The River's Children Part 6

Ole Mister Devil took a walk in Paradise-- Lady Mis' Eve she's a-walkin', too-- Hoped to meet Mars' Adam, she was steppin' mighty nice-- Lady Mis' Eve she's a-walkin', too.

Dis was 'fo' de fig-time, so my lady picked a rose-- Lady Mis' Eve she's a-walkin', too-- An' she helt it 'g'inst de sunlight, as she felt de need o' clo'es-- Lady Mis' Eve she's a-walkin', too.

Den she shuk 'er yaller ringlets down an' 'lowed dat she was dressed-- Lady Mis' Eve, she's a-walkin', too-- Mister Devil he come quoilin'--everbody knows de rest-- Lady Mis' Eve she's a-walkin', too.

Then, changing to a solemn, staccato measure, it went on:

Ole Ma.r.s.e Adam! Ole Ma.r.s.e Adam!

Et de lady's apple up an' give her all de blame.

Greedy-gut, greedy-gut, whar is yo' shame?

Ole Ma.r.s.e Adam, man, whar is yo' shame?

Ole Ma.r.s.e Adam! Ole Ma.r.s.e Adam!

Caught de apple in 'is neck an' made it mighty so'e, An' so we po' gran'chillen has to swaller roun' de co'e.

Ole Ma.r.s.e Adam, man, whar is yo' shame?

Ole Ma.r.s.e Adam! Ole Ma.r.s.e Adam!

Praised de lady's att.i.tudes an' compliment 'er figur'-- Didn't have de principle of any decent n.i.g.g.e.r.

Ole Ma.r.s.e Adam, man, whar is yo' shame?

It was a long pull of five miles up the winding stream, but the spirit of jollity had dispelled all sense of time, and when at last the foremost boat, doubling a jutting clump of willows, came suddenly into the open at the foot of the hill, the startling presentment of the white house illuminated with festoons of Chinese lanterns, which extended across its entire width and down to the landing, was like a dream of fairyland.

It was indeed a smiling welcome, and exclamations of delight announced the pa.s.sage of the boats in turn as they rounded the willow bend.

The firing of a single cannon, with a simultaneous display of fireworks, and music by the plantation band, celebrated the landing of the last boat.

Servants in the simple old-fashioned dress--checked homespun with white accessories, to which were added for the occasion, great rosettes of crimson worn upon the breast--took care of the party at the landing, bringing up the rear with hand-luggage, which they playfully balanced upon their heads or shifted with fancy steps.

The old-time supper--of the sort which made the mahogany groan--was served on the broad back "gallery," while the plantation folk danced in the clearing beyond, a voice from the bas.e.m.e.nt floor calling out the figures.

This was a great sight.

Left here to their own devices as to dress, the negroes made so dazzling a display that, no matter how madly they danced, they could scarcely answer the challenge of their own riotous color schemes.

Single dancers followed; then "lad_y_es and gentiles" in pairs, taking fantastic steps which would shame a modern dancing-master without once awakening a blush in a maiden's cheek.

The dancing was refined, even dainty, to-night, the favorite achievement of the women being the mincing step taken so rapidly as to simulate suspension of effort, which set the dancers spinning like so many tops, although there was much languid posing, with exchange of salutations and curtsying galore.

Yet not a twirl of fan or dainty lift of flounce--to grace a figure or display a dexterous foot--but expressed a primitive idea of high etiquette.

The "fragments" left over from the banquet of the upper porch--many of them great unbroken dishes, meats, game, and sweets--provided a great banquet for the dancers below, and the gay late feasters furnished entertainment, fresh and straight from life, to the company above, for whose benefit many of their most daring sallies were evidently thrown out--and who, after their recent experiences, were pleased to be so restfully entertained.

Toasts, drunk in ginger-pop and persimmon beer innocent of guile, were offered after grace at the beginning of the supper, the toaster stepping out into the yard and bowing to the gallery while he raised his gla.s.s or, literally, his tin cup--the pa.s.sage of the master's bottle among the men, later in the evening, being a distinct feature.

The first toast was offered to the ladies--"Mistus an' Company-ladies"; and the next, following a suggestion of the first table, where the host had been much honored, was worded about in this wise:

"We drinks to de health, an' wealth, _an'_ de long life of de _leadin'

gentleman_ o' _Brake Island_, who done put 'isself to so much pains an'

money to give dis party. But to make de toast accordin' to manners, so hit'll fit de gentleman's visitors long wid hisself, I say let's drink to who but 'OLE Ma.r.s.e ADAM!'"

It is easy to start a laugh when a festive crowd is primed for fun, and this toast, respectfully submitted with a low bow by an ancient and privileged veteran of the rosined bow, was met with screams of delight.

