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February 4, X939.
Life Eistory
-,re. Thema 811ingtoa
LipArgiArtfrifleisohor
Greenness Road,
Colonial manor,
Bonn Jikkeenville, fie.
Rose Shepherd writer
(Revised)
TERM GRNARCTIONS WHITS AND BLACK.
On the last street within the oorporate limits of South
Jacksonville stands "Red BanK" an eld plantation manor house
formerly centering a land grunt with a seven -mile fnontage on the
St. Johns River and a history of continuous ownership of over one
hundred years by a family long identified with Duval County.
But an enterprising real estate promote* persuaded the
eighty-five year old *judge, to whom the property had at last di
'minded, that it would make a fine subdivision. The burden of
years resting heavily upem the owner and the price offered being
satiefaotory, he reluctantly parted with his inheritanoe his life-
long home. Thus "Colonial manor" named for the old house oame
into being. This magnificent old estate was parcelled off into
building lots, and, pftfiting by texporionoo acquired in marketing
a previous development on the boutheide, the real estate company
brought modern muohinery and dredging apparatus into the picture,
sand and silt was pumped up from the river bed, and the property
line frontage was extended more than a hundrad feet into the river.
o the "Red BamV'" manor house whiohe in the surly days was within
a stone's throw of the high bunk giving the nlantation its distinctive
name and protecting it from erosion, is new six blocks from the
St. Johns.
"Colonial manor" was popular from the beginning with those
wishing to •attabliek themselves as far us possible from the *madding
26010
Three lenerations 2.
arowd" and yet 'sour' the (pity facilities of running water, eleotria
light, easy transportation and oanvacient *acmes to looal schools.
A distanoe whioh in the old days was a three-hour journey on horse-
baok or by wagon or buggy is new op -Tared by au automobile in twenty
minutes.
New homes sprang up throughout the subdivision bungalows.
modern aottarse, more pretentious Aomiolles yet nobody wanted the
old house whioh stood alone, dignified, massive and substantial
representative of an age of construotionewhen a house was a home,
and built with even future generations in 'consideration. A little
over a year ago, are. Thomas Irvington realised its poseibilities.
Having spent her ahildhood in just suah a hone on a Georgia planta-
tion, an inheritance of constierable proportions enabled her to
justify a longing to again live in a house with twelve foot Gelling',
thick walls, deep fireplaoes, and spaoious rooms. The purohase
was made, the deed reoorded, and restoration commenoed.
The old house has not had itenface lifted,"however. It
still presents the same solid square front to Ridgewood stead as it
did in ieeteryeurs to the sand trail whioh led to the front poroh,
a popular meeting nlaoe for neighboring plantation owners. Just
the weatherboarding has been renewed, the old uolonial door replaced
by a new one with a brass knocker, and now sash in the iwelve-light
windows that "four-square" the front with narrow green shutters
framing the sides. The eighty-four year old briak made by Gloves
on the plantation are retained in the partitions, rOundations,
fireplaoes and chimneye.
A double clement driveway leads to theentrame of a two -ear
garage adjoining the east side of the house. Age-old liveouks,
with here and there a magnolia tree form a guardianralke proteetion
Throe' qenorations
3
over the house and grounds. Assortod bright booming anaemia
aro soattered over the lawn, with red and pinkkrosos blooming
profusely in their formal bode, outlined with some of the old
bricks.
It is 10 o'olook and I an rather surprised to see nrs.
Irvington, broom in hand, swooping away We small branches,
fallen leaves and strands of npanish ions from the walk and gar-
age door so early in the morning.
"If you don't mind, we'll just go in through ths kituhon.
It's more Gonveniont." This seemed a eraotioal^ides, sinoe we
were now in the garage', and there was no reason for journeying up
through the yard to make a forma entranoi through the front door.
Up a few woodon steps and we are in the kituhen, a roam
twenty-five feet square, in the southwest (torn*: of whioh is a
modern oil -burning furnuee, automatioally *nuking and registered,
the delightful warmth that pervales the interior on this yebruary
morning, a little °hilly even for rlorida. This feature, of course',
is tin important part of the rejuvenation of the old plaoo.
