NOBODIES 



NOEL 
MONTAQNAC 







" THE OVE'%; 



Where are the "Ends of the Empire"? and 
which are ^ the O~ber-Seas ? At " the Ends" of one 
may arise the beginnings of other Empires to come. 
It is notorious that wherever an English-speaking 
community settles and opens up new lands, it speedily 
speaks for itself as a Centre ; and so rapid is the 
growth of the great Colonies, that Ministers to-day 
writing despatches to Dependencies d}>er-seas, receive 
their answers from nations to-morrow. 

But great as is the growth of the Empire and the 
enterpriseof its peoples, the new native-born literatures 
take years to germinate and generations to arrive. 
'Thence comes it that often we do not understand the 
atmospheres of the new English-speaking peoples, and 
often misunderstand the problems, the ambitions, the 
attitudes, befitting them as new races. And while 
the British Empire grows richer daily in patriotic 
fervours, in speeches, in splendour, in cant, and in 
the oracular assurances of Statesmen, the English 
people seeks to understand its cousins by the inter- 
change of cablegrams, by debates, and by all the 
ambiguities of official memoranda. 

It is, however, the artist's work to bring the people 
of his nation and their atmosphere before the eyes of 
another. It is the artist alone, great or small, who^ 
by repealing and interpreting the life around him> 
makes it lining to the rest of the world. And the 
artist is generally absent ! In the case of the English 
in India, ten years ago, while the literature of 
information was plentiful, the artist was absent; 
Mr. KJpling arrived and discovered modern India to 





the English imagination. And to-day, in the midst of 
a general movement for Empire expansion, with talk 
of Federation, Jingoism, and with the doing of real 
work, the artists in literature are generally absent, 
the artists who should repeal the tendencies, the 
hidden strength and weakness, the capacities of the 
new communities. 

The aim of " The O^er-Seas Library " is purely 
experimental. It proposes to print literature from 
any quarter that deals with the aftual life of the 
English outside England, whether of Colonial life or 
the life of English emigrants, travellers, traders, 
officers, over-seas, among foreign and native races, 
black or white. Pictures of life in the American 
States will not necessarily be excluded. 

" The O)>er-Seas Library " makes no pretence at 
Imperial drum-beating, or putting English before 
Colonial opinion. It aims, instead, at getting the 
atmosphere and outlook of the new peoples recorded, 
if such is possible. It aims at being an Interchange 
between all parts of the Empire without favour, an 
Interchange of records of the life of the English- 
speaking peoples, and of the Englishmen beyond seas, 
however im-berfeff, fragmentary and modest such 

X / * / O ^ 

records or accounts may be. 

The Editor will be glad to receive any MSS. 
addressed to him, c/o the Publisher. 

E.G. 
II, Paternoster 'Buildings, 

London. 1899. 



The . . 
Overseas 
Library . 



NEGRO NOBODIES 




Xtet of tbe Series. 



I. THE IPANE. 

' Every page is instinct with subtle grace 
and beauty.' Saturday Review. 

II. THE CAPTAIN OF THE LOCUSTS. 

' The studies of native life strike us as 
being better than almost anything of the 
kind that has been written about Africa.' 
Pall Mall Gazette. 

III. IN GUIANA WILDS. 

' Falls not far short of being a little master- 
piece.' Star. 

IV. THE WELL-SINKERS. 

' An excellent number of the new series. 
It's a faithful, restrained, almost grim piece 
of work." Echo. 

V. IN A CORNER OF ASIA. 
VI. NEGRO NOBODIES. 



New Volumes. 
A WIDE DOMINION. 
AMONG THE MAN-EATERS. 



Other Volumes in Preparation. 



NOEL DE MONTAGNAC 



NEGRO NOBODIES 

JBeing a Settee of S&etcbes of peasant 
3Lffe in Jamaica 




LONDON 
T. FISHER UNWIN 

PATERNOSTER SQUARE 



M DCCC XCIX 

OVERSEAS LIBRARY 






1 

U,3 '/ / 



. . 

. / 



7 i , 3 7 



PREFACE 

* 

THE DEVIL, some people have a way of 
saying, is black. A negro, they add, is 
also black, and then they smile and leave 
you, a stranger, to come to but one con- 
clusion. This is scarcely fair. For it is 
plain that even if both be black, a negro 
is not necessarily a devil. On the con- 
trary, a negro at least a Jamaica negro 
is frequently a man of such excellent 
character that one is glad to make his 
acquaintance. More than this, he can be 
something of a gentleman. The truth is, 
there are some fine black people in Jamaica, 
and here is a book concerning them. 

vii 



Preface 

It seems, indeed, scarcely necessary for 
me to explain the purpose of this book. 
Jamaica, one of the West Indian Islands, 
is a British colony although little sugar 
is now made in it, there is but one 
theatre, and the taxes are heavy and 
it is interesting to learn something of the 
people who really belong to it. Also it 
is interesting to learn the truth about 
them. Many of these people are the 
descendants of African slaves, who were 
not as foolish or faithless as is generally 
believed ; they are people who, having 
had few advantages, are yet surprisingly 
clever with words, who think and feel, 
and who are certainly not to be despised. 
They are the people of whom the tourist 
has been kind enough to write, but of 
whom he knows nothing ; they are the 

viii 



Preface 

people who have been, and are still, 
misunderstood. Who, however, more 
sincerely love their Queen ; who, when 
all things are considered, more truly 
serve their God? It is such a pleasure 
to me, therefore, to help to introduce 
these so-called ' quashies ' to those who, 
more than any others, should always be 
interested in them, and who should be 
the first to give the worthy black man 
the credit that he deserves. 

In conclusion, I should like to say that 
I have purposely given few descriptions 
of the environment my business is with 
the people, not with the scenery only 
such descriptions, indeed, as seem to be 
necessary to make the characters clear. 
The dialect is very difficult to understand 
and to write. I trust I have succeeded 

ix 



Preface 

in making it intelligible. What more is 
there to be said? 'Sutt'nly,' as my friend 
Zacche, the tailor, has remarked to a cus- 
tomer, ' sutt'nly, sir, there may be faults 
whichen no man is perfect, not even a new 
machine but I have done my best, and 
I will thank you kindly to bear that in 
mind.' 

N. DE M. 



BOURNEMOUTH, 
ENGLAND. 



x 



CONTENTS 



CHAP. PAGE 

I. THE MISTAKE OF SAMUEL UTTOCK . . 3 

II. CONCERNING A CHRISTENING ... 23 

III. ELIZABETH WALTERS DISCOVERS A DUPPY . 53 

iv. 'REST AND BE THANKFUL' . . . 77 

V. MICHAEL AND MARY . . . . 91 

VI. ZACCHEUS METTLE ADDRESSES A MEETING 103 

vii. A 'YOUNG LADY' 129 

VIII. THE PROPHET, SARAH . . . . 151 

IX. THE SHADOW OF A SIN . . . . 183 

xi 



THE MISTAKE OF SAMUEL 
UTTOCK 



The Library 

University of East Anglia 



The Gift of Claude Colleer Abbott 



NEGRO NOBODIES 

CHAPTE R I 

THE MISTAKE OF SAMUEL UTTOCK 

T^VlRECTLY Daddy caught a young 
man trying to hide a girl's Christian 
name in the folds of a conversation, he 
knew that they were intimate, and he 
advised them to marry. ' My son and 
daughter,' he would say, 'you make haste 
and married, then you will have plenty 
time and opportunity to do you' courting. 
Married, I say, then you becomes re- 

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spectable persons, and you' conversation 
is lawful, and you' love is lawful, and 
every thing about you is thoroughly 
lawful, and you is really blessed in de 
eyes of de Lord.' 'Sutt'nly' (certainly), 
Zaccheus Mettle, the little pock-pitted 
tailor, has replied, ' sutt'nly, that's all 
very well, sounds very well, but what 
if you married and you finds you make 
a mistake ? Well, sutt'nly, how's that 
my man, how's that ? ' To which Daddy 
gave this answer : ' Zacche, my son, you 
cut you' cloth and give you' tongue a 
rest ; this matter is too thick for you' 
scissors.' 

It happened, however, that although 
Zacche's opinion found favour with many, 
who were intelligent, Daddy influenced no 
inconsiderable number. Some of these, it 

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Negro Nobodies 

is only right to say, lived happily ever 
afterward, but some 'well,' to use 
Zacche's words, ' some, sutt'nly, see de 
devil before they dead.' 

The case of Samuel Uttock and Maria 
Stephens was the worst. Maria begun 
the courtship. She had seen Sammy 
slipping down Titchfield Hill, on his way 
to protect the Reservoir, in a rain that 
was making a deep sea of the dry land, 
and, womanlike and logical, she came to 
the conclusion that if a man could do so 
much for the mere privilege of being 
handed a few shillings every Saturday 
afternoon, he would break his neck for 
the love of a beautiful woman. Maria 
was, of course, a beautiful woman. Be- 
sides, she had more than once observed 
that Samuel's suit was made of good 



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material. His studs, she would swear, 
were gold. From her standpoint, there- 
fore, he was worth having at any cost. 
Reading, however, in a certain book, 
entitled Hints How to be Happy, that 
no woman should dream of marrying a 
man until she had learned how to tickle 
his palate, Maria questioned Rachel, 
Samuel's sister, concerning the eccentri- 
cities of his taste which affected his 
stomach. It seemed only to emphasise 
the suitability of her selection when Maria 
was informed that a plain dish of red 
peas and rice, a bit of pear, a roasted 
plantain and a few sprats fried in cocoa- 
nut oil with a little 'bird pepper' would 
fill Samuel with joy for a fortnight. 
Maria then made her arrangements. 

Samuel had scarcely time to consider 

6 



Negro Nobodies 

the matter. He knew that Maria loved 
him, for she told him so, and he firmly 
believed that he loved her also. Once 
only, and it was early one Sunday 
morning while he was tacking a ' Duke's 
Cigarette Cameo ' of Ellen Terry as 
' Margaret ' to the wall of his hut, did 
it occur to him that, after all, he might 
not really care a button for Maria. 
But it was only a thought, and pre- 
sently he reproached himself for the 
ingratitude of it. As soon as it was 
convenient, Daddy entertained Samuel 
and Maria together at his house, and 
painted for them a beautiful picture of 
their future life. It would be the 
garden of Eden without the devil and 
the forbidden fruit. In their enthusiasm 
Samuel and Maria kissed each other 

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several times and swore to be loving 
and faithful as long as life lasted. 
Before they returned home that evening 
the wedding day was fixed, and Daddy 
blessed them. 

Zacche made the wedding trousers 
(the coat and vest, the Inspector's 
present, were obtained ready made from 
Kingston) but the cutting puzzled him 
to such an extent (Sammy being ab- 
normally bow-legged) that he declared 
the marriage would not turn out well. 
' Sutt'nly,' he remarked to me after Sam 
had tried on the trousers and pro- 
nounced it a misfit, ' sutt'nly, busha, 
not every man has such particular bow 
legs, and I say that it is not every 
tailor can cut to fit that said bow 
legs. And, sutt'nly, in de same way 

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Negro Nobodies 

I say that not every woman can fit 
de heart of a man with proper legs, 
muchen less a man with such extra- 
ordinary bow legs.' Sammy was how- 
ever sanguine, and Maria threatened 
to disfigure anyone who had the 
temerity to stand between' herself and 
her adored. 

What was considered to be the 
honeymoon was spent in a fashion 
which convinced both Samuel and Maria 
that at least two people could, at a 
certain time of their lives, find them- 
selves in a kind of heaven without 
dying. Sam gave Maria a Coolie 
bangle and three new straw hats ; Maria 
fed Sam on red peas and rice twice a 
day. He filled like the Reservoir and 
ran over with joy. Her feelings cannot 

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be described. In the course of a 
month, however, Charlie Hooper, a 
great friend of Zacche's, thought fit to 
observe, at the termination of a dis- 
cussion on ' What are the outward and 
visible signs of Happiness ? ' that ' what 
we say we see we don't see,' and 
that ' single blessedness is, after all, 
de Tightest thing for a poor man.' 
Then the town opened its eyes to the 
fact that Sam's affection for Maria was 
already in a rapid consumption. In- 
deed, it was dying fast. Sam would 
hesitate to climb the hill to the hut, 
and Binn, the fisherman, caught him 
sitting on the church steps nursing 
dejection when he should have been at 
home spooning with Maria. 

One afternoon Sam was standing bare- 

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Negro Nobodies 

headed with his back to the western 
door of the church the door by which 
he had entered to be married his chin 
upon his breast, his hands behind him, 
having the appearance of a Sambo 
statue of Chronic Despair. Daddy stole 
from the vestry and touched him on 
the shoulder. 

' Sam, my son ' he began. 

Uttock faced the beadle, fury flashing 
from his eyes. 

' See here, Missa Daddy,' he hissed, 
' see here, sir, mind me and you here 
this evening. Mind me, old man, I say, 
mind me. Very well, I give you fair 
warning and notice.' 

' Sam ? ' But the tone was every- 
thing. 

The expression on Sam's face immedi- 

1 1 



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ately changed. His resentment was 
already in full retreat. 

' Ah, my son,' and he smiled in spite 
of himself, 'you ever see my trial 
here this blessed Tuesday evening ? 
Old man, what you want? Suppos- 
ing I was really a bad-tempered man, 
though ? ' 

There were tears in Daddy's eyes. 

' I remember,' said he, speaking softly 
as if in a dream, ' I remember when I 
was a young man like you, Sam, and 
Lucy ah, Lucy, she was alive then ! 
Lucy, me and Lucy, we had to bear 
and forbear, really to bear and forbear, 
Sam, although Lucy she was such an 
angel.' 

