Having missed the morning train by reason of the failure of our cook to
make her appearance, there was nothing for Aunt Minervy Ann to do but
to wait for the train which went out late in the afternoon. She seemed
to be well content, however, and made herself as much at home as if she
had been employed as housekeeper. She went about tidying things, and
dusting, and talking. Noticing that the lady of the house, unconsciously
and from habit, went over the same ground (so to say), Aunt Minervy Ann
turned to me with a laugh.
"De mistiss," she said, "is been foolin' wid no 'count niggers so long
dat she bleeze ter do her work over. Now, dat ain't no way. Ef dey ain't
do right at fus', call um back an' make um do it ag'in, an' keep on dat
away twel dey git it 'zackly right; 'twon't be long 'fo' dey'll do it
like you want it done. De mistiss here ain't workin' when she follerin'
'long atter um; she's worryin'; dat des 'zackly what she doin'. An'
worry is lots wuss'n work. How come de white wimmen folks for ter git
ol' and flabby an' wrinkly long 'fo' der time? 'Tain't nothin' but
worry, suh. Ef it hadn't 'a' been fer me, Miss Vallie would 'a' broke
down 'long 'go. But you look at 'er, suh, an' you'll see one er de
purtiest wimmen you ever laid yo' eyes on; an' she ain't no chicken."
It is to be feared that these acute observations were altogether lost on
the lady for whom they were intended, for she continued to move things
about and rearrange them in a way and after a manner that showed she
was doing it unconsciously and as the result of habit.
"Dis ain't de fus' time I been ter dis town, not by a long shot,"
remarked Aunt Minervy Ann, after awhile. "Ain't dey use ter be a miner'l
spring 'cross de road in dat grove dar? I know'd it!" she declared when
I confirmed the accuracy of her memory. "Fur back ez dat dey use ter
call dis part er town Wes' Een', an' 'twuz er _Een_', sho' ez you er
settin' dar. Dey use ter have a buery out here whar dey make beer, an'
dey had some mighty quare gwines-on at dat ar buery. Dey'd come fum
town, suh, an' fiddle an' dance an' guzzle beer dar de live-long night."
Aunt Minervy Ann paused as if contemplating the incidents of those
times, and then suddenly remarked:
"Ain't I never tell you, suh, 'bout de time when I b'longed ter de
Georgy Legislatur'?" The lady of the house, who was arranging and
rearranging some pieces of bric-à-brac on the mantel, stopped short and
stared at Aunt Minervy Ann in sheer amazement. For my part, I could only
laugh at the incongruities called into being by her inquiry. But she
was very serious about the matter.
"You may look," she said, "an' you may laugh, but dat don't wipe
out de trufe. Dey wuz a time when I jined de Legislatur' an' when I
b'long'd ter de gang same ez Hamp did. You don't 'spute but what Hamp
b'long'd ter de Legislatur', suh?" asked Aunt Minervy Ann, anxious to
make out the title of her own membership. No, I didn't dispute Hamp's
credentials. He had been elected and he had served.
"I know'd you couldn't 'spute dat, suh," Aunt Minervy Ann went on,
"'kaze you wuz down dar when dey choosen'd 'im, an' you wuz dar when dem
ar white folks come mighty nigh ku-kluckin' 'im; you wuz right dar wid
Marse Tumlin an' Marse Bolivar. I never is ter fergit dat, suh, ner Hamp
nudder, an' ef you don't b'lieve it you des sen' us word you want us.
Ef we get de word at midnight we'll git up, an' ef de railroad track is
tore up we'll git a waggin, an' ef we can't git a waggin, we'll walk,
but what we'll come."
"Well," said I, "tell us about your joining the Legislature."
"I may be long in tellin' it, suh, but 'tain't no long tale," replied
Aunt Minervy Ann. "Atter Hamp come up here an' tuck his seat—dat what
dey call it den, ef dey don't call it dat now—well, atter he come up
an' been here some little time, I tuck notice dat he 'gun ter hol' his
head mighty high; a little too high fer ter suit me. He want me ter go
up dar wid 'im an' stay dar, 'kaze he sorter skittish 'bout comin' home
when dem country boys mought be hangin' 'roun' de depot. But I up an'
tol' 'im flat an' plain dat I wa'n't gwine ter leave Miss Vallie an'
let 'er git usen ter strange niggers. I tol' 'im he mought go an' stay
ef he want ter, but de fus' week he miss comin' home, I wuz gwine atter
'im, an' ef I fotch 'im home he won't go back in a hurry; I tol' 'im
dat flat an' plain.