'You know it has been raining, but the wan Is so bright this
morning, i just had to get out of doors, besidos old Janis who lives
a mile to the east of nidgewood noad is not able to acme help me
today. She has not boon well for some time you snow L brought
her down from qeorgia when I was 'slurried, now nearly twenty years
ago. By the.way, her grandfather'ank grandmother were were some
of the old family lelaves. So the sweeping of the driveway gave me
an 'mous', to get out. In the meantime, my sink fall of dishes just
stands. But I'll have to wash some more ater on, so 1111 just
s get them all done up at one tile."
Theo* aenerations 4
Invited to sit down, I avail mgealf of the only vacant
chair one of u breakfast set the others being *coupled by par-
k:els of ,.;rfoonitry and out flowers from the florist's.
"I forgot to tell you that the Story Tellers League, of
which I am a member, is givin,r. a tea here this afternoon at 4:00,
and if it is convenient, A hope you will stay you'll enjoy it.
"How many are expeotedy hell, it is a publio affair for the
purpose of raising funds for our national Uonvention *hie!: is tote
held in Jacksonville next -full, so there will probably be around a
hundred, or possibly more.
"The decorating oommitte from the leugdo will be hers in a
short time, uni they till pl6oe the flowers and greenery around
througL tho lover rooms."
By this time she had started on the dish**, rushing, rinsing
and dexterously stackin4 them on the drainboard. The telephone
rung. Across the kitchen, into the hall this is Mrs.
Irvington," I heard her tell the party at the end of the phone.
"No, 1/,e will use paper napkins, you ao not have to bring linen ones.
Yes, eve4ything is in readiness. I see the efficient decorating
committee is just coming in the buck door. Yes, the refreshment
committee has taken otkre of their part, the tea service is on the
table, the tea has boon delivered, and the cakes will arrive later.
Nob you to not need to worry about u thing."Yea. Thar you. Goodbye."
Back to .the sink she (gnus. "That was Mime Monilllans, the
president of the league. She was worrying about napkins. I hare ah
about ninety, of different sots, most of them hand-embroiderei and
many of,them years' old that 1 inherited from mother. But Janie
Ices not '4o' hand -embroidery very well, and I just ammo% see
myself pressing out ninety napkins this morningS Besides, who is.,
Mire* generations 6
there to oare or oritioise, I Ube for neoplo to come and enjoy
my hem' the same as I do mysolf and j am sure these modorn women
would not want to fool there had boon a lot of preparation Made
for their ontertainment, which 000asioned extra work. A. climax
came last woOk, hovkever, then a woman culled, saying she was enter-
taining some out of town frillidli Mth u 000ktuil party, und would
I loan her my house, vaoh seemed so well adapted to parties? I
never drunk a0000ktuil in my life, never wt to u cocktail purty,
and i um still wondering whether it was igncrunes or nerve that
prompted this woman to ask me such u twtror. 0Xuourse, promptly
declined, telling 1.1.4r that my house was for my friends und their
friends only.
The telephone again. "Yes, Mr. Finkolotein. Oh, I'm so
glad. Yea, we'll pick it up. Thank you so much."
A young boy oume down the.baok stairs into the hall and then
on into the kitohen. Mrs. Irvington returning, says: "Thie la
Sonny, or.otherwise, Thomas, Jr. Ho is getting ready to go en a
tramping trip with members of his Boy oout Troop."
Sonny starts fortifying bimeelf with a .oup of steomini shoo
auto and a haulful of cookies.
"Sonny, you'll have to burry, so an to be baulk by 1 00look.
Daddy will be home by them, to pick you up and go doom to Mi. Pink-
slate's's."
"II's oonel The Yrenoh horn is hors! Gosh! I never sole
such a long threo wicks."
