana helpless . ions j. v-time," the letter continued. "the white ' ...... ..1 . V. . ' . Ld A -, will bury her." ,.., ' , . roui, muniui audi asunei nor wuswue ?ourney was ever and she had gone to ir well-earned , rest 'in heaven; , No more would she struggle v under- the Mirdena that twmt her form: no more be; cares that had eo sorely beset her lowly had kept the faith and now gone to . "V . Aoni Mill e naa pceiu a ."unique cnarae-i , ler. known nT?vV T.i., lomm nd ,"sj child in the town or surrounding oountry, 8lie had ...never affiliated to ;nyi great extent .'with tlx colored t peoples for some reaMon they did not appear to like A, her. Iti. wa. hinted that . .she berated -: them too. severely for' what she feonstdeiK ; 1 vfed their short eomlnjrs i''ey say. I'e. er s white -folks alffer,"i sle would .chuckle, j'.Vnemer mine, dey don't bother me wld s -der sayin's en 1 don't' bother dem. Kf dey let me alone I let dem alone."'- 8h lived all alons In her solitary cabin about half a mile from town, cultivated lr ! , Vonr uttar Viuilf aha ilwAlt heir with never a cent of rent to pay, happier for the most pint than asy 'queen I know of. Hhe belonged to the brown type Of negro, which, Jt Is well-known, 1 the superior type. Large in body, lew In - stature, ' fratures somewhat uncertain and rather ' dough-like In contour, she could scarcely be called good looking; though you would hardly think her ugly if you knew her well. Hnr head was always covered with the spotless white kerchief of the old time darkey, and her clothing always looked fresh from . the ' tub. - She was what la known as a "cornfield negro." ' having hnd no training as cook or house maid, and in early life having known lit tle of refining influences. Washing, iron- 1 Ing. scrubbing.' cleaning-, garden-work, her strong hands were at home in; and such rough work as this she did in our family for many years,. A cruel physical disability had unfitted her for the finer tnsks of the house servant, even could she have had the necessary training in her youth. - - . .-. . It appeared that when a slave her own er belonged to the class called "poor white trash.". Aunt Millie while yer hardly mors than a child cams into the ' pcRsesftlnn of this poor; woman, in. what way I do not know, a woman who knew . Jittle of negroee, and presumably never . had a servant before, The new mistress went bacefooted and worked In the field, requiring her young daughter a well as the young; slave to do the same. She 'led the row" and If the white child or the black girl lagged . behind she belabored the delinquent with -a stick. Once she struck the black girl a blow which gave her a hurt, and a painful, . moat pitiful disfigurement which, she was to -carry as long as the-poor pathetic body should last. But the unhappy mistress had not meant really to hurt the girl, and never ceased to grieve over . the act, -doing everything she could to atone to her for the dreadful wrong. We children used to get very much wrought up over the story. "Aunt Millie," we would ask, "why didn't you run away? What ever made you stay on and belong to such a mean old woman?" "She wan't mean chile, she beat er own gal des as much as she ever did me. 'Case nlr one of us wouldn't work. I des stubborn as a mule en wouldn't do nothin tall lessen She made me. She never gitnmed nftir lick 'amiss, fer I tell you I was mean In dem days." The mistress had been dead many a year, but her memory was tenderly cherished, for there had been A deep devotion between the two long .after the black woman had -ceased to be a Slavs. 'Here want nothin she could., she wouldn't do fer me," she. : mused reminlscently. , Tell u some' more A tint Millie. Tell us about the time when you were young and traveled that time for weeks in covered wagons and camped out at night, and had Mg camp-fires, and weren't you married then Aunt Millie?" . "Yes'm, Missy, I had er husband den, but he was a mean, no-account man,, en I ain't never know what become of h'm. En my little . baby died. But alLdat was er long, long time ago.'' She shook her head and sat gasing into the fire as though her tnoughta were many years and many miles away. More than this ws could- not get her to say. But somehow we got the Impression that the man's unkindneas and desertion were connected in some way with her sad and hopeleas affliction. She', was that rara avis, t thrifty negro. It is common Knowledge that wastefulness la a leading characteristic of the race. But with her, to work early and late, to toil incessantly that she might accumulate, things around her., was a consuming passion, xet sne was as KOn,,1i05 a1d l,",!?1 fill BA - tnowshJle';( Htnall bounty did not cost the sweat of her own brow. t Some said that Aunt Millie was too thrifty not to take advantage if chance threw opportunity in her way. -But-we ' considered such Words slanderous, - for we believed her thoroughly honest Bho lived bo close to-the heart of things that ' she seemed to be almost a part of primal, elemental nature; The trees, the - winds, the clotids. the stars, the water seemed to be her intimates, .and the -way she , of ten spoke of them would be uncanny , - to some, though it was not to us. Her , cat. dog, pig and chickens were com panions, and I doubt not they, had a , ' language in eommon which each under, stood. Yet she was no reduse. , She loved human companionship and was intensely interested In all the town and neighbor ' hood affairs whether of whits or block., I She