Now Lucy, whom Daddy had married 
soon after his appointment as beadle of 

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Negro Nobodies 

the church, was said by the town to have 
been one of the most noble women that 
ever lived. She was so sweet and good 
upon all occasions that there were those 
even of her own sex who positively 
worshipped her. Indeed, it was held that 
Daddy had thus been rewarded for his 
labours in the Master's vineyard. When 
Lucy died the whole town was in tears, 
and she must thenceforward be, in its 
eyes, a saint. This confession of Daddy's 
would, therefore, have been something of 
a revelation to most of the townspeople, 
but Uttock failed to appreciate its signifi- 
cance. He was, in truth, struck only by 
the tenderness of Daddy. 

'You is really a kind old man though, 
'pon my word,' said Sam ; ' b 
here, Missa Daddy, make we change this 




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subject. I am well and sore with it 
already.' 

'Well, tell me,' said Daddy, who agreed 
to change the subject, ' tell me then, my 
son, what's de said trouble I mean, boy, 
how is Maria ? ' 

Daddy's intentions were invariably the 
best. 

' De gal is hell, sa,' exclaimed Sam with 
spirit. 'Asking you' pardon, Missa Daddy, 
whichen you is certainly an old man, and 
a beadle, and we is close de church ; but 
I will speak de truth if if it be de 
Judgment Day ! ' 

' Sam, Sam,' said Daddy, ' I fear you 
is really going down and disappointing 
de old man.' 

' Not so, Missa Daddy,' replied Sam, 
' nothing like that. You hear me, sa, I 



Negro Nobodies 

did love de gal until I would have 
drownded myself for her ; I did worship 
her ; I make her my idol ; I give her a 
ring ; and, certainly, she was a fine gal 
except to her nose whichen it has a par- 
ticular shape that I never did like well, 
and you married we. Ah, Missa Daddy, 
old as you is, beadle though you be, 
when I think how I tie up, fasten up, 
hang up, in this thing ! ' 

'Steady, my son,' said Daddy, 'don't 
harass you'self. Consider de matter ; you 
is married, you have a wife, you is lawful, 
you 

' I hear all that before,' broke in Sam, 
bitterly. ' I hear every bit of that before ; 
and I married this three day gone a 
month, and I know, and I experience, 
and I feel, and I can tell you that 



The Overseas Library 

marriage is a most unlawful thing, being 
it really mean de utter ruination of two 
poor people for ever and ever, amen, 
world without end, amen. Amen.' 

' Sam, my son/ said Daddy, on another 
tack, ' Maria has good qualities, good ' 

' But most awfully greedy, sa,' said 
Sam ; ' greedy, sa, and domineering and 
wanting everything for herself, and with 
a powerful piece of a temper. Look, I 
am not a boy, Missa Daddy, and if a 
man be accustomed to tie his neck-tie 
in his fashion for the last fifteen year, 
him is not going to make such a person 
as a woman tie it for her fashion, 
whichen is de main cause of de con- 
tention. Hi, now, now, now, this gal 
like sailor knot, I don't like that said 
kind of sailor knot ; then because I does 

16 



Negro Nobodies 

not consent to do as she has a mind, 
she has an inclination to dig out my 
eye.' 

' I would give up de tie, man/ said 
Daddy. 

' Then she would instantly insist that 
I make her wear de stud and all de 
rings whichen is de second cause of 
contention. No, Missa Daddy, there is 
no hope for me now, sa. Lawful or 
unlawful, proper or improper, I am well 
and securely married and tied up.' 

He carefully removed the perspiration 
from his face, took breath and con- 
tinued : 

'If I had followed Zacche Mettle, I 

would have been a free man this day ; 

but no, what with de soft talking and 

de devilnation fascination of de gal her- 

B 17 



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self, and you, Missa Daddy, I must 
turn jackass and get married. For what ? 
For her to take a real advantage of 
me. Now, old man, let me tell you 
something ; this was de said place where 
I waited for Maria upon de day of de 
wedding (and I was really happy then, 
but that is past now), and therefore it 
is at . this said place that I am going to 
make a vow to done with de gal for 
ever and ever ; she is to go her way, 
and I am to take my own road for de 
peace of my soul.' 

Daddy had taken a seat on one of 
the steps of the porch shortly after the 
conversation commenced, but, when these 
last words were uttered, he rose quickly, 
and, with his right hand, covered Sam's 
mouth . 

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Negro Nobodies 

'Man,' said he sternly, 'in de name of 
decency, how could you do such a 
thing ? ' 

' And she will go her way, and I will 
go my way/ reiterated Sam, like one 
rightly convinced. 

' Sam, my son/ said Daddy, speaking 
slowly, ' I want you to make me to 
make de old man a promise.' 

' Done, Missa Daddy, done/ was Sam's 
reply. * There is only one decent thing 
to do now, and that is to thank you 
kindly for all you have done. I thank 
you, old gentleman, for you' good in- 
tentions.' Then, suddenly softening his 
voice, he observed, ' I 'most think there 
is no more Miss Lucy in this town 
now.' 

Daddy winced. 

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' My son,' said he, with deep emotion, 
' whichen you think is more better : you 
with you' Maria, who is living, or me 
with my Lucy, who is dead ? ' 

' Well, sa, to tell you de truth, I 
would much prefer to be you with Miss 
Lucy.' 

' Then,' said Daddy, with fervour, ' you 
would have a real sorrow and a righteous 
cause of complaint. You hear me, Sam, 
thank de Lord, my son, for what you 
have, greedy and domineering though 
she be. May be, I say, may be, if 
Maria died this night, you would come 
to find she wasn't a bad gal after all.' 



20 



CONCERNING A CHRISTENING 



CHAPTER II 

CONCERNING A CHRISTENING 

O PEAKING to me confidentially of the 
character of Augustus Tilbert, the 
shipwright, Binn has remarked, ''Gustus, 
busha, is really a good man, really a 
man of sense, whichen I told those fellows 
so the other day, but Then, after a 
pause that meant a good deal, 'You 
know, sir, his wife has baby again last 
night?' This was, in truth, Tilbert's 
one weakness, his certain misfortune of 
which the town was positively ashamed. 

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Had he too frequently flavoured his 'cool 
drink ' with common rum ; had he smoked 
stale ' donkey rope ' tobacco ; had he, in 
building his boats, made it a practice 
to put putty only in places where oakum 
and putty should have been ; had he, in 
short, done almost anything but annually 
increase his family, the town would have 
felt no embarrassment. It would have re- 
garded the failing in a purely sympathetic 
light. To have a small family ' was 
really de privilege of persons whichen 
have gone to some expense, and trouble, 
and worry, not to speak of de great 
responsibility of de thing itself. Besides,' 
Binn added, ' a family, sir, is necessary 
and honourable, being it is to prove that 
de said parties have no ill feelings de 
one towards de other, nor such a personal 

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Negro Nobodies 

thing as a physical disagreement between 
them. But to have a family of a number 
is nothing more or less than pure idle- 
ness and nonsense whichen, sir, is a 
disgrace/ Tilbert himself spoke freely 
on the subject. ' For a man to have a 
large family,' he was heard to declare 
shortly after the birth of his fourth child, 
' for a man to be responsible for a whole 
regiment of pickney whether it is boy, 
oh, or gal, oh he must certainly be 
very worthless, deceitful and not worthy 
de consideration muchen less de conversa- 
tion of decent people. Mark well what 
I say : now, this is certainly my fourth 
child, but it is my last child. This make 
altogether two boys and two gals, whichen 
I consider is well done and prove every- 
thing. So, my friends, I finish with de 

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business. In conclusion, I say I will 
never be a father again for as long as 
I live.' The following year, however, he 
was the father of twins. 

When, about a week after I arrived 
in Port Antonio, I became acquainted 
with Tilbert and his wife, there was fair 
promise of the ninth child. Tilbert was 
thin and evidently much distressed, and 
he hesitated somewhat to commence a 
sentence ; while his wife wore the ex- 
pression of a woman who, having been 
constantly confused, could form no accurate 
idea of what was likely to happen. 
Indeed, the trouble had so far affected 
Tilbert that he began to imagine foolish 
things. He told me, for example, that 
he was certain some wretched person 
(who probably envied his success with 

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Negro Nobodies 

boats) had bargained with an evil spirit 
to work his ruin. The bargain would be 
made, of course, by means of an obeah 
man. It was curious how the evil spirit 
worked. Tilbert was made to feel that 
he would not see heaven unless he kept 
on fathering babies. For a number of 
years, he further told me, with tears in 
his eyes, he was firmly of the opinion 
that he would be responsible for only a 
small family ' whichen as you know, 
busha, is nothing contrary or improper,' 
but now he felt as if his family would 
keep on increasing in an extraordinary 
manner until he died. As he was still, 
properly speaking, a young man, and as 
he was endeavouring to live long, he 
might be responsible for forty children. 
Then, what would he do with them ? 

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The mere idea of being the father of 
forty children gave him a cough, and 
made him perspire until his knees trembled. 
At nights he could no more sleep than 
fly. What was he to say? What, indeed, 
was he to do ? 

When that ninth child was born, Tilbert 
called at my house late in the evening 
to tell me that he had determined to 
drown himself. Hanging was unsafe, - he 
said. In such an extreme case it would 
have been unwise for me to speak lightly, 
so I frowned, and vowed to him that if 
ever he attempted to do such a thing, I 
should have him imprisoned where he 
would be deprived of his cool drink for 
a month. The town was a good deal 
more severe. Binn, the ' boss ' or chief 
fisherman, representing the married men, 

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Negro Nobodies 

and Hooper and ' Needlecase ' Phillips, 
the shoemaker, representing the unmarried 
men, arrested Tilbert on his way to work 
the following morning to ask him whether 
he did not think he had already sufficiently 
disgraced them all, and especially whether, 
in view of this last offence, he did not 
think he merited some sort of punishment. 
Hooper, clearing his throat, suggested that 
Tilbert should be shipped to Hayti or 
Colon ' for a time.' Tilbert, however, 
preferred to remain where he was. Hayti, 
he informed them, was rather hot just 
then, and Colon was always deadly damp. 
There was only one man in Port Antonio 
who seemed thoroughly to appreciate the 
painfulness of poor Tilbert's position, and 
from whom, therefore, Tilbert could ex- 
pect genuine sympathy. He was Daddy. 

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Daddy not only entertained a sincere 
affection for Tilbert, and provided him 
many a day with the means of obtaining 
the wholesome bread to eat which was, 
after all, better than any kind of cheap 
ginger and water and sugar that 'cool 
drink ' of which he was so fond but 
Daddy had ever a kind word for Rosa, 
Tilbert's wife, and he evinced a substantial 
interest in the children, beginning with 
Arthur Augustus. When the Phantom^ 
the yacht which Tilbert built, won the 
Governor's cup at the Regatta in Kings-, 
ton, was it not Daddy who backed his 
congratulations by five shillings and a 
black coat, the material alone of which 
was, according to Zacche, worth half - a- 
sovereign? Also when Clarentina Maud 
Jane Franseca, another of Tilbert's chil- 

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Negro Nobodies 

dren, had the cough that Mother Bet 
declared was ' consumption's first cousin/ 
was it not Daddy who supplied the nourish- 
ment and who helped to save her life? 
Ay, there was no friend like Daddy. 

In Tilbert's present trouble Daddy again 
showed the strength of his affection. In- 
stead of swelling the unison of uncharit- 
able criticism on the conduct of the unfor- 
tunate shipwright, he must apologise for 
the whole business, and take infinite pains 
to convince the unbelieving that that ninth 
child would be Tilbert's last. Daddy, in 
short, pacified the town. 

Late in the afternoon previous to the 
christening I found Tilbert standing at 
the bench ' rubbing up ' a firmer chisel 
and two plane irons. Phillips seemed to 
be propping the meagre cocoanut shed 



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under which a skiff was being timbered. 
Scott and Burnet were leaning on the old 
galley (Tilbert's tool store), and Binn re- 
clined in his large seine canoe. Zacche, 
who could not be comfortable unless his 
feet were touching the ground, was seated 
on an oil drum. Behind them Arthur and 
a little girl were collecting shavings. 
Hooper followed me closely, and as he 
came up to him, he slapped Tilbert on the 
shoulder, saying : 

' Hi, man, I hear you take this last 
pickney and make nine you' grand total. 
Hi, yes, for true, no nonsense this time. 
And you going to stop introducing pickney 
to us all. Hi, yes,' addressing Scott and 
Burnet, ' 'Gustus really has that intention. 
He has done well, and he conclude to 
draw out de business.' 

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Negro Nobodies 

Now, Tilbert had a temper. 

' Well, and what's that to you ? ' said 
he sharply. ' De devil take de whole of 
you all asking you' pardon, busha, for 
de said expression you is well ignorant 
and interfering and forward. Supposing I 
even choose to have forty children ' (here, 
however, he shivered), ' and supposing I 
choose to have none, what is it to you all, 
I say?' 

' Hi, but you can't choose to have 
none,' rejoined Hooper quietly, 'only be- 
cause, of course, you have nine already. 
Hi, yes, you mustn't be vexed, for that's 
de truth what I am telling you now.' 

' Done, done ! ' exclaimed Burnet, a lover 

of peace, 'done, Charlie. Cho, man, you 

ought to know better than to continue 

to harass 'Gustus in such a manner. You 

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think it is boy business this? You think 
it is play play for one single man to 
have nine living pickney in seven year ? ' 

'Well, we not saying nothing to that,' 
drawled Hooper. 'All we saying is, that 
'Gustus not going to bother to have any 
more baby again.' 