"Sonny has a musical regol says Mrs. Irvington. "Thurso*
his violin and bugle in those oases by the door, and now ho ill get-
ting a Welsh horn. I believe he must have an ambition to be
Three Generations
6
ono -man band:
"Ho belongs to the American Legion band., and this gives him
splendid training. There was need of a French horn to round out
the musioial equipment, and Sonny volunteorei to fill the vacancy.
v's could not obtain such an instrument in Jacksonville, so mr. Fink-
elstein ordered it three 'rooks ago from a New york dealer."
Sonny looks to be about twelve years of age, but his mother
explained h. was only sloven, und was in Junior High." wros,le
plays the piano a little not an expert. I taught him," s. answer-
ed, whet I ask d if he was a pianist also.
"John, my oldest boy, is sixteen, and graduate, from Landon
High next June. He is more sedate than Thomas wants to bo a
business man, but we are quite proud of him, too.
"Sonny, you'll hare to rush now, or you'll miss the boys.
Stay off the main highway, and watch out for automobiles," she eiws
tioned.
Re half runs, half :amps to the back door, and is off through
the woods to meet the other Scouts.
Back to the sink. "I feel that on Saturday I can relax. You
moo through the week I am busy with my twenty kimdorprtners until
noon-tirA, so the mornings are always busy times with me.
"You hat better let me helps iou with the dishes," I suggested,
""and as we work, we can tall."
"Howe that is vlry kind of you. Her, is the tows]" she takes
it off the trying -rack by the furnace. "I'll wash, and you can dry."
The decorating committee were asking for yam and bowls, low
oontuinors, so us not to accentuate the long wall spaces and high
ceilings.
"Here is the rauitry. oloot what you wish." livorything was
Three Gone rations
in orderly rows and the oommitte easily made their so,lootiona.
"My kindergarten class sight boys and twelve little girls
all of pro -school age comes at 9 o'clook each morning dad thoy stay
until noon. Moir paronts bring them over and call for them when they
are roady to go home. I chargs 0'4450 per month per pupil.
"You see, when A married.tho man of my ohoioe, neither of us
had much menu. kr. Irvington is a sales representativo, and often
is out of town for a greater part of the week. I Oartid my work
twelve years ago it was neooseary,as my husband works on a part
salary -part commission basis and we flooded the money for !luau-
oial reasons, as we both how* plans for epooiii education of our
two boys, development along the line of their most pronounced tal-
ents and how the work has become a habit. but A enjoy it, I have
a lot of idle time, so why not put it to good noel- yes, the money
still oomos in handy, as i. put most of my inheritance from my nothing
into this how.
We soon disposed of 'Chi dish.s ant they were al:ranged, in neat
piles on the serving table smell plates, cups and saucers
the tea party.
A glance from a different angle of the room onablod me to
observe the careful ordilinese of the big kitohon. There is no
gas for housshold UA4 on the boutheide. The Jacksonville Gas U..
has found it too exponeivo to negotiate .the use if conduits for
piping gas under tho St. Johns' broad expense, and building an
auxiliary plant, too, would be an oxponeive undertaking. Hanoi,
all the kitchen equipment was electrical a modern rungs, end beside
it an electrical fireless 000kor— This maims it easy for this mod-
ern wife and mother to cook the mottle for a family of four, with
thi assistanoe, when able, of old Janis to do the heavy downing
Three Generations 8.
and laundry work. she is transported back and torth night and morn-
ing in a car by some member of the family, to and from her home with
another negro family living in a four -room cottage on the old 8t.
Augustine road, about a mile away, where she has a room at a dollar
a week. Mrs. Irvington pays her 0.60 per week, with Thcrsdaya
and sundays off, and gives her most of her food and clothing.
The color sohome of the kitchen is bar and Obining red; the
linoleum floor covering a oombination of these two colors, the cur-
tains of bulf, the breakfast -table and ohairs the same shade* All
chairs have cushions and backs covered w-th cretonne of buff and
red, with a traciery of green.
The wide windows with their deep old fashioned seats at least
eighteen inches wide, permitted the light from the east and south
to enter, making the room oheerfal indeed.