V

A resourceful little island it was that could provide entertainment for a party of society folk for nearly a fortnight with never a repet.i.tion to pall or to weary.

The men, equipped for hunting or fishing, and accompanied by several negro men-servants with a supplementary larder on wheels,--which is to say, a wagon-load of bread, b.u.t.ter, coffee, condiments, and wines, with cooking utensils,--left the house early every morning, before the ladies were up.

They discussed engineering schemes over their fishing-poles and game-bags, explored the fastnesses of the brake, eavesdropped for the ultimate secret of the woods, and plumbed for the bayou's heart, bringing from them all sundry tangible witnesses of geologic or other conditions of scientific values.

Most of these "witnesses," however, it must be confessed, were immediately available for spit or grill, while many went--so bountiful was the supply--to friends in the city with the cards of their captors.

There are champagne bottles even yet along the marshes of Brake Island, bottles whose bellies are as full of suggestion as of mud, and whose tongueless mouths fairly whistle as if to recount the canards which enlivened the swampland in those halcyon days of youth and hope and inexperience.

Until the dressing-hour, in the early afternoons which they frankly called the evening, the young women coddled their bloom in linen cambric night-gowns, mostly, reading light romance and verse, which they quoted freely under the challenge of the masculine presence.

Or they told amazing mammy-tales of voudoo-land and the ghost-country for the amused delectation of their gentle hostess, who felt herself warmed and cheered in the sunshine of these Southern temperaments. It seemed all a part of the poetry and grace of a novel and romantic life.

Here were a dozen young women, pretty and care-free as flowers, any one of whom could throw herself across the foot of a bed and s.n.a.t.c.h a superfluous "beauty-sleep" in the midst of all manner of jollity and laughter.

Most of them spoke several languages and as many dialects, frequently pa.s.sing from one to another in a single sentence for easy subtlety or color, and with distinct gain in the direction of music.

Possibly they knew somewhat of the grammar of but a single tongue beside their own, their fluency being more of a traditional inheritance than an acquisition. Such is the mellow equipment of many of our richest speakers.

Not one but could pull to pieces her Olympe bonnet and nimbly retrim it with pins, to match her face or fancy--or dance a Highland fling in her 'broidered nightie, or sing--

How they all did sing--and play! Several were accomplished musicians.

One knew the Latin names of much of the flora of the island, and found time and small coins sufficient to interest a colony of eager pickaninnies to gather specimens for her "herbarium."

Without ever having prepared a meal, they could even cook, as they had soon amply proven by the heaping confections which were always in evidence at the man-hour--bon-bons, kisses, pralines, what not?--all fragrant with mint, orange-flower, rose-leaf, or violet, or heavy with pecans or cocoanut.

In the afternoon, when the men came home, they frequently engaged in contests of skill--in rowing or archery or croquet; or, following nature's manifold suggestions, they drifted in couples, paddling indolently among the floating lily-pads on the bayou, or reclining among the vines in the summer-houses, where they sipped iced orange syrup or claret sangaree, either one a safe lubricator, by mild inspiration or suggestion, of the tongue of young love, which is apt to become tied at the moment of most need.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Sipped iced orange syrup or claret sangaree"]

With the poems of Moore to reinforce him with easy grace of words, a broad-shouldered fellow would navely declare himself a peri, standing disconsolate at the gate of his lady's heart, while she quoted f.a.n.n.y Fern for her defense, or, if she were pa.s.sing intellectual and of a broader culture, she would give him invitation in form of rebuff from "The Lady of the Lake," or a scathing line from Shakspere. Of course, all the young people knew their Shakspere--more or less.

They had their fortunes told in a half-dozen fashions, by withered old crones whose dim eyes, discerning life's secrets held lightly in supension, mated them recklessly _on suspicion_.

Visiting the colored churches, they attended some of the novel services of the plantation, as, for instance, a certain baptismal wedding, which is to say a combined ceremony, which was in this case performed quite regularly and decorously in the interest of a coal-black piccaninny, artlessly named Lily Blanche in honor of two of the young ladies present whom the bride-mother had seen but once out driving, but whose gowns of flowered organdy, lace parasols, and leghorn hats had stirred her sense of beauty and virtue to action.

Although there was much amus.e.m.e.nt over this incongruous function, the absence of any sense of embarra.s.sment in witnessing so delicate a ceremony--one which in another setting would easily have become indelicate--was no doubt an unconscious tribute to the primitive simplicity of the contracting parties.

And always there were revival meetings to which they might go and hear dramatic recitals of marvelous personal "experiences," full of imagery,--travels in heaven or h.e.l.l,--with always the resounding human note which ever prevails in vital reach for truth. Through it all they discerned the cry which finds the heart of a listener and brings him into indissoluble relation with his brother man, no matter how great the darkness out of which the note may come. It is universal.