"Well, suh, he done mighty well; I'll say dat fer 'im. He want too many
clean shirts an' collars fer ter suit me, but he say he bleeze ter have
um dar whar he at, an' I ain't make no complaint 'bout dat; but I tuck
notice dat he wuz sorter offish wid Marse Tumlin. Mo' dan dat, I tuck
notice dat needer Marse Tumlin ner Marse Bolivar so much ez look at 'im
when dey pass 'im by. I know'd by dat dat sump'n wuz up.
"Now Hamp ain't had no reg'lar time fer comin' home. Sometimes he'd come
We'n'sday, an' den ag'in he'd come Friday. I ax 'im why he ain't stay de
week out an' 'ten' ter his work like he oughter. He say he gettin' des
much pay when he at home loafin' 'roun' ez he do when he up yer. Well,
suh, dat 'stonish me. You know yo'se'f, suh, dat when folks is gittin'
pay fer dat what dey ain't doin,' dey's boun' ter be swindlin' gwine on
some'rs, ef not wuss, an' dat what I tol' 'im. He laugh an' say dat's
on account er politics an' de erpublican party, an' I make answer dat
ef dat de case, dey er bofe rank an' rotten; desso.
"We went on fum one thing ter an'er, twel bimeby I ax 'im what dey
is 'twixt 'im an' Marse Tumlin an' Marse Bolivar. Hamp say dey ain't
nothin' 'ceppin' dat dey done ax 'im fer ter do sump'n dat ain't in
'cordance wid erpublican pencerpuls, an' he bleeze ter erfuse um. Well,
suh, dis kinder riled me. I know'd right pine-blank dat Hamp ain't know
no mo' 'bout erpublican pencerpuls dan I is, an' I wouldn't a-know'd um
ef I'd a met um in de road wid der name painted on um; so I ax 'im what
erpublican pencerpuls hender'd 'im fum doin' what Marse Tumlin ax 'im
ter do. He sot dar an' hummed an' haw'd, an' squirm'd in his cheer, an'
chaw'd on de een' er his segyar. I wait long 'nuff, an' den I ax 'im
ag'in. Well, suh, dat's been twenty year ago, an' he ain't never tol'
me yit what dem erpublican pencerpuls wuz. I ain't flingin' off on um,
suh. I 'speck dey wuz a bairlful er dem erpublican pencerpuls, an' maybe
all good uns, but I know'd mighty well dat dey ain't hender dat nigger
man fum doin' what Marse Tumlin ax 'im ter do.
"So de nex' chance I git, I up'n ax Marse Tumlin what de matter wuz
'twix' him an' Hamp. He say 'twa'n't nothin' much, 'cep' dat Hamp
had done come up here in Atlanta an' sol' hisse'f out to a passel er
kyarpit-baggers what ain't no intruss down here but ter git han's on all
de money in sight. I say, 'He may 'a' gi' hisse'f 'way, Marse Tumlin,
but he sho' ain't sell hisse'f, 'kaze I ain't seen one er de money.'
Marse Tumlin 'low, 'Well, anyhow, it don't make much diffunce, Minervy
Ann. Dem kyarpit-baggers up dar, dey pat 'im on de back an' tell 'im he
des ez good ez what dey is. I had de idee, Minervy Ann,' he say, 'dat
Hamp wuz lots better dan what dey is, but he ain't; he des 'bout good
ez dey is.'
"Marse Tumlin do like he don't wanter talk 'bout it, but dat ain't nigh
satchify me. I say, 'Marse Tumlin, what did you want Hamp ter do?' He
drum on de arm er de cheer wid his fingers, an' sorter study. Den he
say, 'Bein' it's all done an' over wid, I don't min' tellin' you all
about it. Does you know who's a-runnin' dis county now?' I had a kinder
idee, but I say, 'Who, Marse Tumlin?' He 'low, 'Mahlon Botts an' his
br'er Mose; dey er runnin' de county, an' dey er ruinin' it.'