One one window seat, near the fireless cooker, was a well
thumbed bible, mute evidenoe of the old southern oustom of morning
prayers. ntes,"said mrs. Irvington, "We always start the day with
prayer and a read;ng from the soriptures. I hare been used to it
all my life, and it seems better so.
"I'll take those bowls into the dining room, anil if you will,
you way fill the coffeepot with water and carry it intte the Gen
mitt** to fill the vases and bowls when they put the flowers in
so they'll stay fresh for the afternoon. It is easier that way, and
lees danger of spilling water on the tables this old furniture
spots very easily."
We had now passed the pantry space with its voluminous shelves
holding linen and dishes the racks on the wall holding the family
plate; some of which must be vary old, sail on into the dining -room.
The vista presented was breath -taking. The stairway ran to the
Three Generations
9.
second floor from the* middle of the house,, where the walls had
been removed, a wide brick arch installed between the dining room and
hall, and another on the other side between the living room and hall,
throwing the whole lower floor into ens long mom seventy-five feet
by thirty feet wide. The matehing burgundy rggs covered the three
floor spaces, with matching draperies at the long windows. The fillers
were of highly polished oak. Throughout with excellent lasts was
distributed tho family furniture, heirlooms 'from the old Georgian
plantation here a mahogany dining table covered with a hand -made
°Wiese lace ..;over; there against the wall a drop-leaf table one
hundred an'. fifty years old; an Italian hand-caived bookcase, cen-
tered with a low bowl of red tweet peas and ferns; comfortable old
chairs, with several of modern type all blending into a harmon-
ious whole. In the living room and dining room were deep fireplaces,
not in use now, of u urse, as the modem system of heating with its
batteries of ventilators distributes the heat evenly and oomfortubiy.
"Most of this furniture belonged to my mother, who died about
two years ago at tho age of ninety.. she inherited the plautatio4
near Dalton, Georgia from her parents, together with a great deal
of this furniture. There my two brothers, four sisters and I were
born. I was the youngest of the seven.
"My father ran the neighborhood store. but he was a poor bus-
iness man and moon fUled. bather than have him go into bankruptcy,
my mother used a large Dertion of her personal fortune to pay off his
debts. Then he started another venture, a furLiture store in Atlanta,
but he died before he attaihed any measure of success, so mg mother
mold the plantation and we moved to Atlanta, where she took over
the business, managing it with remarkable ability.
"There were nearly five hundred of the seven hundredacres of
Three Generations 10
tobacco
in cultivation. We raised400tton, corn, peanuts/- and there were
all kinds of fruits and vegetables for family use. The dark/es who
did the field work and other work around the plaoe had most of them
been born there, and their mothers and fathers before them. You
see we wore rather a large family. The hands were all paid wages
at the rate of 60 cents a day for the ten men, and 60 cents for the
four women, and they all had sow:unto at the village store in Dalton.
vf course, mother had to be responsible for their a000nnts? Bametimes
plantation owners had their money tied up in cultivation of crops
and had to wait until ootton, peanuts, tobsoco, etc., in season, were
marketed before there was money to pay off. but the hands ba:i their
own houses, or cabins, there was plenty of ground around eadh for
them to have their own garderl, to raise chickens and keep a pig or
cow, if they %Aire ale, so they never wanted for anything. The so-
cn.unt at the store enabled them to purchase clothing, and they had
no living expenses such as rent, water, lights, etc., that colored
people have to be liable for now in towns and cities, where they
are eniaged in induotrial or other day's work. Be they,were really
as well, or better off, than many of their raw. are now, and for
the most part wale) trusty an reliable. this was in the early 1860's.
"The new owner did not wish to take over the house servants,
which presented quite a oroblem„ as there weri six .)f this: A%
elderly negro nun and women, two younger women, one of them jamas
and two young girls fifteen and eilthteen. They had never lived
anywhere but at "Whitehall" that was the name of our Place
mother aould not turn them loose on the public to make their own
way, so nothing undaunted, she gathered them all up and may we
went to Atlanta mother, seven children, and six darkiffs. Vuits
a family!