' Well, sutt'nly, gentlemen,' said Zacche, 
springing to his feet, ' there should be no 
contention in this matter. Sutt'nly, if a 
man is idle enough to get married 
whichen is to hang himself, don't forget 
that as a rule he will have babies. Just 
de same as if you drink thick split peas' 
soup upon an empty stomach, in nine 
cases out of every ten you will have a 
spasm. De one thing follows de other. 
And, sutt'nly, de more baby, de more de 
poor man must miserable that is, if a 

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Negro Nobodies 

poor man can be any more miserable 
after his wedding day. But, howsomever, 
that's not de point I have in my mind. 
Sutt'nly Missa Daddy tell me that to- 
morrow morning (please God, no damage !) 
'Gustus's last boy pickney is to have a 
christening. Now, sutt'nly, all I want to 
know is what name 'Gustus is determined 
to call that said boy pickney.' 

' 'Gustus/ said Binn from the bottom of 
the canoe, ' you give de baby name yet ? ' 

'Well, to tell you de truth,' Tilbert 
replied, ' I don't decided yet. De fact is, 
by this time I almost use up all de name 
I can think upon. Howsomever, as it is 
a boy, Rosa want to give him name just 
so-so Willie. Willie, nothing more. Willie 
Tilbert, and I think I will agree to that.' 

' Hi, but how can you do such a thing?' 

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said Binn, sitting bolt upright. ' In de 
first place, de name is too short, whichen 
it is almost indecent, and in de second 
place, one of you' pickney has de said 
name in de middle of two others already, 
whichen you should know.' 

' Hi, and in de third place, de sweet- 
ness of de name Willie, Willie, Willie all 
day long is going to induce 'Gustus to 
bother with baby again.' 

But as this remark of Hooper's was 
considered irrelevant, no one noticed it. 

'Well, sutt'nly,' said Zacche, who it 
could be seen was itching to make a 
speech, 'sutt'nly there is no such name 
as Willie. Sutt'nly there is a name, 
William, whichen Willie is de short of, and 
so, sutt'nly, without William you cannot 
have Willie. A short name make out of 

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Negro Nobodies 

a long name, and a nickname generally 
make out of itself, being it has a double 
especial particular meaning. For example, 
sutt'nly Missa Daddy real name is Daniel 
Rutherford, whichen is well known, but 
Daniel is connected with de Scriptures, 
whichen is holy and sacred, and Ruther- 
ford is a great trouble to a poor man jaw 
bone, more so if you don't take time how 
you call it, by which means we all consent 
to say Missa Daddy. Then there is 
Hellick. Sutt'nly if his mother was alive 
this day she would kill any person for 
having an idea that she could call her 
one boy pickney so-so Hellick. Well, no, 
sutt'nly his name is Alexander James 
Macfarlane Binn. Then there is John 
Scott, him we call Scotty. Charles 
Stapleton Hooper, he is Charlie 

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' Hi, and Zaccheus Belinfante Mettle,' 
yawned Hooper, under the bench, 'he is 
Zacche.' 

'Well, sutt'nly,' pursued Zacche, 'these 
are example of long name that is made 
short name. Towards de nickname, then, 
we have " Needlecase." By rights 
(whichen we have heard Mother Bet, 
his godmother, say) Needlecase proper 
name is Abraham Nathaniel Phillips. Be- 
ing, however, he has such a long length 
and I must know, for I measure him and 
being he really favour de said insect 
(whichen I am paying him a compliment), 
we call him Needlecase. Well, sutt'nly, 
it's not his fault if he has a likeness to 
a needlecase or a grasshopper.' 

' Anyhow,' observed Phillips, who had 
deliberately turned his back upon Zacche, 

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'anyhow I would sooner be a needlecase 
than such a thing as a beetle. I would 
sooner see everything that is to be seen 
from de elevation of six feet than see 
nothing, and feel lonesome and most cold 
and miserable from de level of four.' 

'Well,' said Binn, 'all what Zacche say 
is true. De name Willie don't fascinate 
me at all, whichen I have said before, so 
I think 'Gustus better make an elevation 
to get another name.' 

' That is it,' Tilbert answered. ' I am 
really sorry, Alexander Binn, that I don't 
please you, whichen I will thank you 
kindly if yon could give me a name.' 

'Well, sutt'nly, take Jeroboam,' sug- 
gested Zacche. 

' Nothing of de kind,' said Burnet 
instantly, 'for that is de name of Inspecta 

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Gresham bull dog, whichen is de terror 
and de sorrow of de place.' 

'Well,' said Scott, who sometimes stam- 
mered, 'gi-give him name Na-Na-Na-Na 
Na ' 

'Hi, but what a beautiful new name 
that is ! ' observed Hooper. 

' See here/ said Burnet encouragingly, 
' you don't mind Charlie. You take time, 
Scotty, my brother. We will wait upon 
you.' 

' Napoleon,' said Scott, and he sat 
down. 

' You, sir,' said Binn, almost savagely, 
' don't you ever talk so lightly upon such 
a terrible, powerful, royal, foreign name 
as that!' 

' See here, then, how is Reginald ? ' 
asked Needlecase. 

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Negro Nobodies 

'Very good indeed, really first class,' 
replied Tilbert. * Bbth me and Rosa really 
take a great fancy to de said name, but 
de misfortune is we make use of it 
already.' 

'Well, sutt'nly, I have it,' said Zacche. 
' Call that particular boy pickney - - er 
Constantine.' 

Scott and Burnet opened their mouths 
and then nodded approval, but Tilbert 
must be guided by Binn. 

'What you think of that name, Hellick?' 

' Well, 'Gustus,' said Binn, ' being I 
am really to give you my opinion, I 
am saying that foreign names, like 
foreign victuals, don't suit us poor Jamaica 
black people. De truth is, I much pre- 
fer one of our old time common name.' 

'Well, then,' said Scott, who was 



The Overseas Library 

commencing to fidget, 'you give us a 
name.' 

'Johnson,' said Binn decisively, 'John- 
son Tilbert. Now, that is a suitable 
name if you like.' 

To this assertion there was but one 
reply, and it came from Hooper, who, 
it seemed, had just awakened from a 
doze. 

' Hi, you is all getting on first class,' 
said he, ' first class and number one 
with name for 'Gustus last pickney, 
but de only thing is, of course, you 
don't quite hit upon de rightest one 
yet ; and, of course, you didn't want to 
disturb my rest to ask for my opinion 
too that I know. Hi, yes, I thank 
you kindly for you' great consideration 

and all that.' 

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Negro Nobodies 

Tilbert looked very unhappy. He 
tried to say something, but failed, and 
Hooper, evidently taking compassion, 
softened his voice and said : 

' Well, make we call him, Nebber- 
could- a - make -a - razor ' (Nebuchadnezzar). 
' Hi, yes, I am not making a piece of a 
joke ; I mean what I say, of course. 
" Nebber - could - a - mek - a- razor " was de 
name of a king ; and, if de pickney 
live, it will proud of it. Besides, 
de name will always remind 'Gustus 
not to bother with any more baby again.' 

But this suggestion of Hooper's carried 
no weight, and Tilbert hurried home 
to tell Rosa that it was likely the child 
would be baptised without a name. 

The following morning was bleak, misty, 
muddy and forbidding ; nevertheless, from 

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an early hour Daddy was about, on Tilbert's 
behalf, inviting people to the christening. 
Binn was then upon the sea superin- 
tending his men at work with the seine ; 
nor could Scott attend, for, rivalling 
Hooper as Jack-of-all-trades, he had, he 
said, to pick a cart-load of cocoanuts, 
whitewash a hut, make a coffin, dress 
and bury an old acquaintance, cook and 
eat his dinner, and make a tray of 
peppermint sugar candy before sunset. 
But Phillips, Uttock and several others 
accepted the invitation. Consequently 
there was a fairly large gathering in the 
church at eight o'clock when the service 
commenced. Hooper and Zacche having, 
for a reason which is to appear, con- 
sented to be the godfathers, were among 
the most conspicuous. A fat - faced, 

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heavy girl, named Verona Machonochie 
Rosa's bosom friend and Rosa her- 
self were the godmothers. 

Now this was a service that many had 
cause to remember. It commenced in 
the usual manner, but, just as the Gospel 
was about to be read, Hooper was 
seized by a fit of coughing, the effect, 
he whispered to Zacche, of the rather 
damp draught in which he was standing, 
and which affected him, of course, be- 
cause he was thinner and more dejicate 
and spiritual than either Zacche or 'de 
two gal them,' meaning Rosa and Ver- 
ona, the godmothers. This remark was, 
nevertheless, loud enough to be heard, 
and several people smiled, including the 
minister, Mr Blackburn. Indeed, in order 
that he might continue to conduct the 

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service with dignity, he must keep his 
eyes upon the prayer-book. The Gospel 
was then read, and the service pro- 
ceeded. The minister now addressed 
the godfathers and the godmothers. 

' Dost thou, in the name of this child, 
renounce the devil and all his works, 
the vain pomp and glory of the world, 
with all covetous desires of the same, 
and the carnal desires of the flesh, so 
that thou wilt not follow nor be led by 
them ? ' 

' Well, sutt'nly we do, we do, we do,' 
said Zacche, in a loud, business - like 
voice. 

Someone burst out laughing, he could 
not help doing so, and Mr Blackburn did 
not raise his head for a second or two. 

' No, my good man,' said he, striving 

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Negro Nobodies 

not to smile, ' you must not answer like 
that. You must wait a little, and I will 
tell you what to say. Now, repeat after 
me, "I renounce them all." 

'Hi, yes,' observed Hooper, 'that's 
what we mean ; only, of course, Zacche 
was a little too quick for you.' 

I thought Daddy would have fallen. 

' Wilt thou be baptised in this faith ? ' 
continued the minister. 

For a few seconds no one spoke, then 
Hooper, seeing that Zacche was framing 
an answer, pulled him to one side, 
saying : 

' That is for de gal them to answer. 
Hi, yes. We answer for our part done 
already.' 

Mr Blackburn, however, kept his 
countenance. 

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'Name this child,' said he presently. 

Here Tilbert, greatly embarrassed, 
looked at Daddy. Daddy whispered to 
Rosa, who shook her head and sighed. 
Meanwhile Hooper was helping Zacche 
to pull from a pocket a long slip of 
paper which was handed to the minister. 

'Is this the name of the child?' he 
asked. 

' Well, suttn'ly, sir, it is,' Zacche replied. 

' It's rather a long name/ said the 
minister. ' What is it ? Simon, Peter, 
Mount what's this ? Mount S oh, Mount. 
Sinai. Simon, Peter, Mount Sinai Tilbert' 

Hooper smiled, Tilbert started and the 
baby screamed. 

' Is that to be the name of your child ? 
said Mr Blackburn, addressing Tilbert. 

'Well, rector,' replied the shipwright, 

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Negro Nobodies 

' I suppose it is, whichen it is a decent 
name, I think, and so I really thank 
Zacche for de mention of it.' 

' Simon, Peter, Mount Sinai ? ' said 
Mr Blackburn. ' Simon Peter is all right 
enough ; but, my good man, Mount Sinai 
is the name of a mountain.' 

' Hi, 'yes, well, we all know that/ said 
Hooper dryly ; ' but it is going to be de 
name of 'Gustus last boy pickney from 
this day. Simon we give him name for 
his father sake ; Peter we give him name 
for his mother sake ; Mount Sinai we 
give him name for our sake ; Mount is 
for Zacche, and Sinai is for me. Hi, yes ! 
This is de last of de name them. De 
name, in this quarter, for pickney all 
done, and, of course, 'Gustus done with 
de name them.' 

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' Well, sutt'nly, excuse me, sir,' said 
Zacche, stepping nearer to the minister, 
Simon, Peter> Mount Sinai Tilbert, is 
de said name whichen we have given 
unto you for this said boy pickney, and 
so, sutt'nly, sir, you can proceed.' 

And the child was christened. 



ELIZABETH WALTERS DIS- 
COVERS A DUPPY 



CHAPTER II I 

ELIZABETH WALTERS DISCOVERS A DUPPY 

T T was after six o'clock on a Friday 
evening, in the still, warm, feeble twi- 
light to which, in this part of the world, 
we are accustomed, that Letitia Burke, 
who occupied a hut half way up Rich- 
mond Hill, stopped grating cassava to 
listen to screams out - screaming one 
another somewhere near the old church 
and the tall cocoanut tree on the top of 
that hill. Her first and altogether natural 
impression was that a certain wicked one 

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of the dead, having stepped out of his 
tomb at the instigation of a powerful 
obeahman in the parish, was making the 
noise, was signalling, in fact, according to 
a perfectly understood and diabolical plan. 
But when the screams were presently 
succeeded by healthy cries for help, in 
a voice which she recognised, Letitia 
hurried to Binn's house, which was close 
by, to ask him what he intended to do. 
Binn had a habit of considering a case in 
two or three respects before he consented 
to take it up a habit which may or may 
not have been fostered by laziness and 
he therefore told Letitia to sit and to 
keep quiet for a few minutes while he 
looked carefully into the matter. Before, 
however, he was able to determine on a 
course of action, Charlie Hooper was seen 

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Negro Nobodies 

conducting to her house, in a distressed 
condition, the unfortunate subject of the 
disturbance, Elizabeth Walters, an inoffen- 
sive young woman, who supported herself 
and her two children by sweeping the 
church, washing clothes and selling 
poultry. Hooper must have found her 
in the graveyard, for they were walking 
from that direction. Several people now 
beset Elizabeth, and put questions to 
which she paid little attention. Hooper 
did not seem much concerned ; naturally, 
for he was at the bottom of the whole 
business. There were sympathisers enough, 
however, Rachel Uttock, Samuel's sister, 
being the loudest. When her hut was 

o 

reached, Elizabeth heaved a sigh of relief, 
and became sufficiently communicative to 
say that, searching the graveyard to find 

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a missing hen and two chickens, she had 
seen a duppy. The women could not 
believe their ears. They must tremble. 
Another terrible ghost had come to light. 
Who could now face the graveyard even 
in the glare of the unclouded noon ? The 
Lord only knew what would happen next. 
The world was undoubtedly coming to an 
end. At all events, Elizabeth had seen 
something and had suffered ; some one 
had put obeah on her, said they, and it 
was ' really a shameful piece of wicked- 
ness/ Rachel remarked, ' considering de 
poor gal has no husband and de two 
pickney them is so awfully young.' Binn 
called at about nine o'clock to say that, 
after carefully considering the matter, he 
had come to the conclusion that the 
duppy, who must have been a splendid 

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judge of fowls, had taken the hen and 
the two chickens ; and that, as they were 
worth having and the duppy must have 
been hungry, he would on no account 
give them up. Some of the neighbours, 
however, thought that it would be wise 
and seemly to propitiate that duppy ; 
wherefore rum was bought and handed 
round, and a few hymns, including the old 
hundredth, were sung for this purpose. 
Indeed it was but an excuse for 'a little 
excitement and such like,' that led to a 
'scene' which, had it been possible, would 
have annoyed even a broad-minded duppy. 
On the following morning, a Saturday, 
which was observed as a kind of holiday, 
Zacche opened his shop to accommodate 
a portion of the town who had gathered 
to discuss the duppy. In respect to his 

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position as beadle, Daddy was asked to 
take the chair ; which was, actually, to sit 
on the table. Zacche then stood on a 
soap box beside him, and made a short, 
pertinent speech, in which he said that, 
certainly, the whole thing meaning the 
occurrence of the previous evening was 
'pure foolishness and monkey business 
from first to last ; ' and that he encouraged 
them to occupy his shop for the purpose of 
discussing the matter only because he would 
avail himself of the opportunity to show 
them a coat, fine in material, fashionable , 
in style and comfortable to wear, which 
he had finished. After exhibiting the coat 
and receiving two orders (the customers, 
however, providing their own material), 
Zacche made room for Binn to open the 
discussion. 