"Den he ax me ef I know de Bottses. Know um! I'd been a-knowin' um sence
de year one, an' dey wuz de ve'y drugs an' offscourin's er creation. I
ax Marse Tumlin how come dey ter have holt er de county, an' he say dey
make out dey wuz good erpublicans des ter make de niggers vote um in
office—so dey kin make money an' plunder de county. Den I ax 'im what
he want Hamp ter do. He say all he want Hamp ter do wuz ter he'p 'im
git er whatyoumaycallum—yasser, dat's it, a bill; dat's de ve'y word he
say—he want Hamp ter he'p 'im git a bill th'oo de Legislatur'; an' den
he went on an' tell me a long rigamarolious 'bout what 'twuz, but I'll
never tell you in de roun' worl'."
[The proceedings of the Georgia Legislature reported in the Atlanta
_New Era_, of November 10, 1869, show that the measure in question was a
local bill to revive the polling-places in the militia districts of the
county represented by the Hon. Hampton Tumlin, and to regulate elections
so that there could be no repeating. This verification of Aunt Minervy
Ann's statement was made long after she told the story, and purely
out of curiosity. The discussions shed an illuminating light over her
narrative, but it is impossible to reproduce them here, even in brief.]
"He tol' me dat, suh, an' den he le'nt back in de cheer, an' kinder
hummed a chune. An' me—I stood up dar by de fireplace an' studied.
Right den an' dar I made up my min' ter one thing, an' I ain't never
change it, needer; I made up my min' dat ef we wuz all gwine ter be
free an' live in de same neighborhoods—dat ef we wuz gwine ter do
dat, whatsomever wuz good fer de white folks bleeze ter be good fer de
niggers, an' whatsomever wuz good fer Marse Tumlin an' Miss Vallie wuz
des ez good fer me an' Hamp.
"I 'low, 'Marse Tumlin, when you gwine up dar whar Hamp at?' He say,
'Oh, I dunno; I'm tired er de infernal place,' desso. Den he look
at me right hard. 'What make you ax?' sez he. I 'low, ''Kaze ef you
er gwine right soon, I'm gwine wid you.' He laugh an' say, 'What de
dickunce you gwine up dar fer?' I 'low, 'I'm gwine up dar fer ter jine
de Legislatur'. I ain't here tell dat dem what jines hatter be baptize
in runnin' water, an' ef dey ain't, den I'll jine long wid Hamp.' Marse
Tumlin say, 'You reckin Hamp would be glad fer to see you, Minervy Ann?'
I 'low, 'He better had be, ef he know what good fer 'im.' Marse Tumlin
say, 'Ef I wuz you, Minervy Ann, I wouldn't go up dar spyin' atter Hamp.
He'll like you none de better fer it. De las' time I wuz up dar, Hamp
wuz havin' a mighty good time. Ef you know what's good fer you, Minervy
Ann, you won't go up dar a-doggin' atter Hamp.'
"Well, suh, right at dat time I had de idee dat Marse Tumlin wuz
prankin' an' projeckin'; you know how he runs on; but he wa'n't no
mo' prankin' dan what I am right now. (Nummine! I'll git back ter Hamp
terreckly.) I laugh an' say, 'I ain't gwine ter dog atter Hamp, Marse
Tumlin; I des wanter go up dar an' see how he gittin' on, an' fin' out
how folks does when dey sets up dar in de Legislatur'. An' ef you'll put
dat ar whatshisname—bill; dat's right, suh; bill wuz de word—ef you'll
put dat ar bill in yo' pocket, I'll see what Hamp kin do wid it.' Marse
Tumlin 'low, ''Tain't no use fer ter see Hamp, Minervy Ann. He done tol'
me he can't do nothin'. I lef' de bill wid 'im.'
"I say, 'Marse Tumlin, you dunner nothin' 'tall 'bout Hamp. He must er
change mightly sence dey 'fo' yistidy if he erfuse ter do what I tell
'im ter do. Ef dat de case I'll go up dar an' frail 'im out an' come on
back home an' 'ten' ter my work.'
"Marse Tumlin look at me wid his eyes half shot an' kinder laugh way
down in his stomach. He 'low, 'Minervy Ann, I been livin' a long time,
an' I been knowin' a heap er folks, but you er de bangin'est nigger I
ever is see. Free ez you is, I wouldn't take two thousan' dollars fer
you, cash money. I'll git Bolivar, an' we'll go up dar on de mornin'
train. Vallie kin stay wid 'er aunt. 'Tain't gwine ter hurt you ter go;
I want you ter see some things fer yo'se'f.'