Three Generations
"We prospered in our now enwironmast. *other was a good
manager, und she had remarkable health. ,uhe purchased a house
with a large yard LI the outskirts of Atlanta, and installed her
large family with till our household geode and gets& The elderly
man, Joe, she put in eh:irire of tho heavy work &rough. the store,
and paid him dollar a day. The fifteen -year old girl, ousts, she
also took to the store, where she was kept busy aleunilig wad dusting.
ohe we paid a small wage, g2.150 per week, but had her meals at the
house. uld mammy Lisa, Joe's wife, as general factotum at the house,
Janis was cola, Louisa was housekeeper, while Lilly, the eighteen..
A
year old girl, did the family sewing, later making draperies and
other fittings for the store, and on oustomers' orders, when these
things became the vogue. None of the house servants were paid
wages; they had their own quartors in the big house where they lived,
their own lives, evIrything being furnished, ant on birthdays and
other anniversaries they were given money, in addition to presents
at uhristmus and sew /ear's.
"We soon adapted ourselves to our surroundings, and While we
missed the free life and the 'wide, open spasms' of our old home in
the oeuntry, we were a jolly crowd, were popular, liked oompany,
and soon made a plawe for oursalves in Atlanta immial life.
"Mothlr sent us all to college. gy two brothers wont to
uuwannee one became a lawyer nod the other a banker. Moth are
living in Alabama. An older sister married and also lives in
Montgomery, Alabama.
"I always *mated to teach, so I was sent to kosbollY Teachers
Uollege in Rushville, Tennessee. However, before our college dowse
mother saw that we had training for whatever &accomplishments we
Three Generations
12.
possessed, lie wore given initruotion in vole* and pianos and we
ha& trivs to mew Yost and other plaoes of interest in the north during
'rosette* periods.
"You see, as we grow up, the legroom of the family grim up,
too; as we prospered, so did they,. and shared all of our fortunes,
as they also shared our miefertanes. I was never allowed to own&
a dress, although I was always doneetleally inolined, end liked
especially to be in the kitohion when there were beg 'gain's env,
a party, a birthday dinner, Ohristmas celebrations, weddings
there were five in the big house.
"If I would piok up a garment to mend. Lilly or Louisa would
way: 'Now, miss margie, Just you put that sewin right dims. What's
us'n goin to do, our bleak selves, if you 'slot en eewiny You knews
pufiotly well we ean't 'bide no triflin nigger lazy-bonesI°
"I seemed to be Janie, speoial property. it .was stasis ta
my ears on a'oold morning to hear her,eoft shuffle on the stairs
as she brought up my breakfast, which, at her oomnand, I always at*
in bed.
"Spoiled? Yes, they spoiled um, but we all loved one another,
so it did not make any differenoa, after all.
"Do I like to vow and 000k nowt Yee, it never seemed any
trouble for me to learn. Ion see 1 was so well taken oar. of in my
younger days, I had plenty of time to observe hes things were done,
and Janie says I Gould *always tarn my hand' to anything. 80. I
presume', if I have to to a thing, I 'Just turn my hand' to it
another way of saying 'where there's a wale there's a way.'
"I finished college and taught for six years in the Atlanta
public) sohool system. Wishing to speoialise in kindergarten work,
I took a oourse in uolumbia,Universitv, and have a degree from
Three Generations 13.
there. This matter of chill study is rather an obsession with we.
In the meantime, my other sisters married and settled in Georgia,
Plerida and nearby states.
"Old Joe died, as w 11 as Isis*, and later on, .6ouisa. Moths?
took them book to the old family burying ground across the road from
the old home nellr Dalton, and there they sloop with several genera•
tient of our family. I feel it won't be long before I'll be taking
Janie, too. I'll miss her, as she is also a part of my past, which,
with a sixteen -year old son, I am beginning to rsalise is lengthen-
ing out!"