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Negro Nobodies 

'Well, my friends/ began Binn de- 
liberately, ' I have no book learning, only 
de one sense God Almighty give me, but 
I say that if there is no duppy upon 
Richmond Hill, then my grandmother 
whichen she is now dead and taking her 
rest, I hope, poor old lady my grand- 
mother, gentlemen, is a herring.' 

* Of course there is duppy,' said Scott, 
who was carefully seated in a corner on 
an old three-legged stool, 'there is duppy 
certainly. If there was no duppy about 
de place, then person wouldn't take into 
them head suddenly to die, more especi- 
ally at night time. And I must know, 
for nearly de whole of my family dead in 
this fashion.' 

' And my poopa ' (father) ' and cousin 
too,' said a boy, who had been listening 

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attentively. ' De blow de duppy give my 
cousin Tommy knock out de whole of his 
front teeth them.' 

'Well, sutt'nly, my son,' observed Zacche, 
' that may have been from a fall.' 

Two women and Burnet, the dog- 
catcher, now boisterously tackled this side 
issue, but, Daddy rebuking them, they 
became silent. 

' And sutt'nly,' pursued Zacche, ' it's 
not only a duppy can knock out de whole 
of a man's front teeth, make me tell you 
that. Howsomever, to go back to de 
particular point, I say, sutt'nly, there is 
no such thing as a duppy or spirit or 
ghost or rolling calf, and so on. A 
person which has no substance is not 
a person at all, and cannot exist.' And 

Zacche sat down. 

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' Hear what Missa Daddy say,' and 
'We is waiting for Missa Daddy' were 
now the expressions of the few present 
who found it difficult to express them- 
selves. 

' My dear brethren/ said Daddy, after 
the fashion of the minister, 'de blessed 
Scriptures, to which we look for light 
in all these matters of de other world 
de sacred Scriptures, my dear brethren, 
is not very clear upon de point, there- 
fore I can tell you nothing. Certainly, 
Mr Blackburn has told me privately that 
there are no duppies, as we call them, 
but that spirits ; my beloved brethren, 
good and evil spirits, may or may not 
exist. I think, after all, it is a question 
of eyesight.' 

' Of eyesight and all other sight, no 

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doubt,' said Tilbert, imitating Daddy. 
' Some people, my beloved sisters and 
brothers, see with four eyes and hear 
with four ears. That is de reason why 
asking you all pardon for leaving de 
point a little that is de great reason 
why some people know more of a person's 
private affairs than de said person know 
himself or herself, whichen we all can 
prove. But howsomever and neverthe- 
less, I am agreeing with you, Missa 
Daddy, that there may or may not be 
duppy. Hellick Binn is a ripe man, and 
he says there is. Zacche Mettle 
whichen, we are proud to say, have a 
great sense, although he is little in statues 
he says there is not. Most of us is 
with Binn, because we see duppy and 
feel duppy. Anyhow, my beloved sisters 

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and brothers, it is a terrible, terrible thing 
to think upon.' 

'What did 'Lizbeth see, though?' said 
someone, suddenly. 

Elizabeth was there to answer in 
person. She had joined the company 
with the hope of enlisting substantial 
sympathy for the loss of her poultry. 
Wiping her eyes, this is what Elizabeth 
said : 

' At about six o'clock last night - 
whichen Rachel Uttock know is de said 
time I am accustomed to pen up my 
fowl them I missed two of my white 
cock chickens and a trash - coloured hen 
which give me an egg every day with- 
out missing. I had no idea where they 
took themself, but- I make up my mind 
to look in de graveyard where fowl has 

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been found. I look, and look, and look, 
and see nothing. Presently though, I 
think I see one of de cock chickens 
picking a blade of grass close poor old 
Missa Jorden grave, and so I stooped 
to catch it. Well, sir, as I could turn 
to get up (being it was not de said 
chicken) I saw a person oh, Lord, 
such a most outrageous person ! He 
was wearing a long white frock with 
plenty of red spots upon it, and he had 
one large red eye and not a single sign 
of a nose my good Missa Daddy, de 
most ugliest, awfullest thing I have ever 
seen in my life. Well, sa, de person 
whichen, as I have said, it was a 
male moved his arms so and so' (putt- 
ing her arms into a circular motion) 'as 
if he. did really have de intention of 

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hugging me up. And, Lord ! , my sweet 
brothers and sisters, upon de mere 
thought of such a thing, my head just 
turn round and round and round, and I 
knew nothing more. Then I wake up 
all of a sudden to feel Charlie Hooper 
and another young man, greatly favour- 
ing Missa Mettle, pinching me, and Missa 
Hooper kept on saying, " Miss 'Lizbeth, 
Miss 'Lizbeth, get up, get up ; don't die 
for de sake of a so-so cock chicken." 

She paused, on the advice of Rachel, 
to calm herself, and Zacche seized the 
opportunity to remark that certainly the 
ways of women were the most mysterious. 
Binn then rose and pointed out with 
dignity that, as a matter of fact, the 
ways of duppies, and not the ways of 
women, were the most mysterious. To 
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which Zacche, who was a little excited, 
replied : 

' So you say, my man, so you say ; 
but you have got to prove, sutt'nly, as 
I said before, that there is such a thing 
as a duppy at all. What is a duppy, 
Hellick Binn ? Answer me that. Sutt'nly, 
I have walked about a great deal and 
in de darkness of de night, and I never 
see a duppy from I born.' 

' No contention, brethren, no conten- 
tion,' Daddy called out. ' Maybe Charlie 
has something to say ? ' 

Charlie, as a matter of fact, was dozing, 
but, hearing his name so distinctly called, 
he opened his eyes and asked quietly 
whether they had all finished speaking. 
They had not, they said. So he shut 
his eyes again. 

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* De point is, gentlemen,' said a little 
smooth - faced fisherman, who had not 
spoken before, 'de point is that whether 
there is duppy oh, or whether there is 
no duppy oh, a great calamity has be- 
fallen this gal, 'Lizbeth Walters, with her 
two young pickney them, who has lost 
her hen and her two good cock chickens.' 
Then, seeming to think that he had made 
a fool of himself, he disappeared. 

It was, however, a sensible observa- 
tion, and much appreciated ; so Daddy 
proposed, seconded by Binn, that a 
sum, representing the value of the 
lost poultry, should be collected and 
handed to Elizabeth. The proposition 
was unanimously carried ; indeed, a por- 
tion of the amount, two shillings, I 
think, was subscribed then and there 

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and given to Elizabeth, who left the 
shop in excellent spirits. 

The discussion revived. 

' Zaccheus Mettle,' said Binn, facing 
the tailor, ' you mean to tell me that 
that gal whichen she is well intelli- 
gent did not see a duppy upon Rich- 
mond Hill, in de graveyard, last night?' 

' Sutt'nly, no,' .instantly replied Zacche, 
4 because, Alexander Binn, there was no 
such thing as a duppy for 'Lizbeth to 
see whichen I have said before.' 

' A duppy box myself 'pon Richmond 
Hill last year,' observed Scott paren- 
thetically, and in what he deemed an 
undertone. 

'You hear that, Zaccheus Mettle?' ex- 
claimed Binn, striking the soap box. 
' Scotty and all see duppy upon Rich- 



Negro Nobodies 

mond Hill. Cho, man, confess you is 
wrong. Behave you'self, I say ! ' 

' Duppy is there. Duppy is there, 
my son,' hysterically muttered three- 
fourths of the company. ' Duppy 'pon 
Richmond Hill, in de graveyard, to-day, 
to-day. There's a thing, oh, Lord ! ' 

' Zacche, man,' said Tilbert cautiously, 
' you think they are tying you up ? I 
can't see you at all.' 

' Sutt'nly,' replied Zacche boldly, but 
a little like a parrot, ' free speech is de 
birthright of every gentleman. There- 
fore, gentlemen, say what you like. See 
you' duppy, make you' duppy, cook you' 
duppy, eat you' duppy ; but de day I 
ever catch Charlie Hooper 

* Eh, what's matter ? You all done ? ' 
and, sitting up, Hooper yawned. 

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For a few seconds no one spoke. 
B inn's coal - black face, which always 
shone, now shone more than ever. 

* Speak then, my son/ pleaded Daddy, 
who was fidgeting, ' relieve you' mind ; 
speak.' 

' Charlie Hooper,' said Tilbert and two 
others together, in solemn tones, ' Charlie 
Hooper, man, Charlie, does you know 
anything concerning this great and won- 
derful affair ? ' 

' If I know anything,' said Hooper, 
clearing his throat, 'If I know anything? 
Well, I was only de ghost. I don't 
know if that is anything. And, what 
is more, I could tell you that all this 
time. Hi, yes! Let me see now. I 
remember I buy a gill clay pipe and I 
dress myself (I am sorry de young lady 

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did not think jne a handsome fellow) 
and I qualify for a duppy for a short 
while. Zacche (you see I am telling 
you everything), Zacche was my assist- 
ant, hi, yes, but, as usual, he was a 
little late, and so I get no assistance 
at all, only he did oblige de gal with a 
measure of consolation upon de spot, by 
giving her a couple pinch them to wake 
her up, for she was sleeping too soon. 
Now, that is all. Hi, ladies and gentle- 
men, you look surprised ! ' 

' But now, now, now, sa,' said Binn, 
who had recovered his composure, ' what 
in this world ever possessed this big, 
ripe man to do such a thing ? ' 

' Idleness, pure idleness and mischief, 
and nothing better to do with himself,' 
said someone quickly. 



The Overseas Library 
'And love of fowl too,' said another, 
in a light voice. 

' Well,' said Hooper, ' I don't deny 
that. And, of course, / am de only 
one who like fowl. But, being I am 
de means of giving a lonesome gal a 
subscription, and being the hen and de 
two cock chicken is roosting under de 
gal bed at this minute, I think I should 
get a subscription too for my generosity 
and all that. Howsomever, I will make 
you all a present of it. Hi, yes, I am 
not joking ! And, don't forget, I did 
also want to feel how duppy feel. Hi, 
yes, duppy is a nice thing man, more 
so if he could always manage to give 
de gal them a little harmless hugging 
up for old time sake and all that. Hi, 
yes ! Now you see I give you a lot of 

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news, and I don't charge for it, so you 
must look out to thank me when you 
see me another time.' And, smiling, he 
went his way. 

But the people, whose superstitions 
had been thus nourished, as you might 
say, still believed that Elizabeth had 
seen a duppy on Richmond Hill, and 
none of them ventured near the place 
for a long time afterwards. 



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REST AND BE THANKFUL 



CHAPTER IV 

' REST AND BE THANKFUL ' 

I ^HE cottage in which Daddy lived 
stood in a decent place on the east 
side of Titchfield Hill. Two years before 
his marriage, acting on Lucy's advice, he 
drew from the Savings Bank the credit- 
able sum which luck with June fish had 
enabled him to save, and purchased the 
premises, the house being then in con- 
siderable disrepair. There were only two 
people the minister and Mr Petlock, of 
the Public Works Department to con- 

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gratulate Daddy on the good sense dis- 
played by this transaction ; the majority, 
who knew best (as is usually the case) 
thought that he might just as well have 
thrown his money into the sea. Later 
on, however, when, according to Daddy's 
own plans, the cottage took a new 
shape, and became, to some extent, a 
handsome dwelling, the majority stam- 
mered that he had been wiser than 
them all. 

From any corner of the cottage the 
view was pleasing, but it was perhaps 
from Daddy's bedroom window that you 
obtained the finest sight. Standing there, 
your eye caught a bit of the slender, 
naked lighthouse, followed distinctly three- 
fourths of the dark mangrove belt, which 
the billows loudly beat, and rested on 

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the beautiful eastern basin, on the broad, 
placid rim of which many kingly cocoa- 
nut trees placed the shadows of their 
crowns. In the fierce, sweating sunlight, 
the colours of the limbs of the cocoanut 
and the leaves of the other trees, and 
of the water and the sky, were gorgeous 
gold and green and blue that blue 
which is very blue. On a clear, moon- 
light night the bit of lighthouse winked 
a watery eye, and the belt seemed to 
mysteriously broaden. Then the limbs 
of the cocoanut trees appeared more 
grey than green, and they were feathery. 
Over the silvered surface of the basin, 
through a kind of silken mist, the north 
wind raised little ripples, and sometimes 
blew a sail. These two pictures the 
one the oil painting, so to speak, the 

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other the steel engraving Daddy had 
in mind when he bought the cottage, 
for the beadle was by nature an artist. 