utterly despised what she called a "blggety nigger," one. who did not know his place, and tried to put on white folks " iftirs. She herself was one -of the old school in that respect, her manner always .. Ik Ing thoroughly respectful and polite. ,.' ' When .you spoke to her she invariably re--. turned your greeting with .the old fashioned curtsey. While wllowed mimy i privilege phe never presumed,, though there wore those who said she would if she dared. There nre nlways some who i 1 never see any good under a blnck' skin. vu Hut It rt- tl well-known fact'that they rarely belong to- the;, pinna who '.wero j slave owners. ' - - V ' - s r.vv4'' ' Aunt Millie's peace .tthd uulet suffered iroquetu - invasion : ny tne irounie. ;itne rlr, and ahe wus'iilways trying to ease, 1 But since this is .only a sketch and '-off somebody's burden 'Upon her owo'poor fnet t. history,, J must pass on. racs. ; wnen lassie, tne nanasome yeuow "' ' woman,- fwhom she always called ,KIa yp. lwth dcrted her kind husband end lit , .. tie children, .Aunt 'Millie's distress at the ' ,v- svCman'e sin -. -end . the - husband's mhrory - was deep en sincere, and -her-fruitless piKrm .w .iriwu lawn .ui giv-ifp ner i . home, wetv pathetic, , 't -flowsver H o happened that white '"people were as 'often the, object -of her solicitude - as black, ones:' many f ' her -nearest wighbors being white occupants i Of, tenant houses -on near-bv plantations: tw some: auiiiK irm- wnm aiong - wiin -ne liegroea, oiners carpeniry, or oaa joos, aji at them Hfnornt.iin nnvertv-atrteken. so lacking in all the comforts and con-t-nlnnc-a of life, that the, horn hnavllv i H'0 Aunt Millie's heart and mind. - t ' Thsre were the Simpsons, who lived - down (he hill. -They got along very well V when the husband yas not drinking1, for he was Industrious and a good provider when sober. But the periods ef his eoher l ' jiess were often 'Short In duration .And v " nobody know how the family lived b . i twren times. Aunt Millie Invented all , kinds of prrtrtts' -to help them at such V times' without appearing to do eor . carry- "",lttg t them a piece of fresh meat, "caze " she 'feared H nigbt plle."r Or e bag ef '.nitntoee with the exulunatlon that "dev - , ' was about to take.de dry rot." Or per-1 1 ehicken with -some other plausible excuse. , '' And the Mulleys Junt beyond... Tbey must have ; been j- u - sore jtrUtt to ; her, -v. though it evidently , never occurred ; to -. her to think of them In that light. Jn . " this cose an old man,- too bid to do much hard work, had married e,: young, wife, snd, there were eox or seven small ehll -. dren, the eldest- Just old enough-1 run When 1" i trmbls or , , perplexity errands. "When In trouble ' or perplexity unt Millie always wme to my mother ' for advice. me day it Was plain thst he was grappling with some problem of , i 1 l ( , ' t ' v I ' t . unusual gravity and difficulty,;, At last she was out with it. , - "JMlss she said, iA'.'l des" don't know what to do 'bout It-Oern Mullnvs alnt got nuth'n hardly.w.What little do' dfy got cant night keep out de cold. I don't mlnede men! en de flour en sugar'n cof fee what dey-borrys, en; I don't ' mine givln' her goad er soap, sometimes, ner toanin": er -niy wnsn pot,, do' tie mighty heavy: to tote backward and forards so much. Hut ray shawl Miss you.; knows my -big gray : shawl wid de red border what Thought funv Mr. Miller and Bell's sto,' She taorry dat to wear to church en alnt) never sont ,lt back.:- She- been wa'ln' It. to -church ev'y Sunday, en-en well,, I don't keor to go ev'y Sunday, but dcy gt preach Sis Mandy's fun'ol next Sunday, ?n I aint got , pair nother one Allen- to wear.' I hates to ax er ter It, fee de po , 'omon she do need sump'tt toi wrep up erself In. - - ' . -. . f "Well, Aunt' Millie'," sa)d fnother half amused yet touched also, "1 don't know anything you can do except to 'go down there and ask her for It, telling her you want to go to church next Sabbath, arid have, no other shawl to wear." We children' immediately saw the solu tlon of the whole difficulty and flew-oft up stairs whence we returned after some minutes - of excited t soarcha among old clnthes'-with two or three shawls end Other ; warm things that, had - lost their pristine ; .freshness, ".but still ' bad much ; V " . V.L-- at once with our bundles for the habitation -of the. MulleVS. - '"Oh, nov'i'auid the wise" mother; 'you tnust not do - that. --Mrs. Mulley would resent it, and might say something to hurt your feelings. Remember the. pitch ers of nice -milk you used to persist In carrying to Mrs. Simpson," till she sent you word by Aunt Millie that she was no object of charity, Na you might give those things to Aunt Millie,- but Mrs. Mulley' would tell yu she did -not need them, even though her teeth might be chattering with -cold' as she eald lt. We must find some other, way to help them.!' Our features full and we wondered why the poor people in real life were so unlike the story-book variety.