"Well, suh, sho' 'nuff, de nex' mornin' me an' Marse Tumlin an' Marse
Bolivar, we got on de train, an' put out, an' 'twa'n't long 'fo' we wuz
pullin' in under de kyar-shed. Dat 'uz de fus' time I ever is been ter
dis town, an' de racket an' de turmoil kinder tarrify me, but when I
see 't'er folks gwine 'long 'tendin' ter der bizness, 'twa'n't no time
'fo' I tuck heart, 'kaze dar wuz Marse Tumlin an' Marse Bolivar right
at me, an' dey wuz bowin' an' shakin' han's wid mos' eve'ybody dat come
'long. Dey wuz two mighty pop'lous white men, suh; you know dat yo'se'f.
"I 'speck de train must 'a' got in 'fo' de Legislatur' sot down, 'kaze
when we went th'oo a narrer street an' turn inter de one what dey call
Decatur, whar dey carry on all de devilment, I hear Marse Tumlin say
dat we wuz 'bout a hour too soon. Right atter dat Marse Bolivar say,
'Tumlin, dat ar nigger man 'cross dar wid de gals is got a mighty
familious look ter me; I done been seed 'im somewhar, sho'.' Marse
Tumlin say, 'Dat's a fac'; I used ter know dat man some'rs.' Well, suh,
I lookt de way dey wuz a-lookin', an' dar wuz Hamp! Yassar! Hamp! Hamp
an' two mulatter gals. An' I wish you could 'a' seed um; I des wish
you could! Dar wuz Hamp all diked out in his Sunday cloze which I tol'
'im p'intedly not ter w'ar while he workin' in de legislatur'. He had a
segyar in his mouf mos' ez big an' ez long ez a waggin-spoke, an' dar he
wuz a-bowin' an' scrapin' an' scrapin' an' gigglin' an' de mulatter gals
wuz gigglin' an' snickerin' an' squealin'—'I _declaire_, Mr. Tumlin!
you oughter be _'shame_ er yo'se'f; oh, youer too _b-a-a-a-d_!'"
With powers of mimicry unequalled, Aunt Minervy Ann illustrated the
bowing and scraping of Hamp, and reproduced the shrill but not unmusical
voices of the mulatto girls.
"I tell you de trufe, suh, whiles you could count ten you might 'a'
pusht me over wid a straw, an' den, suh, my dander 'gun ter rise. I
must 'a' show'd it in my looks, 'kaze Marse Tumlin laid his han' on my
shoulder an' say, 'Don't kick up no racket, Minervy Ann; you got Hamp
right whar you want 'im. You know what we come fer.' Well, suh, I hatter
stan' dar an' swaller right hard a time er two, 'kaze I ain't got no use
fer mulatters; to make um, you got ter spile good white blood an' good
nigger blood, an' when dey er made dey got in um all dat's mean an' low
down on bofe sides, an' ef dey yever is ter be saved, dey'll all hatter
be baptize twice han' runnin'—once fer de white dat's in um, and once
fer de black. De Bible mayn't sesso, but common-sense'll tell you dat
much.
"Well, suh, I stood dar some little time watchin' Hamp's motions, an'
he wuz makin' sech a big fool er hisse'f dat I des come mighty nigh
laughin' out loud, but all dat time Marse Tumlin had de idee dat I
wuz mad, an' when I start to'rds Hamp, wid my pairsol grabbed in de
middle, he 'low, 'Min' yo' eye, Minervy Ann.' I walk up, I did, an'
punch Hamp in de back wid de pairsol. Ef I'd 'a' hit 'im on de head wid
a pile-driver, he couldn't 'a' been mo' dum'founder'd. He look like he
wuz gwine th'oo de sidewalk. I say, 'When you git time, I'd like ter
have a little chat wid you.' He 'low, 'Why, why'—an' wid dat he stuck
de lit een' er his segyar in his mouf. Well, suh, you may b'lieve you
done seed splutterin' an' splatterin', but you ain't never seed none
like dat. He made a motion, Hamp did, like he wanter make me 'quainted
wid de mulatter gals, but I say, 'When you git time fum yo' Legislatur',
I got a sesso fer you ter hear.'
"Wid dat, suh, I turn 'roun' an' cross de street an' foller on atter
Marse Tumlin an' Marse Bolivar. I ain't mo'n git 'cross, 'fo' here come
Hamp. He 'low, 'Why, honey, whyn't you tell me you wuz comin'? When'd
you come?' I say, 'Oh, I'm _honey_, is I? Well, maybe you'll fin' a bee
in de comb.' He 'low, 'Whyn't you tell me you wuz comin' so I kin meet
you at de train?' I say, 'I wanter see what kinder fambly you got in
dis town. An' I seed it! I seed it!'