In addition to the house, there was a 
piece of land of an appreciable size, 
which Daddy divided into a flower and 
vegetable garden. In the former, after a 
time, the bed of violets was something 
to see. The vegetables, however, did 
not turn out well. Many of the cabbage, 
for example, * sutt'nly,' as Zacche ex- 
pressed it, ' never did favour cabbage at 
all.' The tomatoes greatly lacked flavour, 
and the peppers 'sutt'nly they was either 
too hot or not hot enough ; but/ added 
Zacche, 'sutt'nly not only beadle pepper 
have that- particular contraryness.' Besides 
the vegetables, there were a few fruit 
trees, namely, a yam mango, starapple, 

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naseberry and several banana. Daddy 
watered the yam mango especially, 
because he believed in it. A good yam 
mango, he held, was nourishment for 
a beadle at any rate. Bananas, on the 
other hand, unless eaten with bread, pro- 
moted spasms, which might be fatal. 
He considered, however, that banana 
fritters, properly sprinkled with brown 
sugar, were not only delicious but 
strengthening. And, said he, they agreed 
with old people. Both gardens were pro- 
tected from the frivolity of neighbouring 
poultry, chiefly chickens, by two neat 
white - washed fences that met a grey 
gate, close to the front steps, on the 
top of which was painted in small, un- 
even, black letters, the name of the 
cottage ' Rest and be thankful.' 

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The house, thatched, plastered and 
white-washed, was entirely weather proof. 
It consisted of four rooms, which were 
also washed as frequently as was neces- 
sary to make them look clean. The 
largest was Daddy's bedroom. It con- 
tained, principally, a wide, heavy, ma- 
hogany bedstead that could have held 
four, stout, quiet sleepers, or one little 
child that sleeps not, but cries and rolls 
and kicks. Daddy, for as many years 
as he was able, varnished this bedstead 
every Queen's birthday. He could not 
bear a mark upon it. Room number 
two was the children's, but, after Lucy's 
death, when Michael and Mary were 
able properly to dress and undress them- 
selves, it became Mary's, Michael sleeping 
with his father. Mary made it the 

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sweetest room in the house. Above the 
head of the bed were pasted two finely- 
executed plates, one ' Mary and Martha,' 
and the other 'The Resurrection.' To 
the right and left of these were tacked 
illuminated texts also from the Scriptures, 
the largest being, ' I am that bread of 
life. John vi. 48.' On one of the walls 
were gummed prints, from the Illustrated 
London News, of the Earl of Beaconsfield, 
the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, Mr 
Parnell, the Queen, the Prince of Wales, 
the Duke of Cambridge and an old lady, 
no doubt a distinguished philanthropist, 
whose name had been inadvertently re- 
moved. Below these, torn and a trifle 
out of line, stuck coloured plates of 
' The Latest Spring Fashions,' from the 
Young Ladies Joiirnal. Through the 

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little window, when the day was done, 
the sweet, delicate, tamarind-leaf jasmine, 
which Mary cared, would breathe into 
the room. 

In the smaller of the two other apart- 
ments, on a plain, deal board table, the 
simple fare of the family was neverthe- 
less respectably placed at the proper 
times. The brick-coloured water jug , or 
' monkey ' was ingeniously balanced on 
a mahogany chair having a seat two 
inches thick, but only one leg. The 
family sat on a bench. If there was a 
friend to dinner, Michael waited until 
he had finished, or sat with the tin 
plate in his lap, on the doorstep. The 
safe, marked g B & Co., in which straw hats 
had been packed to Port Antonio, was 
supported by four legs, which stood in 

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as many fresh salmon tins filled with 
kerosene oil and water, to disappoint 
ants. In the larger apartment, the family 
received visitors. As you entered it, 
your eyes fell on the strong mahogany 
sideboard (which was also varnished on 
the twenty-fourth of May), and the 
large, heavy, curiously - shaped tumblers, 
decanters, wine-glasses, and the odd cups 
and saucers upon it. These were chiefly 
ornamental. The few tumblers appropri- 
ated for the use of distinguished visitors 
were put in a corner by themselves. 
The family, and friends like Binn and 
Zacche, used pans. There was only one 
table, and it was covered with a bit of 
sail cloth. On it were placed a lamp 
like a lighthouse (something to be 
proud of), and several books the 

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Bible, Pilgrints Progress, a Walker's 
dictionary, an Inquire within for Every- 
thing^ and some others. But there were 
three or four chairs, a cane seat among 
them, the largest of which, an arm 
chair, was proffered the minister when 
he called. On entering, the visitor 
scraped the mud from his feet on to a 
yard or so of coarse, cocoanut matting. 
Then, by request, he laid his hat and 
umbrella on the table and sat down. 
All which emphasised the respectability 
and fine taste of the beadle. I know, 
as a matter of fact, that he was proud 
of the cottage, and that he strove to 
keep it the neatest of its size on the 
hill. 

I fancy I have climbed from the town 
and followed the stony carriage road to 

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the corner, where it turns west to the 
little hotel, and that, standing at this 
corner, I see the verdant crowns of the 
cocoanut trees; the dark, thatched roof; 
the white walls ; Mary's window, with 
the sweet tamarind-leaf jasmine framing 
it ; the banana, with their broad leaves 
and heavy hands propped near the 
window ; the yam mango, green and 
trim, beside the banana ; the starapple ; 
the red hibiscus ; the fence ; the grey 
gate and the name, uneven but distinct, 
' Rest and be thankful.' 



MICHAEL AND MARY 



CHAPTER V 



TT THEN first I saw Mich'ael he was 
standing in the sun, sweating from 
every pore, with his back to a banana 
tree. I recognised him instantly. He was 
taller, broader and more finely figured 
than his father, but his features were 
unmistakably Daddy's. When he learnt 
who I was he insisted that I should 
have the minister's chair, and kindly 
offered to call his father, who was at 
the beach calking a canoe. But I said 
I had no intention of disturbing Daddy, 
and that I would wait until he returned. 



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Michael would then have resumed work, 
but I opened a conversation with him, 
from which I gathered many interesting 
facts having reference especially to the 
days of his childhood. 

Michael was four years old when his 
mother died. Consequently, you may say, 
he never knew her. For a long time 
he believed his aunt Matilda (Lucy's 
sister, who was stout and bad-tempered) 
was his mother. It affected his growth. 
One Sunday evening, however, when he 
suddenly realised that she was only his 
aunt, he immediately hid himself behind 
a box, he said, and thanked God from 
the bottom of his heart. And he began 
to grow from the following morning. 
At school Michael was considered amiable, 
but a fool. Indeed, notwithstanding his 

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good nature, he was so troubled by the 
letters of the alphabet, that he grew to 
hate the very shape of them, an unkind 
feeling which, he confessed with shame, 
he still, to some extent, entertained. 
The letter M, for example, he frequently 
failed to recognise, because it was to 
him so much like W. It was only by 
shutting one eye and looking at both of 
them sideways that he at length learned 
to appreciate the difference. But Michael 
could read, and, as a matter of fact, 
had read portions of the Bible and the 
whole of the Pilgrims Progress, and he 
could write. Speaking to me of those 
days, Michael observed that if there was 
one thing more than another he re- 
gretted, it was that he should have 
been removed from school before he had 

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the chance of doing a really good multi- 
plication sum. Daddy had hoped that 
Michael would have been a dispenser, 
but the confidential report of the teacher 
was so discouraging that Daddy put the 
lad into a canoe and took him to sea. 
Michael, however, soon became an expert 
fisherman. Three weeks after he began 
the business he made his father a present 
of a slate-coloured beaver. When he 
was not fishing or overhauling his tackle, 
Michael would weed the garden, manure 
the fruit trees, and do odd jobs about 
the house. On Sundays he was the 
assistant beadle. Indeed, he had no dis- 
position and no time to be idle. Sooner 
than gaze into space, Michael would 
patch his trousers. Wherefore the town, 
ever hard to please, was proud of him. 

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And he could thoroughly enter into the 
festive spirit of certain occasions, and tell 
a joke that was worth repeating. There 
are, I have heard, different opinions as 
to the nature and number of the qualities 
that constitute an excellent character. 
Michael, therefore, may not have been 
such an estimable young man. I am, 
however, correct in saying that he was 
at least honest, manly and affectionate ; 
that he endeavoured to please his father 
in every respect, and to earn the good 
opinion of his friends. 

Mary's nose was the shape of Daddy's. 
Otherwise she was the counterpart of 
her mother. She was one year younger 
than Michael, although, seeing them 
together, you would not have thought 
so. Mary, generally serious, looked 

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fully four years older. If Michael, 
merely drinking his sugar and water 
in the mornings, had found it necessary 
to entreat Providence to remove his 
aunt Matilda, Mary, whose life was 
more or less confined to the house, had 
had special cause to regret the un- 
timely death of her mother. But for 
this sad circumstance, her aunt Matilda 
would have remained at her hut fatten- 
ing and tormenting other people until 
she died. Daddy, however, was obliged 
to avail himself of Matilda's assistance, 
as he felt he could not himself properly 
care the children, and as it was against 
his principle to invite a strange woman 
to sleep in his apartments. Mary first 
objected, with good reason, to the way 
in which her aunt Matilda applied a 

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' fine teeth ' comb daily to her hair. 
No notice was taken of the knots. 
In the course of a few months, there- 
fore, Mary became, to some extent, 
bald headed. Then, although she had 
entered her teens, her aunt insisted on 
making her dresses, with the result 
that the arm holes were invariably too 
large. One dress, Mary had the mis- 
fortune to hear someone say, was all 
arm hole. Even her father knew that 
her aunt Matilda was not to be trusted 
with the needle, because she sewed 
a button to his collar band which 
suddenly left it half an hour afterwards, 
in church, just as the bell stopped. 
Besides, her aunt Matilda was extrava- 
gant. To fry a dozen sprats, for 
example, she used a pint of cocoanut 
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oil. To sweeten her mug of coffee 

she used, twice a day, a tablespoonful 

of sugar. Coffee, she declared, could 

never be too sweet. After insisting 

for a long time that she could, she 

at last admitted that she could not boil 

an e gg- When, asserting that it was 

hard, she broke it boldly, it turned out 

to be quite soft, and, perhaps, the 

yoke fell upon the table. When, on the 

other hand, believing it to be soft, she 

cracked it carefully, it sometimes could 

scarcely leave the shell. Washing, she 

would leave the soap in the water until 

it wasted. Also she ground her teeth at 

nights, and, during the day, ate like an 

elephant. Altogether her aunt Matilda 

caused her much unhappiness, but Mary, 

as far as she was able, held her peace. 

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Concerning Mary's appearance there 
could be but one opinion ; it was re- 
fined. Tall and delicate like her 
mother, she had a figure lacking neither 
dignity nor grace ; and whenever I saw 
her, she was dressed like a lady. 
Mary's large black eyes were the 
prettiest I have ever seen. Generally 
speaking, a brother is wont to declare, 
contrary to fact, that his sister is neither 
good-looking nor amiable. Michael was 
no exception to the rule. His opinion 
of Mary, although not characteristically 
positive and extreme, I could not, with 
any justice to her, set down here. 
Mary had, nevertheless, a pretty face, 
and she was as sweet tempered as her 
mother. In company she must ever 
take the seat that was least conspicu- 

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ous, and she was not to be seen at 
an unwomanly gathering, or on a 
questionable occasion. Ah, Mary, to 
think that eventually you should have 
experienced such an unholy thing, you, 
who grew in righteousness and truth, 
abiding by the Scriptures and knowing 
no evil ; you, whose thoughts were whiter 
than the white lily, you, whose love was 
lovelier than the rose ! But I anticipate. 

In affection Mary was not found 
insincere by even her aunt Matilda, 
but she was, naturally, devoted to her 
father, and spent most of her time 
securing him those comforts which he 
needed. Wherefore of his two children, 
of whom he was justly proud, Daddy 
loved more the younger, Mary. 



i oo 



ZACCHEUS METTLE 
ADDRESSES A MEETING 



CHAPTER VI 

ZACCHEUS METTLE ADDRESSES A MEETING 

T AM not likely to forget that Satur- 
day evening, the fifteenth of June, 
when, by the light of a few puny 
tallow candles and a tin kerosene lamp 
that smoked abominably, Zacche spoke 
at length on the ways of women. For 
a long while men like Daddy, Tilbert 
and Binn, who were fathers, and Uttock, 
Phillips and Burnet, who hoped to be 
in that important position before they 
died, had been having their ears troubled 

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by certain most disrespectful statements 
affecting ' de soft sex them ' and wedlock 
generally, for which statements, as every- 
body knew, Zacche Mettle, the tailor, 
was responsible. So, one morning, 
these men came to the conclusion that 
the time had arrived when Zacche 
should, publicly, either apologise for 
all he had said, or emphasise his views 
to his everlasting disgrace. A meeting 
was therefore arranged, at which, how- 
ever, Zacche was very kindly asked to 
treat the subjects or subject as he 
considered best. According to Zacche's 
idea, the arrangement was excellent. 
He, too, had for a long while not only 
been hearing but seeing things which 
greatly distressed him, and he had been 
patiently waiting the hour and the 

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company when and before whom he 
could deliver his views to the best 
advantage. He could easily have ar- 
ranged his own meeting, but how many 
would have attended ? Now, however, 
the platform had been placed for him ; 
the long-desired opportunity had been 
given to him, and speak he would 
' sutt'nly, like a man.' So anxious, 
indeed, was he to facilitate the arrange- 
ments for the meeting that he offered 
to provide the lights, which, however, 
as I have hinted, were lights that 
failed. His work - table he said would 
hold twelve persons sitting back to 
back. But this offer was declined with 
thanks. 