- But" we ' wanted to know about the sugar and coffee and things did the Mul ley s never return anything tbey bor rowed, from her? ''Nemer mine,"! specs maybe dey will, same day, leastways de meal, ease dey got a little cawn, ere day own en sends ter mill some times. Daft a smart 'oman Miss,'! as if wholly unconcerned about these Other borrowed things, "she keep dem chlllon des es clean es anybody's chf lien, en she ever mo' patchln' dey po' little do'es, en den she up ey's raomin' by daylight mukin 'In dat garden. She got er good one toot Sometime after this she was all torn up Over Delia Bostlck and her troubles. This poor unfortunate was so greviously af flicted with myopia that she was unable to perfortV any but the simplest tasks. Her mother was dead, and her father, an easy-going, -drinking kind, of fellow had married again, and there were two or three big lusty beys,' children of the sec. ond 'marriage. When he- was at home Bella was treated with some small show of decency. But hs was much away, and as his absences grew more prolonged, finally ending in that Journey from whtcti none ever returns,- life grew very dark indeed, for this poor child of sorrow. We Should have known little about it, how ever butt for Aunt Millie. . "J. telkyou Mies," she would say to my mathtr, , 'DOn't nobody know what dat poor gal ha' to go thoo wld. Dey makes ner cut ev'y stick o' wood dey bums: en mo.'n dat makes her go to de woods en cut down de trees, den tole em home en cut em up. En dem big stroppin boys settin dart - Dey de beatines' folks what I ever lay my ole eye on yet! 1 tells em dey ouughter be shame er deyselves, en, dey alnt got de manners dey oughter been bawn wld. Den dey laugh at me en say she cant do nuf'n else but some slch work - es dat Miss, -I've seed dat gal comln' long de big road wid er pole er wood on her shoulder so big she could hardly git er long ere tall wld It, en er eyes so blind and squlnch up. she couldn't hardly tell which, way she gwine. En mo'n dat de. freezin' wind des bly'ln clean thoo er, fer she ain't got on nuth'n 'cent ere old calico dress. 'Sides she ain t got ho mere meat on er bones den er sporrow." "lit Is a shame," my mother would .re ply," "a burning shame. She eannot go out to work on account of her distressing nearsightedness But where is Bill? he is her own brother and should take care BT her. " Aunt Millie granted: "He done gone too long go ter talk about" ' "I don't know what's to be done, then." said mother, "unless she Is sent to the poor house. That Is the proper place for her. since she has no relative to take her." "I dasent say nuth'n like dat to em. Dey might try to hit me, 'sides she tek a-mighty lot er hard work often em. Well, I declare, (this Is a slow, puzzled way was her favorite expression) I dunno what to do. But I reckon some how er nut her de Lawd'll tek her part" But it appeared that matters grew worse and worse at the Bostick's house, and Aunt Millie grew more and more concerned about them. "Dey, got to beatin' er now. Miss, en cr it mek me shame to say it, er cussin' er; en ef I goes up dar en says anything, dey lets-, in to cussin me, en calls we er old meddlln' black .devil, en say dey gwyn bus' my head open ef I come foolin' round dar. Hunk! I reckon I an't skeered er no- slch trash' as dat!" At last one stormy night When their abuse and cruelty were no longer to be endured; poor Delia fled from them and ran through the rain to find shelter In Aunt - Millie's -frendly Cabin. Here ahe - and was warmed and fed and petted as remained, unmolested by ner family. she had probably never geen before in her dreary life, unless pousibly, when, a baby In her mother'e arm. , But Aunt Millie, always struggling over the rieht-or wrong of some fact, or some question, soon saw clearly to the corejofi tms one. !"t don't mind er staytn .at my house. Miss, des es long es she wanter. She mighty .'heap ere comp'ny fer me rainy days en dese yer long nights. She he'p me right smart too. en I aint skeered er losln' nuthn' by what little bit she eat I sets de table fer her fust en I gives her my- romp'nv bed. But Miss, she's white en -taint fer her to live wid nlg gers.1 "Why, Aunt Millie, you are lots nicer and-, Cleaner and more respectable than her folks are." We suggested to seo what she would, say, ''Well, "well, I de clare," -she said with that -puzzled look as though 'trying to see into some dark luestlon,;."de Vrd He made her white, en He made me black, en taint fer nobody to 'sprite what He lay down." . It was finally settled that Delia should ,beaapt to , the poor househee f h mlly interposing no prote't. Arrangements were, eccordlngly made for her removal, tho . poor i girl -being only too glad at the prospect. -Aunt Millid undertook to see after her clothing, and between us all the hnppy girl had such store of good appnred as she had .never dreamed of in her; wildest -flights, -: v, ... -m i-Thejr!: after Delia '--Was off. here was Matt," the-mbtherless girl, who, wander ing in devious ways fell into theplt and had. her ' whiteMgarments smirched with the in ire that never, comes on. AQtit Millie' was a Christian who never questioned w God's goodness, nor - com pualnodtoC His dealing. Whatever mix fortune or Calamity befell was permitted by-Hlm for some good and wise purpose, if this side Of the shield was bluck, she always - looked,' on the other side, - and invariably .found the other side bright Every thorn had its rose) even the thorn she.bore la her flesh. If weeping came In the night she remembered that Joy- would come in the morning. If awful .things happened in other places such as floods or flrea or .storms -or accidents, she al ways t thought " of God's goodness . and mercy In keeping them from , Us. Her faith was marvelous, 'More than ones re bellions of others feeling were hushed into silence by. some chance remark of hers. To hear her some times, one would think that .God dwelt so near that It aa almost like being In the next room, with only a thin partition between, and that he held - daily conversation with Him on all bsr affair. - iAnd now here Is an episode In her life upon 'which I , shoujd like to have' the opinion of the, wise, men of the Church Aunt- Millie's bouse, wa In need of re pair. The rain ceme In and a new roof waa necessary.:. The chimney was badly broken and through the rent more ruin came In. - ,' ''..