Dressed in a heavy pink Grope morning gown, with a cape for
extra warmth, which she threw back over her 'shoulders as she went
about the different roam, moving a jardieskere here, a picture
there the one over the mantel, the large out -door scene of flying
wild ducks over the buffet in the dining room, and the woaller
flow lr pictures in the hall being examples of her skill in paint-
ing I following along, so us not to miss a word she did not
look the age she want be, although the jet black hair now becomingly
bobbed is silvering on the prawn of her head.
"Mother was a saint," she reminisced stLf thews ever was
one. nhe raised us all with a bible in her hand. when any of the
old families lost one of their number, the preaemr always culled
en mother to lead the prayer offering comfort and consolation to
the sorrowing relatives, all of whom she would know, when she died
last nay, a yetir ago, every business house in Dalton closed for the
day, bank and all, and thgvwhole town turned out for her funeral.
This mark of respect is peculiar with old time communities of.
Georgia, a beautiful custom, in my opinion.
Throe tionerations 14.
"She was a remarkable woman, a most beloved mother, a won-
derful business womav and although blind during ,the last three
years she was ninety 'hen she passed on she kept her hands
busy, and this beautiful piece of lame (at this she opened a
drawer in the buffet and held up a beautiful eight-inoh crocheted
lamp doily) she made for aonny as a rlmembranoe. It will be an
heirloom which, you maw be sure, will be priceless to him.
"Were the Mogrees over dumb or sullen never uf course,
everyone does things ocoasionally which provokes those who cannot _
pee their point of view. out white Tleople are like that, too. Your
relations, my relations, my neight,rs that's human nature, so ono
race is altogether bright, none persistently dumb. we are all just
human beings'. In handling Negroes, however, one mute, ,(oar in mind
they have not much initiative. they hare to be ,told to to a thing,
how to do it, ung then checked up on, to see ha* thsl. have accom-
Olished what is wanted.
"I hear donny ooming back. i'll go awl prepare some lunoh
for you, we are just g. Lug to have sandwiches and tea, so as not
to have the smell of food in the house when the 'oompany, aones.
"Talk about dumb things! when I started renovating this old
house I was particular, so I thought, not to emit *my neoessary
requirement. It is insulated inside and outside, the walls are
eighteen incise thick easy to keep warm in inter, and the eas-
iest thing in the world to keep cool in summer, but I failed to have
a ventilating Zan installed over the cooking stove, and with the
rooms all open like they are, all the odor from the *looking simply
sails through the house. no one spot or emotion is impervious.
ao, you seey
"uh, yes, here in the schoolroom."
Three ()operations
lb
nehind the trenoh doors leading from the dining room to the
west the river side was the well arranged kindergarten room,
with its smell tables, and twenty low chairs. On the wall hung the
counting boards and charts, and a task held soissors, ostlers& paper,
and other necessary paraphernalia» the room was glassed on three
sides, but venetian blinds tempered the sunalight, now beginning
to come in on the south and west. The furniture was all movable
ana at any time oould be taken out and the room oonvorted into a
spaolous solarium.
"So, I'll never Ave it up," she said, in allover to my
question. "I feel this is my work you know the lord has a sidle
for every one, if he only finds it.
inquired about her system of in voting pre-sohoel
"Well, in the first place, I keep a Gard index of my twenty
little pupils, and on ouoh ourd is a louse historyfoso to ',Peak, of
one's daily remotions to arirroved dhild study methods. the
news of these reoords beoarie noised abroad, and tLey have been
featured in magazine articles and sohool johrnals for the benefit
of ether teachers in this wpsoialized field.
"one thing, z try never to oerreut a ahild before others.
It Spoils their self-reepoot and tours down their morale. I try
to tell u story, the poil4 of whioh clovers his lapse from author-
ity, or misconduot, in ihe hop. that he mow git it without having to
call his attention direotly to the subjeot, and it works:
"My oonneotion with the otory fellers Lsagas has given me a
world of prepared stories to feature in this system, una lots of
things J. just maks up to fit the ouoasios.
'by the way, I have teen asked by Peabody oollege to compile
Ay 'ease histories' into a booklet, with same of the wharaoter-
/bre* generatlons
16.
forming stories i tell my little aharges, so it may be distributed
to mothors and shad -training agonolos as a new aid in kindergarten
work.