It rained heavily nearly the whole of 
the day, and at eight o'clock precisely 

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when, I was informed, the meeting would 
be opened there was water everywhere 
and the heavens showed no star. But as 
I knew that this was no uncommon 
weather, I picked my path as speedily as 
I could to the tailor shop where, sure 
enough, several had already gathered. 
Zacche arrived late, fully intending to 
apologise, but, learning that they only 
required light, he changed his mind. 
The shop, for some reason or other, still 
leaked appreciably, and the difficulty was 
so to seat the people that they did not 
get wet. After Hooper had heard all 
the suggestions, he observed simply that 
there was such a thing as odd numbers 
sitting under a table. The few, therefore, 
who were subject to cold, or who suffered 
from rheumatism, sat under the table. 

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Phillips, being the tallest, steadied the 
kerosene lamp on the top of his head. 
The candles, stuck in the necks of empty 
rum bottles, stood in line upon the table. 
In the semi-darkness many expressions 
could not be denned. Indeed, the coal- 
black faces in the corners of the shop 
could scarcely be seen, but the teeth of 
those who grinned seemed very white. 
The shadows on the walls were curious. 
There was little ceremony. At the com- 
mencement of these proceedings, it was 
the custom for the chairman to inquire 
whether or no the company were comfort- 
ably seated. On this occasion, therefore, 
Daddy called out, ' Hellick Binn, is you 
all right ? ' to which Binn, whose seat 
satisfied him, replied, ' First - class, Missa 
Daddy.' 'John Scott, my son, you have 

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the mark?' 'Thank you kindly, Missa 
Daddy,' and so on ; after which Zacche 
was asked to address the meeting. Zacche 
had availed himself of an exalted position, 
standing on a box on the table, with the 
candles for footlights, and he was not 
unembarrassed. Indeed, Burnet declared 
that, in the clearing of Zacche's throat, 
the first five words were lost, but that 
was not so, for Zacche spoke plainly, and 
here is what he said : 

' Well, gentlemen, sutt'nly I am no great 
speaker.' (Cries of ' Don't mind that side 
man ; ' ' Whichen we all know you is,' and, 
from under the table, ' Don't keep we 
too long all you do, my son.') ' Sutt'nly, 
as I say, I am no great or wonderful 
orator, but I am to give my views here 
this night, whichen is de identical truth 

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from my experience, and what I have 
really heard in a great matter. And, 
sutt'nly, I have much pleasure, gentlemen, 
in speaking here this night upon de said 
great subject. (Mind you' head and that 
lamp, Needlecase.) Well, gentlemen, sutt'nly 
de subject is de ways of such persons as 
women, and de first thing, de correctest 
thing is, I think, for me just to give 
you a short description, from my own 
mind, of what such a person as a woman 
is. A woman, gentlemen, is a female.' 
(' Whichen is de truth,' cried the company, 
and there was much applause). 'And a 
female is sutt'nly a creature with a temper, 
a long tongue and a terrible weakness to 
wear every sailor hat and print frock her 
eye take a fancy upon.' (Sensation). 
' Sutt'nly, there are all kinds of woman. 

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There is short woman and tall woman ; 
thin woman and stout woman ; woman 
with teeth (mostly jaw teeth) and woman 
without any teeth at all. But I am 
speaking of de generality of women 
them ; de woman that we meet every 
day whichen is de ordinary woman.' 

' Like Rachel Uttock ? ' said someone 
mischievously. 

' Cho,' said Binn, pettishly, 'all of you 
keep you'self quiet now ; don't turn us 
from de course of de man argument.' 

' Zacche, my son,' observed Daddy, who 
looked sleepy, ' I don't deny you really 
make a good start, although I does not 
see my way yet to agree with you. 
Howsomever, proceed.' 

' This creature, woman,' Zacche pro- 
ceeded, ' is like a lucky bag whichen 

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small children buy for a quattie' (i|d.) 
' because it has a pretty face upon it, and, 
because it is supposed to contain first- 
class sugar plums and, maybe, such a 
thing as a diamond ring. But what do 
de said children find ? Sutt'nly, I say, 
what do they find ? De sugar plum all 
make out of plaster of Paris, and de 
ring well, sutt'nly, that is a kind of a 
hoop for de finger having de likeness of 
a ring and made out of a cheap brass 
wire. Gentlemen, it is no diamond ring 
at all.' (Cries of ' For true, for true, 'pon 
my word.') ' But, gentlemen, what can 
you expect for a so-so quattie? How- 
somever, that is another matter. In de 
beginning a woman was made from de 
ribs of a man, Adam by name, whichen 
we read of in de second chapter of 

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Genesis de twenty second verse (correct 
me, Missa Daddy, if I am wrong), and 
de said woman she was made perfect 
and knew no evil whatsoever. But she 
listened to all de word de serpent say, 
whichen we notice in de third chapter 
of Genesis de sixth verse, therefore she 
becomes to know evil, to teach evil, to 
do evil, to even have de great likeness 
of evil ; and she have all those particular 
faculties down to this very day. A 
woman is de most perfect living instance of 
pure contraryness. Altogether, gentlemen, 
a woman is a petticoat full of powerful de- 
struction.' (Sensation and sighs). ' Sutt'nly, 
gentlemen, I hope I don't fatigue you ? ' 

No one was feeling fatigued, so Zacche 
continued, 

' Well, sutt'nly, we come now to de ways 

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of women. A woman, gentlemen, has 
more ways than wants whichen that is 
saying an awful thing, for, sutt'nly, a 
woman lives to want. In fact, there is 
no counting a woman's ways. De more I 
live, de more you live, de more we all 
live, we are convinced that there is no 
end or specification to a woman's ways. 
Now, there are many old ways, but there 
are a heap of new ways. Sutt'nly, de old 
ways are bad ways, but, O Lord, de new 
ways is de worst ways. Mind you, Hellick 
Binn, hear me good what I am saying 

' But you is an idle man, though,' replied 
Binn. 'Who says I'm not hearing you?' 

. ' Nothing, nothing, my friend,' said 

Zacche quickly, ' no damage, no damage* 

I only refer to you because you' face 

was before me when I pronounced de 

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said words. Howsomever, as I was 
saying, there is no end to a woman's 
ways. But, may be, you would really 
like to know what is a woman's ways. 
Well, sutt'nly, I will tell you. But 
before I begin I will thank you kindly, 
Scotty, to pass me that can of lime water 
in de corner there. To talk 'pon such 
a thing as woman is enough to give an 
iron man a dry throat. . . . Thank 
you, brother, thank you. . . . Well, 
now, sutt'nly, we come to de ways of 
woman. A woman, gentlemen, will make 
an affidavit that she loves you to de 
bottom of her soul, and really she has 
no more feeling for you than a croak- 
ing lizard has for a turkey cock. That 
is one way, and, sutt'nly, that is a very 
common way. A woman will say she 

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don't love you in , de least when, all de 
time, she is really worshipping you down 
to even such a thing as you' smallest 
toe nail. Sutt'nly, that is an extra- 
ordinary way, but it is a way all de 
same. When a woman is introduced to 
a man she can only see his pockets 
them, making a note, first of all, of de 
size, and then whether those pockets 
look as if they are accustomed to carry 
money. Now, whether she will recog- 
nise him when she see him de second 
time especially to remember his name 
depends entirely upon that. Well, 
sutt'niy, that's another way. Supposing 
de man pockets look as if they can carry 
something better than copper, well, then 
de woman becomes most awfully sweet 
and give him such a fascinating conver- 



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sation, that de poor fellow generally 
forget her eye is still 'pon him pocket, 
and he doesn't see, sutt'nly, that very 
often her hand come quite close to de 
said pocket them.' 

'Then,' said Tilbert indignantly, 'does 
you mean to insinuate, does you mean 
to say that she is most like a thief?' 

There was now something of a com- 
motion, caused chiefly by three men who, 
as the shop had stopped leaking, must 
creep from under the table to stretch 
their legs. When order was restored, 
and Zacche had again sipped the lemon 
water, he replied that he meant ' some- 
thing of de kind,' but that the said ex- 
pression was what might be called 'an 
illustration example, meaning, sutt'nly, a 
figure of speech.' 

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'Although,' pursued Zacche, 'women 
have been real thieves whichen I can 
prove. I say, gentlemen, that de woman 
will keep on fascinating that poor man 
till he has to confess that he love her ; 
then, sutt'nly, from that said day land 
crab in hot water is nothing to him. 
First is de pair of boots (generally five 
shillings of you' hard, hard savings), 
then de glove, then de bangles, then de 
rings, then well, sutt'nly, hell. And 
that's de long and de short of it. What 
is marriage ? Marriage is de 

' Utter ruination of de man for ever 
and ever, amen ! ' exclaimed Uttock, who 
could not contain himself. 

'Sutt'nly,' said Zacche, 'that is well 
spoken. Well, Sam did not take my 
advice, whichen you all know I gave 

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him, and, gentlemen, you hear what he 
has to say. Sutt'nly, he can tell you de 
X Y Z plus de A B C of de ways of 
one woman, if no other. Howsomever, 
I shall proceed.' 

But he could not, for, just then, Scott 
called out that there were 'two tall, 
female persons' at the door, who asked 
to be kindly admitted. 

' Give de gals them room,' said Tilbert, 
without a second's hesitation. ' For why 
not ? De women come to defend them- 
selves, and they should certainly be privi- 
leged to say a few words.' 

' No such thing,' shouted Zacche. 
' Sutt'nly not ; although de devil, or his 
cousin them, is always suppose to be 
present at a meeting.' 

' Ah, Zacche, my son, my son,' said 

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Daddy, ' don't talk so lightly of such an 
awful person.' 

' Whichen is woman,' replied Zacche ; 
' whichen is one of those women, sutt'nly, 
now outside de door. Well, gentle- 
men' (Cries of 'Order, Order'), 'Well, 
gentlemen, de ways of a woman we 
have seen are not straight ways, but 
crooked ways and wicked ways. Hi, a 
female, whichen is a woman (don't forget 
that), a female, my dear friends, will have 
every comfort, every joy, and is yet 
dressing up herself at de expense of de 
poor man. One female I know have a 
way to wear her husband's full suit of 
clothes, as well as her own frock, to de 
market 'pon rainy mornings, while de 
poor fellow have to remain in his room, 
feeling a most miserable coldness without 

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his clothes. Another female has a way, 
whenever she mends her husband's 
trousers, to leave de needle in it, whichen, 
de poor man confess to me, cause him a 
lot of uneasiness of de mind as well as 
de body. But, sutt'nly, these are simple 
ways. De chief and most destructive 
way is how a woman can inveigle a man 
to marry her ; how a woman can make 
every sort of elevation to get a man to 
give her all he has, and then, suddenly, 
how she can turn round and give him 
roast horse plantain, cayenne pepper and 
mustard plaster all roll into one, without 
a rest. All you old men here present 
this night want to know de ways of 
women ? Then consider what you have 
experienced ; consider all de trouble and 
de expense and de devilnation generally 

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from first to last, every day, every 
week, every month, every year, till you 
is now well and tired of life and crav- 
ing de grave ! Sutt'nly, I excuse Missa 
Daddy, because Miss Lucy was really 
an angel, God bless her two pickney 
them. Howsomever, a good woman, 
like a good fit, is de fortune of de few. 
And I say you young men be careful ; 
learn, or make an effort to learn, de ways 
of women before you consent to say boo 
to one of them. Sutt'nly, single life is lone- 
some, but marriage bite worse than jackass.' 

' Zacche, my son ' 

' Sutt'nly,' pursued Zacche, in the face 
of Daddy's interruption, ' woman is useful, 
but so is dildo, whichen, as you know, 
makes a really first-class fence, but has 
more prickle and " macca," and is more 

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ruinous to de flesh of a human person 
than plenty people can have a conception 
of. Woman, I say, is useful, but so is 
dildo ; woman is amusing, but so is 
monkey, whichen is more deceitful than 
any other animal in this world ; woman 
walk softly, but so do snake and scorpion ; 
woman mean well, and so do black spiders ; 
woman is attentive, but so is sand fly and 
mosquitto ; woman is bewitching, but so, 
by all accounts, is de very devil himself.' 
(General uneasiness.) 'Therefore, my dear 
friends, de whole thing resolve itself into 
this have nothing whatsoever to do with 
such a person as a woman. You, Alex- 
ander Binn, Augustus Tilbert, Samuel 
Uttock and others, whichen I shall not 
name, that married and hang up already-- 
well, sutt'nly, there is nothing to be done 

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for you in this world, although you can 
pray hard that you might not long con- 
tinue subjects of such a misfortune, whichen 
is simply to pray that either party, either 
you or she, may soon cease to have an 
existence. But you courting gentlemen, 
who are not yet married and tied up, 
remember Samuel Uttock, I say. He is 
here present this night with a sorrowful 
face merely as an example. In conclusion 
I will tell you there are two particular 
things for a sensible man to avoid in this 
life, namely, poison of any sort and mar- 
riage. But sutt'nly poison is better than 
marriage, because in de one case you 
don't have time to see you' mistake before 
you know nothing and all is peace, while 
in de other case you not 'only see you' 
mistake, but you live with it, and you' two 

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eye them is constantly upon it, and that, 
my son, is equal to all de fire and brim- 
stone and hot lead and de extra special 
boilingnation and more down below, 
whichen we all have been cautioned about 
from de first day when we were born.' 
(Great excitement and loud talking, at 
the commencement of which two candles 
promptly went out, the tin kerosene lamp 
tried to damage the head of Needlecase, 
and Tilbert and another, in evident dis- 
gust, left the shop.) Then I heard the 
voice of Daddy, clear and resonant, 

'Children, calm you'self; calm you'self, 
children. There is always two sides to 
a question. You have heard Zacche's ; 
well, you have yet to hear mine, whichen 
I will certainly give you, please God, at 
a suitable time by-and-by. In de mean- 

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time, hear well what I say - - there is 
woman and woman. Not every woman is 
alike ; Zacche himself says so. But may 
be, may be, I say, you will think kindly 
of all women, because well, because that 
person that loved you and cared you from 
de days when you was little, that person 
(think of it !), whom you did love better 
than anybody in this world, she your 
own dear kind mother ah, remember, she 
was a woman.' 