- .-n,' an he- eookln': tny dinner er supper er stimp'n, en er big ruin . room .tip en des put- out " ev'y-speck er'my Are.: Den I ha' ter grabble round to da cnpbonrd fer some celd scraps, en .maybe calnt flrul none. - I'm gitfn sort er tired er dat kind er business." '' ' , , It was estimated by a earpen ter -that the- tieeessary Tepalrs would cost about twenty-five dollars She hud no -money latd by- her accumulations being mora In the nature of things for her home, Her credit was good, for small , amounts at least, but It prolwbly never o?-urred tf ner to try-to borrow any part of it. And I- am quite sure that her white, friends would have aided her, but It Is no more likely .that this- Idea -ever-' entered toer mind. - It had .always : if -en her i role .. to be tlte helper 'not the liolped. ., .: the went en 'making all arrangement for -the work to begin at- a certain time. "Where are you going to- get the money, Aunt Mlllir'..Ve a8ked.i"Nemer ,mlne, pemer nUne!" she chuckled,. gl git -it sllrlghU Do good JUrd He gl give it to me whn d time icomcs." "Is-that so! ' we exclaimed, "how is He: going 40 give it to you?' Than, she contlded to the secret that she had taken a-ticket for twenty-live dolbir prize in the lottery. It was in the putmy days tbT the great Louisiana Lottery when its agents, were In; almost' every town and hamlet of - the Southwest. She knew of many, who had won money" In it, some large ' amounts and some . small, and she 'had ' invested "two-bits," he said, in . ticket.- " But Aunt MUlle. ' they , say the ' lottery Is very wicked -thing, and that , tt'-S wrong to buy tickets In it" - . .. ' . ' ' J' - "Well . I declare! ,Whft It git to be wrong?' this In the most, surprined way. "Didn't Mr. Robert Foster git five hund red dollars' in de lottery? en Mr. Jimmy Wilson git fifty, en Mr. jwewsoni two, hundred? En don't eir de ' men '-buy tickets, Mr. Worth en Mr. Henry Hanloy en- de - doctor en Mr. Cunnle Pattarson en all de rest? En yoti-knows- Mlss. dey wouldn't do nuth'n wrong." .-What she said .was too near the truth; and what arguments could one -use to "a mind so simple and unsophisticated? "you- know taint no harm. -Y'll dee makin fun o'-do ole nigger." "Do you really think, Aunt. MUlle, that you are going to win twenty five dollars?'' , r . . ''Cose I does! Alnt I done ax de Lord for it? an don't He know I alnt got no yather way1 fer to. git my house. fixed cep'n He ginim de money? How I gl git dat much at one time lesson he give it to me? En He know. I got to have .'.-"Well, if you are so ure about-it why didn't you ask for more? He could give you five hundred or a thousand as easily as twenty-five, and then you could build a whole new house and buy all sorts of fine things." A thoughtful look came over the rough old face, and she said slowly, "Nemer mine do; flats all I want. I don't need no new house, en fine things, en dey alnt no call fer Him to gimme no -mo', v ; Now whatever one may think of -the fact, after the drawing came off Aunt Millie went to the agent and received her. prize of twenty-five dollars. --., But here crown of Joy and happiness, and eventually her crown of sorrow, came Into Aunt Millie's life- when she adopted little yellow "Calllne." A sister wno was a widow, living In another town, died and left several children who were divided out among the fifnily. The. bahy. too young to be anything but a care, was shaken off by the rest and ant. away to Aunt Millie. Instead of sending it back In indigna tion as they dobutless expected her to do, she received the little thing with open arras and tender pity. And now indeed she had something to flll her big heart and spend her love upon. "Calllne" was a pretty little llght-harled child- with bright eyes, and hair that was not so obstreporotisly kinky. Who can know the pride and delight with which the hungry-hearted black wo man, who had tried to mother every forlorn, -lonely, hurt thing that came in her way, cared for her little new charge her own flesh and blood. How to manage while the child was so young must have been a serlos problem, but somehow she did It. As soon as the little one could run about Aunt Millie must have her always at her heels a she went about tne streets or roaas on her work, and her figure became as familiar as that of her foster-mother. And what other colored child had such nice Clothes, such fine shoes. Such pretty aprons and dresses and so many of them? Or had her hair so neatly "wrapped, or was wo petted and spoiled? Aunt Millie's white friends noticed the child and made much of her, while the negroes said she was being "ruint to deff and wan't glne be wuth her salt." Yet Aunt Millie was quite strict with the girl, punishing her sharply whenever, she thought it necessary to her proper bring ing . up, teaching ner- truthfulness, honesty, modest behavior and good man ners the best she knew how. It was comical to see the small figure drop a quaint curtsey whenever she was spoken to, or given, anything. She left ft oft however, when she grew older and the colored children began to tease her about