"Well, suh, I 'speck I'd 'a' got mad ag'in, but 'bout dat time we cotch
up wid Marse Tumlin an' Marse Bolivar. Marse Tumlin turn 'roun', he
did, an' holler out, 'Well, ef here ain't Minervy Ann! What you doin' up
here, an' how did you lef' yo' Miss Vallie?' He shuck han's des like he
ain't see me befo' in a mont', an' Marse Bolivar done de same. I humor'd
um, suh, but I ain't know what dey wuz up ter fer long atterwards. Dey
don't want Hamp ter know dat I come 'long wid um. Den dey went on, an'
me an' Hamp went ter whar he stay at.
"When I got 'im off by hisse'f, suh, he sot in ter tellin' me how come
'im ter be wid dem ar gals, an' he want me ter know um, an' he know
mighty well I'd like um—you know how men-folks does, suh. But dey
wa'n't na'er minit in no day dat yever broke when Hamp kin fool me,
an' he know'd it. But I let 'im run on. Bimeby, when he get tired er
splanifyin', I 'low, 'Whar dat paper what Marse Tumlin ax you ter put
in de Legislatur'?' He say, 'How you know 'bout dat?' I 'low, 'I hear
Marse Tumlin tellin' Miss Vallie 'bout it, an' I hear Miss Vallie wonder
an' wonder what de matter wid you.'
"I fotch Miss Vallie in, suh, bekaze Hamp think dey ain't nobody in de
worl' like Miss Vallie. One time, des 'fo' de big turmoil, when Marse
Tumlin hire Hamp fum de Myrick 'state, he fell sick, an' Miss Vallie
(she wa'n't nothin' but a school-gal den) she got sorry fer 'im 'kaze
he wuz a hired nigger, an' she'd fill a basket wid things fum de white
folks' table an' tote um to 'im. Mo' dan dat, she'd set dar whiles
he's eatin' an' ax 'bout his folks. Atter dat, suh, de groun' whar Miss
Vallie walk wuz better'n any yuther groun' ter Hamp. So when I call her
name up, Hamp ain't say nothin' fer long time.
"Den he shuck his head an' say dey ain't no use talkin', he des can't
put dat ar paper in de Legislatur'. He say ef he wuz ter, 'twon't
do no good, 'kaze all de erpublicans would jump on it, an' den dey'd
jump on him ter boot. I 'low, 'Whar you reckon I'll be whiles all dat
jumpin' gwine on?' He say, 'You'll be on de outside, an' ef you wuz on
de inside, dey'd hike you out.' 'An' who'd do de hikin'?' sez I. 'De
surgeon er de armies,' sez he. 'White er black?' sez I. 'Yaller,' sez
Hamp. I 'low, 'Good 'nuff; we'll see which un'll be hiked.' An' I tol'
Hamp right den an' dar, dat ef he erfuse ter put dat paper in, I'll do
it myse'f.
"Well, suh, whiles we settin' dar talkin', dey come a-rappin' at de do'
an' in walk a big bushy-head mulatter, an' I ain't tellin' you no lie,
he de mos' venomous-lookin' creetur you ever 'laid yo' eyes on. His ha'r
wuz all spread out like a scourin' mop, an' he had a grin on 'im ez big
ez dat gate dar. Hamp call 'im Arion Alperiar Ridley."
At this point I was compelled to come to the rescue of Aunt Minervy
Ann's memory. The statesman's real name was Aaron Alpeora Bradley, and
he was one of the most corrupt creatures of that corrupt era. He had a
superficial education that only added to the density of his ignorance,
but it gave him considerable influence with the negro members of the
Legislature. Aunt Minervy Ann accepted the correction with alacrity.
"I fergot his name, suh, but I ain't never fergit him. He so
mean-lookin' he make de col' chills run over me. He wuz a low-country
mulatter, suh, an' you know how dey talk. Eve'y time he look at me, he'd
bow, an' de mo' he bowed de mo' I 'spized 'im. He call Hamp 'Mistooah
Tummalin,' an' eve'y time he say sump'n', he'd gi' one er dem venomous
grins. I declar' ter gracious, suh, I oughtn't ter talk 'bout dat man
dis away, but de way he look wuz scan'lous. I done fergive 'im for dat
long time 'go on 'count er what he done, but when I hear white folks
'busin' 'im in dat day an' time I know'd dey had mighty good groun',
bekaze dey ain't no human kin look like dat man an' not be mean at
bottom.