But Zacche had something further to say. 

' Sutt'nly,' he observed, immediately 
Daddy had finished speaking, 'sutt'nly I 
think we have had enough of woman. 
Now, gentlemen, I want to show you all 
a coat whichen 

Here nearly everyone stood up. Needle 
case sat down. He wanted to know, he 

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said, what showing a coat had to do with 
the ways of woman. Daddy bid good-night. 
Indeed, there was a general expression of 
dissatisfaction, and Zacche was obliged to 
postpone the exhibition of his coat. 

'That is nothing like de ways of 
woman,' said a voice, astonishingly femi- 
nine. 

' No,' replied Hooper huskily, ' that is 
quite true, but it is everything like de 
ways of man, especially a little man with 
sense, like Zacche. Hi, of course, I 
thought you all knew that. And now, 
gentlemen, I wish you all a pleasant 
night's rest. I, at least, am going home 
(I don't know what you all going to do), 
for de oil in de lamp is done.' 

So the meeting broke up, each man 
moving straightway to his abode. 

126 



A 'YOUNG LADY' 



CHAPTER VII 

A ' YOUNG LADY ' 

T)ORT ANTONIO, in those days, had 
few ' young ladies,' or Zacche must 
soon have been teased to perdition. But 
of these young ladies so called because 
they were of a fast set Irene, or, as 
she was commonly called, 'Hireen' Mac- 
gregor, was perhaps the most notorious. 
Irene was interesting and no mistake. 
Although her hair was cut close because, 
even soaked in castor oil, it was difficult 
to comb, and although she had long arms 
and a mouth which I am glad I am not 
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compelled to describe, she contrived to 
win admirers who considered her beauti- 
ful. Daddy it was, I believe, who took 
a fancy to her as a child in the Sunday 
school, and who superintended her train- 
ing so successfully that she was able to 
obtain a situation as nurse to the doctor's 
children. After a time, however, influ- 
enced by a cousin, who was a good-look- 
ing scamp, she left this employment to 
make a fortune in Colon, where, as it 
happened, she lost all she had, gained an 
unenviable reputation as a 'young lady,' 
then fell ill and nearly died, and was 
obliged to return to Port Antonio. 

Why Irene should have shown such a 
desire to be in Zacche's company could 
not at first be understood. He was by 
no means a dandy, nor, according to his 

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creed, could he have been fond of her. 
Martin, the doctor's coachman, a popular 
'young gentleman,' but mean and jealous, 
protested that Irene bothered with Zacche 
'only because he allowed she to keep play 
'pon his money.' Hooper, however, who 
knew Zacche intimately, made fun of the 
remark. Zacche, as a matter of fact, had 
no money to keep, and absolutely nothing 
for anyone to 'keep play upon.' Besides, 
as everyone said, he had little confidence 
in women. At all events, Irene was dis- 
covered comfortably seated in the tailor 
shop on more than one occasion. Irene 
was caught mixing lime juice and sugar 
and water for the man to drink who de- 
clared that women were worse than 
poison, and this was a great matter. But 
Zacche was wide awake. The truth is, 



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Irene was of use to him, and, what 
would not then have been believed, he 
was a great admirer of * de soft sex 
them.' 

It will be remembered that in the heat 
of the meeting, when Zacche was making 
some most eloquent observations, Scott 
stopped him to announce that two tall 
female persons at the door kindly asked 
admission. Irene was one of them. She 
had thoroughly discussed the subject on 
which Zacche was to speak, and had re- 
solved, on gaining admission, to say a few 
words on behalf of her much-abused sex. 
Foiled in this excellent purpose, however, 
she determined to see Zacche, the rascal, 
as soon as possible, and to give him 
beans. Also she wanted to borrow a 
bangle, of some value, and pretty, which 

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Zacche possessed. On the following 
morning, therefore, she walked boldly 
into the tailor shop, to the astonishment 
of Zacche, who believed that she was on 
a visit to a cousin who was married and 
lived in Manchioneal. So astonished in- 
deed was Zacche that he closed the 
scissors at the wrong place on a sleeve 
and completely spoilt it. 

' See here,' said Irene, 'why you wouldn't 
let me in last night, eh ? . . . Just look 
at him, de picture of a rat bat.' 

Zacche held up the sleeve. 

' Well, sutt'nly,' said he, ' I think I 
would say good - morning whichen is 
manners.' 

' Well, see here,' said Irene, ' good- 
morning, good - morning, good - morning, 
good-morning, Mista Zacche ; I hope you 

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are well and in good health both in body 
and mind and soul. There, you satisfied 
now?' And she sat down beside him. 

' I thank you, please, to get up,' said 
Zacche. ' Get up, I say ; sutt'nly I don't 
allow any female person to consider herself 
on a seating with me.' 

Irene rose and stood in front of him. 

' But what's de matter with you, eh ? ' 
she exclaimed. ' You turn stupid or what ? 
See here, please to answer my question, 
why you wouldn't let me in last night ? . . . 
Missa Zacche, I am speaking to you.' 

Zacche still silently examined the sleeve. 

' Missa Zacche,' said Irene presently, 
' how much you would charge me to make 
me a trousers ? ' 

' To make you a what ? ' said Zacche, 
dropping the sleeve. 

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'A trousers,' said Irene; 'a trousers. 
True and true. No fun, I am really 
going to wear trousers now.' 

' Look here, gal,' exclaimed Zacche, ' come 
out my shop this blessed morning. Hireen 
Macgregor, I say leave me alone, with 
you' pure idleness and nonsense. Sutt'nly, 
from I born I never hear a female person 
have such an inclination as to wear such 
a thing as trousers.' 

' And I want your best broadcloth,' 
said Irene seriously. 

' Well, sutt'nly,' said Zacche, ' maybe 
you want de trousers for you' cousin 
husband (whichen he is a man), and 
sutt'nly, I say, if he can wear a trousers, 
he can seek de price of one for himself.' 

' That is none of your business,' replied 
Irene. 'You is a tailor man, and I 

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supposed to ask you anything about 
garments them that I like with you' 
forwardness.' 

' Make I measure you then,' said 
Zacche. 

Irene had not anticipated this move, 
and it considerably affected her plans. 
In her embarrassment she sat down, but 
immediately rose and backed out of the 
shop, for Zacche, tape-line in hand, was 
evidently bent on business. 

'Stop it, I say,' she cried, 'see here, 
stop it, I say. Stop it now ; no nonsense. 
I am not making a piece of fun. Please 
to leave me alone, and let me go on 
with what I am asking you. You 
ought to be ashamed of you'self. Hi, 
you well and forward. Am I playing 
with you ? ' 

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* Well, sutt'nly, come now,' said the little 
tailor, plainly put out, ' come now, stop 
you' talking. I have no business with 
you here. Walk out of my shop, I say ! 
Sutt'nly whichen is more indecent, you to 
come here to ask me to make you a 
trousers, or me to request you to make 
me measure you ? ' 

' Done, done, see here, done,' pleaded 
Irene, 'done, my sweetie marsa; my 
sugar candy, I beg you' pardon. Don't 
mind about de trousers. Make us forget 
all about it. See here, I was only making 
fun 'pon my word, Hi, now, could I 
wear trousers? After I am not a 
male.' 

1 Well, sutt'nly, you is now talking like a 
sensible person,' said Zacche, 'although you 
is nothing but a female don't forget that 

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so you may sit down upon that said box 
there for a short space of time.' 

So far then Irene had not succeeded in 
giving Zacche beans. But she must tease 
him a little more. 

' Missa Zacche,' said she presently, in 
her sweetest tones, ' you think you would 
have let me in last night if if I did give 
my name ? ' 

' No, suttn'ly not, suttn'ly not/ said 
Zacche. 

'But why?' asked Irene. 

Zacche diligently sewed. 

' Why ? You mean to say you can't 
just give me an answer ? ' 

He looked at her, and then, without 
the least warning, fired this explanation 
into her face. 

' Well no, sutt'nly, because, in de first 

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place, you is a moving engine of excite- 
ment and destructive contraryness and all 
maliciousness, otherwise a female person.' 

Irene stood up. 

' Secondly, because you, Hireen Mac- 
gregor, de said person, is de most excitest 
and de most destructive contraryest female 
person that I know ; and thirdly, because 
from de last point of you' toe nail to de 
last length of de hair of you' head, you 
is one and de same spirit of evil, badness, 
wickedness, damnation, deceitfulness and 
dog curiosity.' 

The girl seemed stunned by the mere 
volley of words, but presently she had 
not only recovered her wits, but framed 
the following reply. 

' Cho, man, I am a woman, a woman, 
a woman.' 

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' Well, sutt'nly, so you are, my friend, 
so you are ; and a woman is a female, 
and a female is a person, and a person 
is well,' said Zacche, ' a person, sutt'nly, 
is de devil whichen we all know.' 

'And I am a beautiful woman,' added 
Irene. 

'And who,' cried Zacche, 'who says 
so besiden you'self, my friend ? Who 
says so? Who ' 

He paused, for, in his excitement, he 
dropped his needle and must look for 
it. 

'Well, now,' said he, 'sutt'nly, you 
see, talking to you I have lost my 
needle.' 

' No, indeed you haven't,' said Irene, 
' here it is.' And, picking it up, she handed 
it to him. 

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' When a person ' began Zacche. 

'Well, certainly, I think I would say 
" thank you," which is manners,' said 
Ire*ne. 

Zacche was instantly on his feet and 
bowed low. 

' I ask you' pardon/ said he. ' Sutt'nly, 
Miss Hireen Macgregor, I thank you.' 

But in this effort to be courteous his 
work fell to the ground, and on taking 
it up again he was not a little distressed 
to find that a portion of the serge was 
soiled. Irene was not inclined to be 
sympathetic. She had visited Zacche 
principally to give him beans, had utterly 
failed to do so, and was, therefore, glad 
of any circumstance that annoyed him. 
But Irene was bent upon having the 
bangle, and so she must adopt an attitude 

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to this end. Zacche, on the other hand, 
guessed that Irene wanted him to do her 
a favour, and he was determined to do 
no such thing. He would, however, 
make use of her. Here, then, was a 
little game being played between these 
two people, and it is interesting to see 
which of them succeeded. It was now 
in Irene's mind to coax Zacche, not, 
however, at the expense of what she 
considered to be her dignity and self- 
respect, and she waited until he had 
spoken. 

'Look here,' said he bitterly, ''pon my 
word, these female person them is a cuss 
and no mistake. Well, look here, sutt'nly, 
I don't want to be ill-mannered and hurt 
you' feelings, but I wish I never could 
see such a gal as you again. From you 

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come here this blessed morning first you 
make me spoil a sleeve whichen de 
said sleeve is before your eyes then 
you nearly make me lose my one good 
fine - thread needle, and then you keep 
on annoying me, and annoying me, and 
annoying me Look here, sutt'nly you 
is hell!' 

' But who you is helling ? ' snapped 
Irene. 'Who de deuce you is helling? 
But see here, what you is forming at all ? 
You ever see what you' face favour ? 
Who prevent you from sleep last night ? 
. . . For true, though, it's so male stay 
when they can't sleep at night.' 

' And sutt'nly you would know all about 
it,' said Zacche quietly. 

'If I know all about it?' said Irene. 
' What you mean ? ' 

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' Sutt'nly, de said thing I say,' re- 
plied Zacche. 

' What did you say ? ' she asked. 
' Indeed, you don't know what you said. 
I suppose you will tell me you sleep well 
at night now ? ' 

' Well, sutt'nly, I do not,' he answered, 
with a mischievous twinkle, ' whichen 
you should know.' 

' Oh, go to the devil with you' forward- 
ness,' cried Irene. ' What I know about 
you? I have anything to do with 
you? ' 

Zacche yawned. It was time, he 
thought, that he went on with his work. 

O ' 

So he said : 

' I thank you kindly to move out of 
de light. Sutt'nly you is good - looking, 
all de same I can't see through you.' 

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Irene was tickled. Nevertheless, sur- 
veying him, she sneered : 

' Humph, and you is really beautiful, 
and lovely, and sweet, all to you' nose.' 
Then, smiling, she added, ' But see here, 
never mind, you want me to mix some 
lime juice for you ? ' 

Zacche looked at her. 

' Sutt'nly, I have no objection,' he said. 

Irene now seemed in excellent humour, 
and soon made the drink. Handing it 
to him she was a little disappointed to 
see that he did not immediately swallow 
it. Having, however, done him a kind- 
ness, she had no hesitation in saying : 

' See here, I am taking de bangle 
again, do you hear? You will lend it 
to me ? ' 

' Well, sutt'niy,' said he, ' you don't do 



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scarcely a thing from morning. For 
example, de brush is back of de door, 
de dirt is on de floor and 

Irene needed no second hint. She took 
the brush and the bit of old corn bag 
that served as a duster, and, in less than 
ten minutes, she made the place as clean 
and tidy as it could be. 

1 Well,' said Irene. 

But Zacche answered not. 

Then Irene, thinking to spite him, 
stepped out of the shop and bid him 
good-morning. 

' I am leaving, do you hear ? ' 

'Mind you'self,' was the unexpected 
reply, which meant : many thanks for all you 
have done, very many thanks for all you 
intended to do, hope you will get home 
safely, hope to heaven I shall never see 

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your face again - - which meant a good 
deal, of course. 