It. ..;-. One Christmas when Calllne wa a about 9 or 49, her. brother Ed. came to see her. He was almost a man; was well-dressed and had money In his pocket. Aunt Millie seemed to be quite proud of him at first which was unusual. For none, of her , family cared to claim her (with the exception of her Cousin Easter'a folks who lived near here) and she had scant patience with them and their "wild careers' and ihg doin's." It was not long before she changed her mind in regard to her nephew. "I don't like dat Ed.." she sniffed, "he too blggetj'. He talk to Callle des lak she blong to him. I dunno what he keep er stayin' dar eatin me out er house and home fer. I wish ter goodness he'd g'long whar he gwln to." "Aunt Millie do you .think they will ever be wanting to take Calllne away from you?" Our suspicions had been aroused by something we had heard from other servants., Then she blazed out, "now dat des what lie up ,to right now. My Callie. what I dun raise fum a baby. De trlflin scamp! He low, he low he des wanter tee ere hom fer to see 3e other chllien. en he fetch her back presently hisself. But ef dey gits her, up dar dey alnt gi sen' er back, en I know it." A few days Inter; '"I reckon . I ha f ter ter et ee go, Miss, She aint never rode on no train sine is site' en member, en she des 'sot on gwine ever since dat nigger put Jt in er her hold. She thlnlt be?s a great sombody case he fotch her some candv and truck, an talk so bla- getty.' So Ed. took Calllne. home with him, with tne ' solemn promise to Aunt Millie that she should return in two weeks. I thlnK it wae two weeks.. They were long days to Aunt Millie and when at last the time was, up and Calllne did not appear she was angry, but more angry with herself "fer beln slch er fool" than she was t with Ett. As the days went slowly by and grew In to weeks she became restless, anxious, silent, and had the air of one. ever listening for a footstep. - . . "I knowed dat rascal 'was tellin me er He, somep'n des tolt me so. She glttln' big enough to work now, and -dey think dey gl tek er way fum me. My Calllne what I raise fum ere little' baby which dey wouldn't have er den, but I'll show em do'. Miss, 1 wants to git you t" write er letter fer me, please ma'am.' I alnt gi stand hone er dey foolishness." ' A letter was written frdm, her dictation, with r Kharn order f hat - the child lie bought or sent home. But the letter re ceived no answer, ana tne child did not return. Then -"she brightened up - with a new thought, and announced that -she "want gi put no mo' 'pendence In ;eny dem low down niggers. She gl git on dat train . en go alter Calllne herself. She went but came back alono, I cannot now recall just what deception was practised upon the simple-minded black woman, but ttiev niiinaaed somehow to send her home defrauded of her guest. Henceforth life had but-one purpose ror Aunt MUlle. the recovery of - her th(ld. Hunger. - thirst, toll,' infirmity of body, 'alt were forgotten in her one object, one determination, w , - Mv mnther advised her to out the ease In the hands of a lawyer,: and this ahe did. After many long weary month of delay anxiety and i worry, tne final re sult was ths restroratlon of her long absent' little girl. We had not heard of ths child's arrival till en morning when Aunt -Millie came tearing into the yard crying and ehoutlng at a most alarming rate. -. "Glory! Glory! bless de Lord, f' got Calllnt Thanks do blessed Ijordw Miss. He done gimme' back my child! I've got ner, l got niy v-ame: soi er at noma right now." She come back last night. Praise de blessed Master' my Callie' hnna at Inst." We had never before seen her so excited over anything, nor so bolstrous. sne couio never enaure the heutlng and carrying on in the colored churches, and we were surprised at her. "Bit down. Aunt Millie and tell us all aboat It," said mother, and if there were tears in other eye :th4n - th black -wok man's, there wa no 'cause for hme. The fact was oow established -; beyond question, or inruier mipuw imi Aunt Millie possessed all lrgal claim to ths child, and the happy old woman felt that all, iw, tf-A4lhlM Wtrff SAW.AVAr. - rtallin would soon be old enough .-to do good work Why she couia nireuoy neip wasn and- iron; and could carry a ' baaket of clothes oh her head ; Wltettt touching it with her hand. - ; !'En es I glt too old to Work,- shell be dar to, tek It up es J luys It down, en lemme-res my old bone er little. , Kn when I git so old I en n't Work no mo,' ef It de good. Lord's will fer ma to stay hers dat long;. Calllne'll be right dar to tek keer of me, -liss, she sho'fwas glad to git back home.. .But den ! 'spec -she do think ere right sninrdt of her okL Auntie." With her character-talc - chuckle. 'Kn she 'aint ferglt de dog ner da cat nr nuth'n. " She de runnlti' roun'.ee'y where single' en er' ctittin tip didoes. MIhs,! she d likeliest little nigger gal I ever see.'