!he tolophens jingles again. "Yes, miss uhristopher, i. de
rerowber you very oloarly. (ah* explains tcs as in a whisper, it is
a young Trude toachor she net several months ago, new out of a po-
sition). yes, you are most oertainly weloome to come and bring
your friend to tho tea this afternoon, and after everyone Limy's,
I'll be glad to go into my work with you. Yes, I'll be gLod to
share my ideas with you maybe you oan improve on them."
A
before the louvos the desk, the tolephone rings again.
os, oaddy. You are eosins ri ht out only sandwiches,
remember. we eon's• 'smell' up the house with cooking at ts.is time
of the day. Yes, the horn is at Oinkeletein's and bonny is paoing
the floor right now, r4a4y to ge with you to get it. Liston, Tan,
if you are very hungry, please got yourself a good luneh totore you
°ems home."
"1 as preparing to depart. The deooratingoommittoo having
completed its work has already gone, leaving the house a bower of
tastotully arranged spring in simple stylo, so booming to Shoo old
reems•
*You have u t seen tho library yet," says we. Irvington. /t
opens to the east of the living ream, with avow from the musie room,
the outran** hall and the kitobon.
"Bores whore I live," she laughed. "When things go wrong,.
and they do go wrong in spite of the 'Wit laid plans or mime and
men,' I like to fly in hers and seek comfort from the old 'classics*
of song and story.
The laws* room with its lounge, its essfortable ohairs„ its
sarefully planned window arrangements, was lima with *helms toms
Three Gonerations 1T
floor to wailing, and the shelves wins' filled with boob..
At a sound from the hall, 1 turned to see a black face,
wreathed in moils*, peering through the doorway. "nor you, miss
Bargie? Oh, tar you is.
"Why, Janio, 1 thought ;you were slokr
"Teem, I is. Miss Hargis. I's Wily able to gBt about
a turriblo mie'ry in my ol' kness, but I Jun' had to como to ye'
pa'ty."
"Gene with the windy" quetifi Ws. Irvington to as "MS,
I do not believe so. The principles of the old south are still
with us, and the new Uoutharnsre of the old south hero a heritago
whit:akin]. hover die. You oan acquire polish, poise, preity,
prosperity but what is inherited in bred in the bons/
*Mello i inherited Janie, all right. But, I'm glad she
clam. There is nothing not for her to do, but she loves parties,
and I would rather she would be here where she can so. overything,
than to try to tell her about it afterwards. She would be asking
me questions for days on endI
"So sorry you cannot take lunch with us. But come book
again when we can have the afternoon to annual's. clock
()Otago on the aharooal pot out in the yard, maps' we can fry some
fish, too, and have raiTalur Plorida pioniol
"on. thing I know, whatever building mo-ineor figures out a
plan and a plow, to install a vslAilating faa in the kitohon, won't
be dumb. He'll have to be a heavy thinker and a "long-homdsr/ as
Joni* says.
And so i left "Red B'alelf" with two generations of now
Southerners installed therein, wondering how the.y will work out
their destinies, and what, too, of the twili,ty little kiniorgartners
Three Unerations is
whose fortune brings them into this environment. "Perhaps"
says ere. Irvington„"the five-year old who 'strives to imitate
Dillinger and struts about in imaginery defiande,of the 0 -men
whioh ieleas hip gets from the 10V saturday ohildran's matinees
may in time yield. to the demands of civilised life:
"My son's High school oleos is 4ving a demos here next
Tuesday night, and i must not forget to run the mop ever the floor
after thi rugs !Ire rolled up. My family just loves to operate the
*Alsotre-Lux, so I never have to bother about sweeping, but they are
not so keen about tha mop," was Mrs. Irvington's parting remark, es
if thinking out loud.
Oh, yes, there were one hundred and twenty intlrested persons
arrived for the story Tellers' tea, preooded by an. entertainment of
Valentine stories, and over fifty dollars was uleared for the Oen-
vebtion funds.