United States or Timor-Leste ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Soon every pickaninny in the place was tagging after him. The older ones took him out in canoes, which soon were capsized, and all hands swam back, each accusing the other of having upset the craft. When the boys went to the Osceola camp of Seminoles with Tommy they found a people as stolid and taciturn as those of any Indian tribe of which they had read.
W'at'll you gimme fer dat nigger baby? "'I doan want de baby, sez de yuther man. 'I ain' got no use fer de baby. "'I tell yer w'at I'll do, 'lows Kunnel Pen'leton, 'I'll th'ow dat pickaninny in fer good measure. "But de yuther man shuck his head. 'No, sezee, 'I's much erbleedzd, but I doan raise niggers; I raises hosses, en I doan wanter be both'rin' wid no nigger babies. Nemmine de baby.
But at the psychological moment there came around the corner of the house that most contemptible figure known to the Southern plantation, a shirt-boy a creature who may be described, for the benefit of those not informed, as a pickaninny clad only in a long, coarse cotton shirt.
She gun Aun' Peggy de mess er peas, en tol' her all 'bout Sis' Becky en little Mose. "'Dat is a monst'us small mess er peas you is fotch' me, sez Aun' Peggy, sez she. "'Yas, I knows, 'lowed Aun' Nancy, 'but dis yere is a monst'us small pickaninny. "'You'll hafter fetch me sump'n mo', sez Aun' Peggy, 'fer you can't 'spec' me ter was'e my time diggin' roots en wukkin' cunj'ation fer nuffin.
I daresay, says Maddie, looking saucy, 'but I like a man to be fond of some woman in a proper way, even if it isn't me; so I'll do what I can to help you to your wife and pickaninny. 'We must get you into the police force, Maddie, says Starlight, 'or make you a sort of inspector, unattached, if you're so clever at managing these little affairs. But what's the idea?
"A cabbage leaf to make an apple pie," he replied, without looking around. Presently a Pickaninny came along with a small keg in his hands. "What is that?" asked the same curious little girl. "Gunpowder for the heels of their boots," he answered, and went on. And a spark of fire from one of the seventy-seven chimneys fell into the keg, and there was a frightful explosion.
"'All right, sez Aun' Nancy, 'I'll fetch you sump'n mo' nex' time. "'You bettah, sez Aun' Peggy, 'er e'se dey'll be trouble. Wat dis yer little pickaninny needs is ter see his mammy. You leabe 'im heah 'tel ebenin' en I'll show 'im his mammy. "So w'en Aun' Nancy had gone 'way, Aun' Peggy tuk 'n wukked her roots, en tu'nt little Mose ter a hummin'-bird, en sont 'im off fer ter fin' his mammy.
The pickaninny did so, removing the lace curtain to reveal a shiny new coal-bucket in which was a lump of ice, whereon reposed a pair of white kid gloves and a large wreath of artificial daisies. "With love," said Joe. "From Hector." And he stalked majestically out. There was a card on the wreath, which Joe had inscribed: "To announce the betrothal. No regrets."
What your father name? Me say: 'Black boy got no father; Echochee friend, Wanona, squaw of Kittimee, raise him. Then she ask back quick: 'How many pickaninny Kittimee and Wanona had? Me say: 'Boy child. She whisper quicker: 'What wigwam stood in morning shadow to Kittimee? Me say: 'Echochee wigwam. She say: 'Who next? Me say: 'Pattawa, him shoot long gun. She wait 'while, and say: 'If you Tachachobee, what scar you got on left leg? Me say: 'No scar on left leg, scar on right leg; four teeth of Pawpawloochee spotted dog what wildcat kill. She know then me tell no lie, and unlock door and come out, and take my hand.
"Here I am, pickaninny!" retorted Miss Vere holding him fast in this novel embrace, amid the laughter of the supers. "You're getting as blind as Tommy! Steady, steady now, donkey! steady woa!" And in a thrice she stood upright, one foot planted firmly on each of his shoulders.
Word Of The Day