.' And - she was . pretty child - with ber neat clean frock and modest, manners,. But -it l a sad thing (to have to relate that Aunf Millie's great content and sat Infection were not to be of long duration Ws aoon. saw another - cloud' gathering on 'the weather-beaten (face, nd knew that she was In trouble of some kind. We asked no questions knowing tluii, it would come out sooner or later a It did. '1 he words ca me w 1 1 h d Ittlculty a nd t here was deepest ' meiancbolly in yoice - and ges ture. "She atot satisfied Mis, she lone some, 'Taint -like It useh to be, Sence de new of comin', back done wore -off. She des plnln all he time fer dem niggurs up vender, f You-, see. sho been out on er big plantntlon where deys ordl?s er niggers pig en jutie,-en. sna got usen to ptayn en ca'ln on wld de chillen; en now she dunno what to do wid erself. I dunno how I gl git er mind offen it. - Matter went from hnd to worse in the humble cabin on the hill. "I'm des pester ed to denthish said, "look lak I dunno what to-do Wid dat chile. I don bought er two new dresses en some red rlbbin en some, y tiller : beads cn nlnt nuthin do no good., She take, spells er gfttin' mnd en eryclnea.' won't mlnd me en I can't do nuthin tall wld er. She dos up en KllK wtQBy-' W' ' nt' t-i 1-11 w Iow--she low site gwln back ef slip hatter run erway, en he ruther slay up dar anyhow. Beem"ter me I dunno which way de Lord plntln' fer her to go: but which ever way its His will be done." The poor Hps trembled as, Slowly and brokenly she said the words. ' There oould toes but One outcome. Cal llne returned to her brothers and sisters. But to Aunt Millie it meant more than merely giving up the child. It meant a loosening Of the cords of life; a letting go of earthly hope and Interests. Hence, forth life wa little more than mere ex. letence, till the last call should come, Her heart - wa empty and her spirit broken. F. D. 8. A TllEE'S LONG .TOVKNKY. To Obtain Parewdtca for Purple Scale - Tree. Is Taken to Brazil, Knglaud, AuHtria an China. , San Francisco Call. From San Francisco to New York, from New York to. Brazil, from Bruzil to London, from -London to West Australia, Vrotn Australia to China and from China to San Francisco is the itlnorary of the latest scientific bug hunt of the State Horticultural Department of California. The hunter was George Compare, who arrived in this elty by the lust steam ship from China. Compere went for para sites to prey on two kinds of sr.ik-s that infest and destroy orange trees. One sort he found and carried to West Australia on a government order. The second paru slto involved the, most curious quest for relief from peat and the loiiRest one In point of miles traversed In the Interest of, science that the annals of such work may boast. The purple scale damages the orange trees of southern California largely. Some months ago a parasite that kills the pur ple scale was round and many of lis eggs were sent to this elty to the quarantine station for Insect pests in the Ferry building In cold storage. There the spec imens" were viewed with admiration by Ehrhorn and Carnes and great results were honed for. tTnforturuitely. the eggs did not hatch." Probably the cold storage wan tnn tuwvArA fftr tlmm was too severe 'for them. How to get tne parusite here ' In shape to do business aa. against the purple scale, was constructed from tne Nieiuie ''"'' was a question that neronir pressing. ! ty natural gas belt to Louisville an I the Compere was clrcumnavlitai ing t he world. Communication Was had with him, and It was agreed mat trees inicsicu mi me purpie scale biiouiu ne iram kui,-- . h ,. Frnnclaco to China, to be taken inland ! tlon from the Martin county gas belt several hundreds of miles in China and to towns along the Big Sandy river for there exposed to the visits of the purple ' several years, and no signs of exhaus scale exterminator. .. 1 tion have vet appeared. In Knox. I Compere founr the "trees from Call- romia in unina ai a weapon. n- im-u had to journey by bout many days up a. river that ran so swiftly that oarsmen j forola In - China at a seaport. He then could not row against the current, and it was necessary to nave cooiies on me riv er banks pull the boats along with ropes for days at a time. Finally, after some rough experience Compere reached the province that Is the home of the enemy of the purple scale., There he went ashore. Thousands of Chinese farmers In the neighborhood had never seen a white man before. They were very curious and came miles to see Compere, simply because he was white.' The owner of the boat in which Compere had journeyed would not tie his boat to the river bank at night. bteoause he knew that he would be killed by Chinese thieves who wished to get the boat and he anchored nightly In the mid dle of the river. The traveled orange trees were taken ashore and carried by two men many more miles by land. There the purple scale exterminator finally made Its home In the Imported trees. . Anna mnr. lh trAfrR wrp niekpri HI) and laboriously carried by hand by two cool- les to the river. The trees were shipped 1 The bugle has sounded; the bom by Compere and he accompanied them to beguft. The speculators the sea. Then they were put. after a;""','" Bn,h the kevs from time, on a steamship for San Francisco. , are trying to wrench the keys rrom and they reached this port simultaneous- the hands of th producers, break open ly with Compere, having Journeyed 12,- the door of their storehouses, and (MM) miles by sea, some hundreds of miles . take their cotton at a minimum price, by river and as many more hundreds by I For tlm there has been a con- .,. , v.