The Marrow of Tradition by Charles W. (Charles Waddell) Chesnutt
page 10 of 324 (03%)
page 10 of 324 (03%)
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opportunities than old Jane for learning the undercurrents in the lives
of the old families. "Well," resumed Jane, "eve'ybody s'posed, after w'at had happen', dat Julia'd keep on livin' easy, fer she wuz young an' good-lookin'. But she didn'. She tried ter make a livin' sewin', but Mis' Polly wouldn' let de bes' w'ite folks hire her. Den she tuck up washin', but didn' do no better at dat; an' bimeby she got so discourage' dat she ma'ied a shif'less yaller man, an' died er consumption soon after,--an' wuz 'bout ez well off, fer dis man couldn' hardly feed her nohow." "And the child?" "One er de No'the'n w'ite lady teachers at de mission school tuck a likin' ter little Janet, an' put her thoo school, an' den sent her off ter de No'th fer ter study ter be a school teacher. W'en she come back, 'stead er teachin' she ma'ied ole Adam Miller's son." "The rich stevedore's son, Dr. Miller?" "Yas, suh, dat's de man,--you knows 'im. Dis yer boy wuz jes' gwine 'way fer ter study ter be a doctuh, an' he ma'ied dis Janet, an' tuck her 'way wid 'im. Dey went off ter Europe, er Irope, er Orope, er somewhere er 'nother, 'way off yander, an' come back here las' year an' sta'ted dis yer horspital an' school fer ter train de black gals fer nusses." "He's a very good doctor, Jane, and is doing a useful work. Your chapter of family history is quite interesting,--I knew part of it before, in a general way; but you haven't yet told me what brought on |
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