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«he could never be made to understand “how one
boy could pull all them people up!” She could not
be induced to use it herself—she “wouldn’t give
that boy the trouble to lift her up!” no indeed;
«he plodded up and down the six long flights in
a New York apartment house, with a heavy baby
in her arms, and nothing could induce her to do
otherwise. The number of people living under one
roof was a source of endless dismay to her—she
could never comprehend this problem, for to her,
tier own “people” were her world. On one occa
sion she was standing on the sidewalk with her
'baby charge when she discerned a uniformed Wes
tern Union messenger run swiftly into the apart
ment and disappear in the elevator. At once she
became alarmed, for she knew well that a “tele
gram” often portended evil, and at that time her
■“ole miss” happened to be visiting her daughter—
quickly and breathlessly mammy climbed the long
stairs to rush into her mistress’ room scarcely able
to gasp out, “ole miss, did yer git yer telegram 1 ?”
The nervous old lady exclaimed “Oh, no, mammy,
where is it?” “I seen a boy bring one in when I
was down stairs,” the old woman answered, and
she could not understand the look of relief and
amusement on the faces around her. In an apart
ment house containing hundreds of persons “old
miss” was the only possible recipient of a message!
Thus mammy’s horizon was limited and thus it
remained limited all her long life! She retained her
“manner,” too; never, during all the years would
she sit down in the presence of her “white folks;”
never would she consent to let any one save those
of her color serve her in any way; even when she
was ill she would never consent to be waited on.
Her devotion was unparalleled; her interest in all
that touched the lives around her was unfailing,
and yet she could not understand half of the com
plex conditions of the new life into which she
was plunged. So confusing did it become to her
that she was compelled to return to the South as
she grew older, and finally, was pensioned off by
the family to live her life with her “ole man,”
for whom she always retained the deepest affec
tion. Her morality was no greater than that of the
<at.her members of her race; despite the careful home
training which surrounded her from early girlhood,
for she was “raised in the house,” she never seem
ed to comprehend any moral obligations toward her
self; it was just a sealed book to her, and expla
nations were impossible. Yet she “got religion” in
its most violent form; she could name the day, the
hour, even the minute when she “was took,” and
her baptism was the greatest event of her life.
She joined a “sassiety” and for the first time in
lier sixty years of life she discarded her “head
handkerchief,” and wore a straw bonnet! Fastid
ious to a fault in the matter of dress, choosing care
fully colors and prints to suit her fancy, she never
leaned to “loud or bright colors,” but the vivid
purple and white of the “sassiety” uniform de
lighted her soul. Truly it would be difficult to find
in all the world a product of social conditions so
wonderfully mixed and yet so marvelously simple
as the old darkeys of the past generation. That
they played a prominent part in the record of the
South, can never be gainsaid; that they left an im
press on its domestic and social life, and on its de
velopment, too, perhaps, is also beyond question.
Almost invariably loyal and lovable and loving to
their own people; lacking every element of mental
development themselves, yet embodying many of
the best and simplest virtues, it would seem that
we might deal leniently with the present and the
future of this same race because of the debt we
owe to its individual members in the past.
Rider Haggard has completed a new novel, the
scene of which is laid partly in England and partly
in. the Soudanese desert, and is already embarked
upon still another, a Spanish romance of the period
of Ferdinand and Isabella.
John Alexander Dowie’s Zion City is passing
through a crisis in affairs; many of its residents
are reported in a starving condition. Dowie and
his wife are separated, and she has given out that
she wishes to sell everything for the good of the
church, and that when the furnishings have been
sold the house itself will be at the disposal of the
society.
The Golden Age for March 22, 1906.
Who?
ROBERT H. HARRIS.
When life’s dream has found its ending,
In the dark and silent grave,
Where the plumy grasses bending
in the summer breezes wave—
Past, for us, all pain and sorrow,
All the wasting woes of life,
'Ne’er to dawn the dread “to-morrow,”
Presage—fraught of bitter strife —
Who will come and, gently kneeling
By the lonely, narrow bed,
Drop a tear of kindly feeling
O'er the ashes of the dead?
Who, with faithful hearts and loving,
Some memento will prepare?
Who, the tangled sward removing,
Plant some fragrant flowers there?
Who will come, with tender yearning,
At the dying of the day,
Heart aglow with love yet burning
For the dear one passed away?
Who will kneel, an off’ring bringing
To the mem’ry of The Past?
Token of the love yet clinging,
True and faithful to the last.
Wlien the twilight shades are falling,
When the darkening woods are still,
When the whippoorwill is calling
From the lonely, grave crowned hill,
When the peaceful stars above us
Smile down sadly from the sky,
Who still tenderly will love us?
Ling’ring fondly where we lie.
Who, with true, heartfelt emotion,
Bowing low, will drop a tear,
Token of a deep devotion,
Faithful, loyal, deathless e’er?