"Well, suh, Hamp, he up'n tol' dish yer Alpory er Alpiry (whatsomever
his name mought be) what I come ter town fer, an' Alpory, he say,
'Mistooah Tummalin, you kyarn't do it. Hit would-er ruin you in de-er
party, suh—er ruin you.' I kinder fired up at dat. I 'low, 'How come
he can't do it? Ain't he free?' Ol' Alpory, he grin an' he talk, he
talk an' he grin, but he ain't budge me. At de offstart I say ef Hamp
don't put dat paper in de Legislatur', I'll put it in myse'f, an' at
de windin' up I still say dat ef he don't put Marse Tumlin's paper in
de Legislatur', den I'll be de one ter do it. Ol' Alpory say, 'You-er
is got no marster, ma'm.' Den I snapt 'im up an' cut 'im off short; I
say, 'I got one ef I want one. Ain't I free?' Den he went on wid a whole
passel er stuff dat I can't make head er tail un, ner him needer, fer
dat matter, twel bimeby I say, 'Oh, hush up an' go on whar you gwine.'
"Hamp look so broke up at dis dat I wuz kinder sorry I say it, but dat's
de only way ter deal wid dem kind er folks, suh. Ol' Alpory wuz des
famishin', suh, fer some un ter b'lieve he's a big Ike; dat 'uz all de
matter wid him an' I know'd it. So he quit his jawin' when I snapped 'im
up, an' he sot dar some time lookin' like a cow does when her cud don't
rise. Bimeby he ax Hamp fer ter let 'im see de paper what I want 'im
ter put in de Legislatur'. He tuck it, he did, an' look at it sideways
an' upside down, an' eve'y which-away. Ez ef dat wa'n't 'nuff, he took
off his goggles an' wiped um an' put um on ag'in, an' read de paper all
over ag'in, noddin' his head an' movin' his mouf, an' grinnin'.
"Atter he got th'oo, he fol' de paper up an' han' it back ter Hamp.
He say he can't see no harm in it ter save his life, an' he 'low dat
ef Hamp'll put it in at one een' er de Legislatur', he'll put it in at
de 't'er een'. Dey call one part a house, but nobody ain't never tell
me why dey call a wranglin' gang er men a house. Dey des might ez well
call um a hoss an' buggy; eve'y bit an' grain. Well, suh, de house wuz
de part what Hamp b'longs ter, an' de 't'er part wuz whar ol' Alpory
b'long'd at, an' by de time dey wuz ready fer ter set down in dar dey
had e'en 'bout 'greed fer put de paper in at bofe een's.
"I went 'long wid Hamp, suh, an' he show'd me de way ter de gall'ry,
an' I sot up dar an' look down on um, an' wonder why all un um, white
an' black, wa'n't at home yearnin' der livin' 'stidder bein' in dat
place a-wranglin' an callin' names, an' howlin' an' wavin' der arms an'
han's. Dey wuz a big fat white man settin' up in de pulpit, an' he kep'
on a-maulin' it wid a mallet. I dunner what his name wuz, but I hear one
big buck nigger call 'im Mr. Cheer. Marse Tumlin tol' me atterwards dat
de man wuz de speaker, but all de res' done lots mo' speakin' dan what
he did; all un um 'cep' Hamp.
"Yasser; all un um 'cep' Hamp, an' he sot dar so still dat 'twa'n't long
'fo' I 'gun ter git shame un him. He sot dar an' fumble wid some papers,
an' helt his head down, an' look like he skeer'd. I watch 'im, suh, twel
I got so res'less in de min' I can't set still. Bimeby I got up an' went
down ter de front do'; I wuz gwine ter make my way in dar whar Hamp wuz
at, an' kinder fetch 'im out'n his dreams, ef so be he wuz dreamin'. An'
I'd a gone in, but a nigger man at de do' barred de way. He say, 'Who
you want ter see?' I 'low, 'I wanter see Hamp Tumlin, dat's who.' He
say, 'Does you mean de Honnerbul Hampton Tumlin?' I 'low, 'Yes, I does
ef you wanter put it dat away. _Go in dar an' tell 'm dat de Honnerbul
Minervy Ann Perdue is out here waitin' fer 'im, an' he better come quick
ef he know what good fer 'im._'
"Wid dat, suh, I hear somebody laugh, an' look up an' dar wuz Marse
Tumlin standin' not fur fum de do' talkin' wid an'er white man. He 'low,
'Scott, dis is Minervy Ann. She got mo' sense an' grit dan half de white
folks you meet.' Well, suh, de man come up, he did, an' shuck han's an'
say he mighty glad ter see me. I never is ter fergit his name on 'count
er what happen atterwards. 'Bout dat time Hamp come out an' Marse Tumlin
an' de 't'er man draw'd off up de hall.