- .,!.,, ; tentlon between the cotton producer with daily and constant core. If the pur r IUIII IIUW vii inr moo wsii .... pie scale parasites on them develop and live, the problem of relief to southern California orchards will have been sol ved, if they fall to fulfill expectations then a second Journey to China will be neces sary. The search will be kept up as long as V16 P8' exists. Wrong Usage of the Word ".lew." To the Editor of The Observer: In your issue of to-day, the 9th, your Durham correspondent misuses the honored religion of the Hebrews, Jews, or Isrealltes. Their religion has so many names, yet none of them desig nate nationality. Is It not high time that the press and It many corres pondents made -use of their gram matical knowledge in this matter? It eurely does not make the news . Ol more interest. If so, why discrimi nate? We never read of the of otner vnurcnes Deing publicity. I cannot do better subject than to copy from can -Israelite of November ine wuru in a noun, ju um- 11 as an adjective is a diacourtesy. as a verb an Insult.'' This rtlc e goes on W flOij ' ilia, iiitr nuici so a31a.il its iiw- tice that it has become almost obsolete to use the noun Jew as an active transitive verb in reputable newspa pers. However, among fairly well educated-people It is still no used in con versation. As this paper says, It Should be eschewed as both vulgar and offensive. ' M. E. S. Charlotte, Feb. 9. 1908.: ' , Vitality of a lYog' Heart. Philadelphia Telegraph, i, There is ' no living creature, according to a. 'West Philadelphia surgeon, that has a heart with so much vitality as a frog. especially the species commonly known as the water frog. , ,t , .;?vg-. ' It la generally known that the aquatic frog will survive for months after the hind' legs have been removed.' Of course he cannot hop about as be could before losing bis principal means of transit, but hi forelegs help him to Crawl where h desire-to.go. :-. .u; - ,,W - "When I began to learn- surgery I mads (t special dissection of a frog one day, I laid the various part of the body on a tabie -and discovered" that 1ife wa ex tinct within a few hours in every organ except the heart. ;"The heart showed valvular motion for a day after It had been severed entirely' from the vody. jf "L am not aware that any other crea ture' heart i possessed of such vital ity." i ( L . , SEE : J. P. STOVE & CO'S NORTIL SHOW WINDOW ? JHE nAKUFACTUnERS GUARANTEE IT ltIXSC 2fATCRA,ti GAS ?ii Official Figure . Bliow; tMt IrtceseV In. -S 1905 Of M),00 ,'Tona OI.flT'iw ' ' In - tliM : Smith . lYvm 1901 1 Table - Wiom Ing Increase . by , fSttr - f s ginning of VUllxatlon of Immense KntucWy-New viO-MiIe ltp Mne to Lexington Supply Will It for (U Least Generation. , Correspondence of The Observer. , . ' Baltimore, .Feb. 8. Official figures Bhow that the South produced S.219. 678 tons of pig Iron of 2,240 pounds each In 1905, an Increase of more than 600 000 . ton over the production of 1901. The Manufacturers' Record In this week' issue bases upon the official fig ures th following table comparing the production for the five-year period by states States Alabama . Kentucky Maryland Tennessee -. Virginia West Virginia North Carolina , 190A l.04,l52 W.-35 ..l,:a6,:!12 .. WKUIM ..' 337,138 .. 448,Z .. J86,57 . . 29,(K 610.210 .a,ivv :18,6W ToUl South 2.57H864 S.219.U73 Total V. 8 18.878,354 ffl.962,380 Promise of Industrial expansion In central - Kentucky Is given in corres pondence in this week's issue ot the Manufacturers' Record from Lexing ton, Ky.. telling of the beginning of the utllleation of the immense natural gas resources of eastern Kentucky by the completion of a 40-mile pipe line frorn Menifee county to Lexington and intermediate points. The product of the wells was turned on In the peat week and so great Is the pressure that gas Is brought In without pumping. ; leading to the opinion that one of the j richest naturaj gas fields In the coun try ha been tapped. Forty miles of , mains have been constructed in Lex- , ington and sixteen miles In Winchester j and Mt. Sterling, while in the near fu- j tore extensions will be made to other points. The Menifee gas belt has been proven to extend over a wide area. Nineteen excellent gassers have been drilled and the limits of the belt, which extends into Wolfe county, have not yet been defined. All the wells have not been thoroughly tested but a con servative estimate and the aggregate output Is 14.000.000 dally. 1ms now It Is estimated, will continue for at least a generation without the addition of new wells, although drilling will be continued. Gas has been found in Kentucky from the Ohio river tr the Tennessee border and from the West Virginia border to Meade and Hancock counties on the west, an area fe , thnn two.thlrd8 of the cmmawnH . auto Hovornl vears ago a Ime line wells of that county have maintained a sratlfylng production. In eastern xrerituekv a nine line has been in opera- Wolfe. Estill. Wayne. Clay. Fleming, t -j her oonn ties Morgan, Lawrence and other coun"e(: 1 many gasser have been drilled, but. wltn tne exception 01 woue chum 17. none of the wells have been utilized , except for pumping oil wells and fur- nishlng motive power for pipe line sec- j tlons. Developments of naturnl gas In an other field north of Shreveport, La.. j -vvtilch Is to be piped to that section and j . portions of Texas continue, there ,. nPf(,ucne excel- IpnMv. A high pressure belt line win be constructed to encircle Shreveport. A CRITICAL YEAR. Tlie Cotton War Is On and the Pro ducer May Win by Standing Out Against the Manipulations of the Speculator. To the Editor of The Observer and the speculator; and It has come to a critical point The victory will belong to one or the other in the near future. . For a time the speculators have been laying their plans, and for the last few weeks they have brought them Into execution. To a certain extent they have gained the victory. Prices have been reduced, and some ( holder have become nervous. But to the farmer, there Is too much involved In this struggle for him to give over. This is a year to teet his nerve and grip. , If he Is foiled this year, he will be "again, and much money will go In to the hands of the speculator that should belong to the producer. We be- ; lleve there is yet enough cotton stored away to bring the price to 14 or 15 . i ...... I a l , V. n 1 n ,,1,.,- , ..! tint ttlll. ,,,, I 'III" ,4 , ' ' 1 v. . O " " , 1 . 