The Wife of his Youth and Other Stories of the Color Line, and Selected Essays

he form of uncle Wellington Braboy, a little dusty and travel-stained, and with a sleepy look about his eyes. He mingled in the crowd, and, valise in hand, moved toward the mai

vociferously soliciting patronage. One of them, a colored man, soon secured several passengers. As he closed the do

sked the hackman, as he

s,

tah, ef you want ter git up h

ipped up his horses, the carriage climbed the steep hill leading up to

e hackman of uncle Wellington, when the c

Brer Sam Williams's

is street

and the hackman had to explain to him the mystery o

ked the hackman, "and

lied uncle Wellington, "an' m

De man I knows is name' Johnson. He b'longs ter my chu'ch. I 'm gwine out dat

ned to each other at various angles, that whitewashing and kalsomining were "dun" there. A knock at the door brought out a slatternly looking colored woman. She had evidently been disturbed at her toilet, for she held a comb in one hand, and the hair on one side of her hea

r to Groveland. He had changed his name from "Williams" to "Johnson," on account of the Fugitive Slave Law, which, at the time of his escape from bondage, had rendered it advisable for runaway slaves to court obscurity.

ure at meeting "Mr. Braboy," a title which at first sounded a little odd to uncle Wellington. At home he had been "Wellin'ton," "Brer Wellin'ton," or "uncle

d Mr. Johnson at breakfast next morning. "I ain' got no

ar line. In a few moments a car passed. Mr. Johnson jumped on the moving car, and uncle Wellingto

g between the two women, so he remained standing in the rear part of the car. A moment later, as the car rounded a short curve, he was pitched sidewise into the lap of a stout woman magnificently attired in a ruffled blue calico gow

seemed to be looking at him. But he came to the conclusion, after he had pulled himself together and reflected a few moments, that he would find t

fleet of ships that lined the coal and iron ore docks of the harbor. Mr. Johnson, who was quite a fluent talker, enlarged upon the wealth and prosperity of the city; and Wellington, who had never before been in a town of more than three thousand inhabitants, manifested sufficient interest and wonder to satisfy the most exacting cicerone. They called at the office of a colored lawyer and member of the legislature, formerly from North Carolina,

y for his board, intimating at the same time that he had plenty of money. Mr. Johnson declined to accept anything from him for board, and expressed himself as being only too proud to have Mr. Braboy remain in the house on the footing of an honored guest, until he had settled himself. He lightened in some degree, howeve

to accept employment. As good luck would have it, Mr. Peterson knew of a vacant situation. He had formerly been coachman for a wealthy gentleman residing on Oakwood Avenue, but had resigned the situation to go into business for h

hing erbout hosses?

said Wellington. "I wuz

er-morrer mornin'. You wants ter put on yo' bes' clothes an' slick up, fer dey 're partic'lar people. Ef you git de place I 'll expec'

d. Mr. Peterson called for him at eight o'clock. After traversing several cross streets they turned into Oakwood Avenue and walked along the finest part of it for about half a mile. The handsome houses of this famous avenue,

ck hebben," h

ir, "but I don't like dem big lawns. It 's too much trouble ter keep de

, and turned into the rear of the corner lot. A large buildin

asked Wellington, gazing with a

empt; and leading the way past a clump of shrubbery to the dwe

en range. Wellington thought he had seen her before, but his mind had received so many new impressions lately that it was a minu

ighty glad I am to see ye ag'in, Misther Payterson! An' h

' well, 'ceptin' a tech er de rheumatiz

son, it would make yer heart bleed to see the way the spalpeen cut up a-Saturday! But Misther Todd discharged 'im the sam

o Wellington's qualifications and former experience, and in view of his recent arrival in the city was willing to accept Mr. Peterson's recommendation instead of a reference. He

ted harness, the variety of carriages, the names of which he learned for the first time, the arrangements for feeding and watering the horses,-these appointments of a rich man's stable impressed Wellington very much, and he wondered that so much luxury should be wasted on mere horses. The room

l of all the virtues,-she would turn the batteries of her tongue against the former coachman. This gentleman, as Wellington gathered from frequent remarks dropped by Mrs. Flannigan, had paid her attentions clearly susceptible of a serious construction. These attentions had not borne their legitimate fruit, and she was still a widow unconsoled,-hence Mrs. Flannigan's tears. The housemaid was a plump, good-natured German girl, with a pronounced German accent. The presence on wa

coupled with his expressed intention of settling permanently in Groveland, was that he belonged in the ranks of the unmarried, and was therefore legitimate game for any widow or old maid who could bring him down. As such game is bagged easiest at short range, he received numerous invitations to tea-parties, where he feasted on unlimited chicken and pound cake. He used to compare these viands with the plain fare often served by aunt Milly, and the result of the comparison was another item to the credit of the North upon his mental ledger. Several of the colored ladies who smiled upon him were

that an'

ance. Some people might have objected to his complexion; but then, Mrs. Flannigan argued, he was at le

The prospect of securing a white wife had been one of the principal inducements offered by a life at the North; but the awe of white people in which he had been reared was still too

second girl's afternoon off, and she had not come home to supper,-"it must be an awful lonesome

's a fac'. But sence I had de privilege er eatin' yo' coo

Misther Braboy. An'

word of it, M

t; for service is uncertain, Misther Braboy. An' then you 'll wish you had some nice, clean wom

ghed, and looked at

u; but I don' know whar I 's ter fin' a colored lady w'at 'll b

' a colored lady-not but they 're as good as anybody else, so long as they behave thems

felt a sudden and substantial increase in courage when she had spo

ant ter change de lonesomeness er my singleness fer de 'sponsibil

raboy, an' not be wastin' time

ly lady I 'd be satisfied ter marry after knowin' you. Ef you casts

h surprise and embarrassmen

amed I am to hev b'en talkin' ter ye ez I hev. It looks as though I 'd b'en doin' t

de street car de fus' day I wuz in Groveland," h

residence of Rev. C?sar Williams, pastor of the colored Baptist chur