"I say, 'Hamp, why in de name er goodness ain't you 'ten' ter yo'
bizness? What you waitin' fer? Is you skeer'd?' He vow an' declar' dat
he des waitin' a chance fer ter put de paper in. I tol' 'im dat de way
ter git a chance wuz ter make one, an' wid dat he went on in, an' I went
back in de gall'ry. Well, suh, 'twa'n't long 'fo' Hamp put in de paper.
A man at de foot er de pulpit read it off, an' den a white man settin'
not fur fum Hamp jump up an' say he want sump'n done wid it, I dunner
what. Hamp say sump'n back at 'im, an' den de white man say he sorry fer
ter see de honnerbul gemman gwine back on de erpublican party. Den Mose
Bently—I know'd Mose mighty well—he riz an' say ef de erpublican party
is got ter be led 'roun' by men like de one what des tuck his seat, it's
high time fer honest folks ter turn der backs on it.
"Well, suh, when Mose say dat, I clap my han's, I did, an' holla 'Good!
good! now you got it!' I couldn't he'p it fer ter save my life. De man
in de pulpit maul de planks wid de mallet like he tryin' ter split um,
an' he 'low dat ef folks in de gall'ry don't keep still, he'll have um
cle'r'd out. I holla back at 'im, 'You better have some er dat gang
down dar cle'r'd out!' Quick ez a flash, suh, dat ar Mr. Scott what
been talkin' wid Marse Tumlin jump up an' 'low, 'I secon's de motion!'
De man in de pulpit say, 'What motion does de gemman fum Floyd secon'?'
Den Mr. Scott fling his head back an' 'low, 'De Honnerbul Minervy Ann
Perdue done move dat de flo' be cle'r'd 'stidder de gall'ry. I secon's
de motion.'
"Den fum dat he went on an' 'buze de erpublican party, speshually dat ar
man what had de 'spute wid Hamp. Mr. Scott say dey got so little sense
dat dey go ag'in a paper put in by one er der own party. He say he ain't
keer nothin' 'tall 'bout de paper hisse'f, but he des wanter show um up
fer what dey wuz.
"He totch'd um, suh, ez you may say, on de raw, an' when he git th'oo
he say, 'Now, I hope de cheer will deal wid de motion of de Honnerbul
Minervy Ann Perdue.' Mr. Scott say, 'She settin' up dar in de gall'ry
an' she got des ez much right ter set on dis flo' es nineteen out er
twenty er dem settin' here.' De man in de pulpit look at me right hard,
an' den he 'gun ter laugh. I say, 'You nee'n ter worry yo'se'f 'bout me.
You better 'ten' ter dem ar half-drunk niggers an' po' white trash down
dar. I wouldn't set wid 'em ef I never did fin' a place fer ter set at.'
"Wid dat, suh, I pickt up my pairsol an' make my way out, but ez I went
I hear um whoopin' an' hollerin'."
"Well, they didn't pass the bill, did they?" I asked.
"What? dat paper er Marse Tumlin's? Bless yo' soul, suh, dey run'd over
one an'er tryin' ter pass it. Mr. Scott fit it like he fightin' fire,
an' make out he wuz turribly ag'in it, but dat des make um wuss. Hamp
say dat inginer'lly dem ar laws has ter wait an' hang fire; but dey
tuck up dat un, an' shove it th'oo. Dey tuck mo' time in de 't'er een'
er de Legislatur', whar ol' Alpory wuz at, but it went th'oo when it
start. Dey don't have no sech gwines-on now, suh. Ef dey did, I 'speck
I'd hatter come up an' jine de Legislatur' ag'in."
Whereupon, Aunt Minervy Ann laughed heartily, and began to make her
preparations for returning home.
[Illustration]