1. . H.V.I..V, 1, t,.l fmMi ILTitA,. : luq ntr J o .. ,i i V II 1 1- ,7 . ..w.uK. "v a . , . .rr,,H,rln. f cho b.v. f fc J0 B lh)fJ rl j j ; have ,t to do a(?aln. if we can hold j It to 15 cents this year, we can get that another time. So It is clearly seen that thi Is a critical year, No doubt many farmers will need money to buy their fertilizers for the next crop, and the speculators know It, itoo but it will be much better for them to borrow tl)e money for this, and. secure it with the cotton they have on hand. We should not forget r that much depends on the race this spring, uetter lie tnrown into some disadvantages now than to be a slave for life. A solid front on the part, of the farmers, will bring them a good price for their cotton, and will do it oon. H. L. BROWN. Salisbury, Feb. ?. 1908. Can't Vme IIIiu. The following was among the com munications received In The Ob Bftrver' mull yesterday; , Dear Sir aad Delver In Antiquities; How much would a, real good llfe-sl ground hog be worth In your office?" We can furnish yo few samples with bones, meat and haslet all In, This I the real ground hog which in vented the original ground hog day. Your m tne raun, W. A. NEWELL, i Elk Park. Feb. 6, 1906. Thanks, awfully, but can't uae him In our buslneB,Obaerver.l A A , f -i I f - I , lAAn4. An -F.-imA(a' ncrfa ftk r 4 hlu FTTI-. . A 11 Ami 1.1 LZ X Jl 1 : adherents ; "Ttr",-.T" " irhe gets excUed anT I xu cvcrs au lUBcasca Kxy cwcpuuii; turn aitsu given sucn , .. , Haeiina hn mill i yrtAaa 1 , V.to I Duma TAi enTriiol onusotinno onio navs lirw frt ' IOr ine 1 -..-.-nJ,,,. bni nr.i nnln . . - . . K. , T. , The Ameri , " lui. i f. tim u...: ; irAi infirnnit.v- for nermantsnt disabilitv. Issuad bv , " 9, 1905: I 1..,.., Kaia mniU at t,a nr.unt ivriu. . uinvTlvn nicriTKV cnMnivv vW" 1 HtU .V'' U MM GEARING PULLEYS COTTON MILL MACHINERY DRAUGHON'S RALEIGH COLUMBIA PBHICIL BUSINESS GOIXEGE MAonwuuu v a oinrrr T t- Incorporated 1300.000.00. Ustab. 16 ness man. No vacation. Enter any Call or Send for Catalogue. POSITION. May deposit money j for tuition in bank until course is completed and position Is secured, or give notes and pay out of salary. In i thoroughness and reputation D. P. B. I C. Is to other business colleges what Harvard and Yale are to academies, r . 'm IMCOftPOftATIO CAPITAL STOCK $30,000.00 Not the cheapest, but preeminently the BEST. These are th largest, oldest and best equipped schools in North Carolina positive, provable FACT. 1,000 former students holding positions in North Carolina. Positions guaranteed, backed by written eon-, tract Shorthand, Book-keeping, Typewriting and English, taught by experts. Address KING' S BUSINESS GOLLBGB Charlotte, N. C, A high-grade College for Women, provement. Special rates offered J. B. BR THE CHARLOTTE 'I"- ' A .'')' - ti. WB ARB SOUTHERN AGXNTS FOR TINNED WIRE, GERMAN HUDDLES AND HEDDLB WRITB US FOR PRICES. -Foskett Bishop Steam Trap Carried In Stock; also Card Clothing nnis'' a run Lin CHARLOTTE BIRMIN A POLICY SOUTHERN STATES General Agent. HARVEY LAMBETH - - Manager Insurance Department ELIZABETH COLLEGE AND CIlAltLOTTE, A HIGH-GRADE COLLEGE FOR YOUNG LADIES ' . Modern In all respects: $250,000 college plant; fire-proof build-1 lugs; Ideal suburban location; park of 20 acres offers all the allure- ' inents of a free, open-air life In this delightful climate; free from noise, dust and smoke; overlooking beautiful Charlotte and - ror- ; rounding country. Physical culture and out-door games. Car line connection.' University specialists and experienced teachers- at th ', heads of all departments. " Limited to 100 Boarding Student. ' 1.5;,?.. Estahllshad reputation for thorough work and good health. yA-: For handsomely Illustrated catalogue and full Information address-- Bargains, in Sepd-WVelfo We have second hand Ievjmatic ; Buggies, - all in good i0ndition and newly painted .that we. ,wifl sell cheapo vAI Vnuniber 6f btheif second . j. v. vADOaKi's i::. , 1 ' Y 1.1ACBTS MAKE11S "r: tat. fc. ,r :cy , 1 fiiii ill 3X-:1 IflUULULIU CHARlOTIt H. C' ...r-lIA'.iv . ''tvV f v. v t sr HANGERS i"- ir i i COTTON OIL MACHINERY K VnTVl T.T.1B 1 " wrvttWArtT.v ..--.---:, in AAJuan w.v-vw- ATLANTA . - Year. Strongly endorsed by BnaU , time. We also teach BY MAIL. , 1 SCHOLARSHIPS free. To tbM -' who take Book-keeping or Short V, hand, we will give scholarships fre ' ' In Penmanship, Mathematics. Bust ness Spelling, Business Letter Writ ' i Ing. Punctuation, etc., the llterarjf - branches that will earn for jrou or Raleigh, N. C i Prcsbytcna College For Women CHARLOTTE, . C J, equipped with every for second term. IDGE8, D. D, President. modern , !--; .A-.-.'ss SUPPLY COMPANY 01 supplies. ,,. GHAM SPARTAXBI7RQ ' TRUST COMPANY. CONSERVATORY Of MUSIC N. C. CJ1AS. B. WNG, Prcsil U 1 7 l i f . WWm He
The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 11, 1906, edition 1
15
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