Soon, Alas! too soon, are faded
Mem’ries destined not to last;
All too soon, are over shaded
Brightest love-lights of the past!
Ah! that sweetest recollections
E’er should wane —grow dim —and die!
Idols of the heart’s affections
In the grave forgotten lie!
Who, of all that clustered round us
While in life, will not forget
After death, the ties that bound us,
And, once loving, love us yet?
Important Conference.
Dr. J. D. Atkins .of Nashville, went to Baltimore
to meet Bishops Wilson and Galloway and Dr. W.
R. Lambuth, in connection with the joint commis
sion of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South, on the union
of all Metodist bodies now in Japan. A conference
was held in this city on that subject during the
Student Volunteer Convention, and much impor
tance attaches in these meetings of the representa
tives of the two Methodist bodies in America, with
the object in view of uniting all Methodist Church
es in Japan under the one head of the Methodist
Church in Japan.
On Friday these gentlemen will go to Washing
ton to see President Roosevelt, and to seek, if
possible, a better arrangement of our government
with the Chinese in regard to the admission of
Chinese students to the different schools and col
leges of the United States and Canada.
There are now 10,000 Chinese students attend
ing the various colleges in Japan, largely because
they ’cannot, under the existing laws, come to
America.
It is hoped that this visit to the president will
be at least the beginning of bringing about an ar
rangement whereby this better class of Chinese
people may be permitted to-have the privilege of an
American education.
If, according to a professor in the University of
Chicago, woman is to rule the country fifty years
hence, were it not as well that she begin now looking
into certain questions which will surely engage her
thought then? For instance: During January, 224,-
000,000 cigarettes were manufactured in New York
alone—enough to furnish fifty-six cigarettes apiece
for every persons, adult and child, in that city. Con
sidering the many other numerous manufacturing
centers and the growing addiction to the habit, is
not the question forced upon us that there are
some matters that call for woman’s more lively and
active interest in this present year—now?
News of the Week.
Dr. Manuel Quintana, president of Argentina, is
dead.
It is rumored that President Reyes, of the Re
public of Colombia, is to resign from office in the
near future.
< ... ' . ' -- '
Eugene Richter, radical leader in the Reichstag
since its foundation, and Bismarck’s old opponent,
is dead of heart failure.
Failure of the wheat and barley harvest is threat
ened throughout Morocco. With no reserve from
last year, a terrible famine seems to be impending.
A bill has just been passed providing for the
erection of a statue of General Nathaniel Greene
on the battle field of Guilford court house, North
Carolina.
On March 9, the senate passed' a bill for the ad
mission of a new state to be called Oklahoma, and
to be composed of the territory of Oklahoma and
Indian Tterritory.
Steam is to be.abolished as the motive power on
all the railroads of Switzerland, and its place to
be taken by electricity. The St. Gotthard road is
even now being changed into an electric road.
The Christian Herald, through Dr. Joseph
Klopscli, its editor, has made a large contribution
to the Japanese famine fund. This is the third time
relief has been sent through the Herald.
Maxim Gorky, the novelist, is in great disfavor.
Recently he left his wife and children and eloped
with a Russian actress, and upon his return was
publicly snubbed by his former friends.
An inventor in Bucharest has perfected a type
writer for the blind. The first machine could not
be bought for less than 1,500 francs, but the price
has now been brought to S4O.
The awful catastrophe in the great coal center
of Northern France last week was the worst in
the history of that country. The casualties reported
were between 1,200 and 1,300.
The appointment of commissioner to look after
the graves of Confederate dead in Northern states
it is believed will be given to General Charles
Shelly, of Birmingham, Ala., or to former Congress
man William Elliot, of Columbia, S. C.
Contracts for erecting the two main exhibit
buildings of the Jamestown Exposition, have been
awarded. It is estimated that all the exposition pre
paratory work will be ready six months before the
date set for the opening of the celebration, April
26, 1907.
A bill now pending in Washington, makes pro
vision for a cut in the salaries of aged department
clerks. It is provided that no clerk who is over
65, shall receive more than $1,400 per year; and
that no clerk who has reached the age of 68, shall
receive more than $1,200 per year. Upon reaching
the age of 70, the pay is to be cut to SB4O per year,
for the good and faithful servant. After the year
1913, the bill provide, clerks shall be summarily
dismissed upon reaching the age of 70 years.
A monument is to be erected over the grave of
William Hurry, the man who rang the liberty bell
when it announced to the world the signing of the
Declaration of Independence. For many years no
one knew where the ringer of the bell was buried,
but about a year ago the sexton of Pine Street
Presbyterian church, in looking about among the
graves in the church-yard, found a dilapidated
stone, half buried and covered with moss, which
when uncovered, was found by the inscription to
be the long sought grave of Hurry.