' And de bangle ? ' she asked. 

' Sutt'nly, I sold it yesterday,' he said, 
and went on sewing. 



THE PROPHET, SARAH 



CHAPTER VIII 

THE PROPHET, SARAH 

QARAH HUTCHINSON, an attentive 
* ' girl in the Sunday school, was con- 
firmed before she was fourteen years old, 
and from that day Christ Church, Port 
Antonio, knew no more enthusiastic 
member. Like Michael and a score of 
others, Sarah had had trouble with the al- 
phabet, and would have retreated from the 
field had not her ambition urged her to 
victory. That was a sweet story about 
the Lord Jesus Christ, and she would read 
it for herself. Her chief ambition, how- 



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ever, was to save souls for the Master's 
kingdom. Had Daddy been the beadle 
in those days he would have warned 
Sarah against ' de pride and temper and 
general contraryness and misery that comes 
of a too free reading of such a powerful 
book as de Bible,' but Pine, who was old 
and saw little, said nothing. So Sarah 
spelt and stumbled from Genesis to 
Revelations and from Revelations to 
Genesis, backwards and forwards, until 
there came a day when she decided to 
have a prayer - meeting on her own 
account. Mother Bet has assured me that 
the idea gave pleasure to them all. Mr 
Denbore, the rector at that time, was 
greatly in favour of it. He thought it a 
fine example set by a sincere Christian, 
to whom the Lord had given spirit with 



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the understanding also, and he said 
Sarah's modesty withal pleased him much. 
But at last the woman was carried away 
by the sublimity of her work, by the 
magnificence of the message she was 
charged to deliver, and suddenly, one 
Saturday morning, she commenced to 
prophesy. It occurred in the market, 
where Sarah kept a stall, and where, 
when she was not making or ' crying ' sugar 
candy, she sold ground provisions and 
fruit. 

The market was full. Binn, who had 
beached a fine canoe-load of fish, stood in 
his usual place by the south gate, and was 
endeavouring to convince the rector's cook 
that, for sixpence, two small live snappers 
were better than five large dead ones. 
Elliot, the butcher, switch in hand, and a 

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little mongrel were settling a difference on 
the subject of a bone, and there was another 
dog looking on compassionately. * Mass 
Jim' was carefully weighing ground coffee 
to be put in little paper bags for retail, 
while a boy on his left served cheap 
cheese to those who called for it. Seated 
on an old mahogany chair, beside a stall 
on which were a bucket of water and 
dozens of bottled cool drink, Mother Bet 
was polishing her teeth with a chewstick, 
when there was a loud cry, followed by 
the words, shrilly uttered, 

' I say that now, now, now de time has 
come when you must turn from your sins. 
Judgment is coming, my dear, sweet, 
sisters and brothers. O repent ye, re- 
pent ye, for de Kingdom of Heaven is 
at hand ! ' 

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Surrounded by heaps of yam, plantain, 
cocoa, breadfruit, kallaloo, akee, limes, 
naseberries and other fruit, her head tied 
with a large white handkerchief, Sarah 
Hutchinson, the prophet, stood waving her 
hands to a number of people, chiefly 
women, who were gazing at her. 

' O yes, O yes/ she pursued, ' the King- 
dom of Heaven is at hand, prepare ye, 
prepare ye the way for de coming of de 
Lord ! O all ye people that have lived 
in iniquity and sin, O all ye people cover 
you' face, turn you' head from de ever- 
lasting fire that is before you ! The 
trumpet shall sound, the bugles shall blow, 
the heavens shall open, and you shall see 
de Lord in glory, and you shall be called 
upon for judgment. Wherefore I say unto 
you, repent ye, repent ye, before it is 

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indeed too late. He that believeth in 
me 

' Never mind, never mind," said Mother 
Bet, who, directly she heard the cry, had 
pushed her way through the crowd to 
Sarah's elbow, 'never mind, never mind, 
my daughter. Never mind sh sh sh 
that will do. Done, done ; we is all well 
acquainted with our iniquity and sin, and 
we are really praying to de Lord for for- 
giveness. Done, done, you hear? Don't 
say anything more.' 

Then addressing the crowd she said : 

' But who disturb her? Who raise her? 
Rachel Uttock, and you, Miss Hireen, you 
couldn't go you' ways and leave de poor 
creature alone ? ' 

At that moment Irene was more con- 
cerned with the movements of the doctor's 

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coachman, whom she saw in the distance, 
than with either Sarah or Mother Bet ; 
consequently she took no notice of what 
the latter said. Rachel, however, replied 
not a little angrily : 

1 See here, I beg you please to leave 
me alone this blessed morning. You see 
me interfering with her? You see me 
have any conversation with anybody ? 
After I just just this minute come 
here. I thank you kindly to leave me 
alone.' 

' See here,' said another woman, ' don't 
have no contention, See here, Mother 
Bet, for true and true, Rachel Uttock 
have nothing to do with it. Ask Miss 
Sarah, and let her tell you.' 

Sarah, on the interruption of Mother 
Bet, had resumed her seat, tying the white 

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handkerchief more securely round her head, 
but when she heard her name called she 
rose quickly, her hands trembling and her 
eyes having the expression of one insane. 

' What are ye all gathering here for ? ' 
she shouted. ' As lambs that come to de 
slaughter? Go your ways, I say, go your 
ways, my children. There is a time 
coming when no man can work. The 
Lord He says I am not of this world, I 
and my Father are one. Eh ? You can 
dispute that? Is that not gospel? Is 
that not, I say, de blessed truth 

' Cho, done, done,' once more inter- 
posed Mother Bet, ' done, Sarah. A ripe 
woman like you should know better. You 
tell us all that already, and, moreover, this 
is not de said time for prayer-meeting.' 
Then, turning to the crowd, she remarked : 

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' Some one of you must have been troubl- 
ing her.' 

'See here, Mother Bet,' said Esther 
Morgan, Binn's cousin, ' see here, you 
hear me, mam, they do trouble her. 
Rebecca Spratt, who you see just gone 
to de beef stall over there, she and 
Hireen and another gal been ask Miss 
Sarah all sort of questions, till de poor 
woman don't know what to say.' 

' Oh, what de devil are you saying ? ' 
said Irene sharply. ' I and you is com- 
pany? You well and forward. What 
you know? It concern you?' 

* Concern me, yes,' snapped Esther. 
' No (was it not) you been ask Miss Sarah 
questions them so make her answer you 
until she bawl out all of a sudden ? ' 

' Well, certainly, it is none of your 

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business,' said Irene stiffly, 'so please to 
walk off. Mother Bet, you make Miss 
Sarah talk, mam. It's talk she want to 
talk.' 

' But, Lord,' exclaimed a little woman 
who had been standing- for some time 
with three plantains in her hand, 'good 
Lord, am I to stand here all de day? 
Miss Sarah, serve me de three gill 
worth of plantain and make me go my 
ways. All of you people have nothing 
to do here, or you would not stand up 
and trouble what don't concern you.' 

' What you want ? ' asked Sarah, almost 
shrieking. 

' Do so so three gills (twopence 
farthing) of plantain,' replied the woman. 
' And, see here, after I am not a pig, 
what you bawl at me for ? Serve me 

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the plantain, I say, and make me go 
my ways.' 

' I am not serving no plantain,' said 
Sarah, grabbing the plantains which the 
woman held. ' I am here to warn you 
all of the wrath that is to come.' And 
she sat down and sighed. 

' Poor thing,' muttered the little woman, 
'she must be mad, she must be mad.' 

' She is mad, yes,' said a boy mis- 
chievously. ' Look 'pon her eye, don't 
you see it favour rolling calf? They 
should take her up and send her home.' 

'You, sir,' exclaimed Mother Bet, 'if I 
hear you say that word again, I give you 
such a flogging that you never forget it.' 

' But who is he ? ' inquired Esther 
Morgan. 

' Is it not Miss Aitcheson last boy 
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pickney?' replied Miss Harris, who knew 
everything, 'and de most hurtful thing 
is, that his father was such a quiet 
man ; don't trouble anybody, and he 
and Miss Sarah been know one another 
well, being they confirm de same day.' 
Then, lowering her voice, she said to 
Mother Bet, ' But you know, Bet, for 
true and true, Sarah eye do look funny. 
I notice it this three days now, and to- 
day she is well and excited.' 

' But she is not mad, mam,' answered 
Mother Bet, 'only they keep on teasing 
her. . . . Sarah,' addressing the prophet, 
' don't you see de creature is waiting 
for her plantain ? ' 

' For it shall be a time of woe,' ob- 
served Sarah, with dignity, 'a time and 
a season of fasting and repentance.' 

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' But ' began Mother Bet. 

4 Not a time of joy,' pursued Sarah, 
' but a time of fasting and repentance. 
In de 4ist chapter of de book of de 
prophet Isaiah ' 

' But done,' pleaded Mother Bet, 
' done ; do my love, done. Don't you 
hear?' 

4 She is mad, yes,' bawled the boy, 
and he dodged under the stall. 

'Mad? No. She no mad.' This was 
a short, slim, Coolie man whom they 
called * Johnson-come-Calcutta.' 'What for 
she mad? Mad? No. . . . Hi, salaam, 
Miss Sarah, salaam. Johnson-come-Cal- 
cutta side hi him buy good kellaloo 
hi ! Give me sixpence wut good kellaloo 
quick ! Sun hot this morning, my 
bakkara' ('backra' or white man). 

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Sarah looked steadily at the Coolie 
for a second or two, and then, smiling, 
handed him the sixpence worth of good 
kallaloo. 

' And quattie ' (three halfpence) ' worth 
of akee for me,' said someone hoarsely. 

' And see here, mam, you make farth- 
ing worth of yam ? ' asked another. 

'Hi, but serve us, can't you!' exclaimed 
a third. 

Sarah, however, staring at the roof of 
the market, seemed to hear no one. 

' Well, 7 observed the akee customer, 
walking away, ' if she don't mad, she 
favour mad, and she can keep her damn 
akee them.' 

Meanwhile the crowd had increased, 
and the opinion was being freely ex- 
pressed that Sarah Hutchinson had gone 

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mad. Daddy, who had come into the 
market by the merest chance, and 
Hooper, who had seen the crowd as he 
passed Binn's stall, approached just as 
the Coolie was leaving. Daddy immedi- 
ately proceeded to gather information, 
but Hooper must first salute Johnson. 

'Hi, Johnson,' said he, 'hi, man, you 
is going very fast with all that kellaloo. 
Let me see what you have there. Hi, 
yes ! ' 

The Coolie grinned, but would not 
stop. Hooper then addressed Irene. 

'Well, now,' said he, 'what's all this, 
what's all this? Hi, Irene gal, you is 
looking as fresh as a lignum vitae 
blossom with a bee upon it. Hi, yes ! 
What you is doing here ? ' 

' See here,' she replied, ' don't ask me 

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anything, for I am not going to answer 
you. See Mother Bet there, ask her.' 

Hooper, however, had no occasion to 
ask, for Sarah again raised her voice. 

'Ye have betrayed me,' she cried. 
' Ye have crucified me, but my blood is 
shed for you all, all, all. So spoke de 
Lord. "Come unto me all ye that 
labour and are heavy laden, and I will 
give you rest." My brethren, I have ex- 
horted you before to walk in righteous- 
ness. I have called upon you to turn 
ye from you' evil ways, but have you 
done so ? Now is de great time coming. 
You will be judged, I say ; you will be 
weighed in de great balance and found 
wanting.' 

'Hi,' said Hooper. ' Gead, she is 
giving us a whole sermon and a bene- 

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diction as well hi, yes! Then she is 
going to tell us all about milk and 
honey, and now that's what I like.' 

But Daddy was much distressed. 
Tears were in his eyes as he laid his 
hand on Sarah's shoulder. 

' My daughter/ said he tenderly, ' let 
us pray together, but not now. Calm 
you'self; de Lord is supporting you. 
Have patience ; indeed, all will be 
well.' 

Sarah listened to him with interest, 
and, when he had finished, said : 

1 All will be well, say you ? But de 
Philistine them is against us. Howsom- 
ever, de race is not to de swift nor de 
battle to de strong ! ' 

Daddy thought he would exercise even 



greater tact. 



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' Miss Hutcheson,' said he, pointing to 
a heap of provisions, ' those are fine 
yams you have there.' 

Sarah smiled. 

' This long time you never come to 
de market, Missa Daddy, till to-day you 
come. Well, I am really pleased to see 
you. You know I have a dream last 
night? Yes, Missa Daddy, it has come 
to pass, and I saw a great, shining 
light, and Moses and Abraham and Isaac 
and Elijah and Paul oh, yes, oh, yes 
and Peter and de whole of them, Jew 
and Gentile. And I get a message 
for de whole of us. What you say to 
that?' 

Daddy did not reply, and Sarah pro- 
ceeded to reheap some provisions which 
had been scattered. The crowd had now 

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satisfied its curiosity, and begun to dis- 
perse. A few pressed closer to Sarah to 
make purchases, and they were not 
long kept waiting. Several, however 
including Daddy, Miss Harris, Esther 
Morgan, Irene Macgregor and Hooper- 
removed to Mother Bet's stall, where, as 
Hooper suggested, they could all give 
sermons upon Sarah at the same time. 
Miss Harris spoke first, and it was while 
Mother Bet uncorked a bottle of 'cool 
drink' for Daddy. 

'You know, Bet,' said Miss Harris, 'I 
really think a woman don't have a natural 
constitution and a mind for preaching, 
and woman them shouldn't study de 
Bible too close, whichen, as is well 
known, it is a very powerful and mysterious 
book. Then, you know, Sarah mother, 

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they say, been dead in a mad-house ; 
and all this reading and preaching and 
de said inheritance from her mother going 
to turn her head for ever and ever, amen.' 
'Miss Bet,' said Daddy, 'your cool 
drink does you credit, whichen all of us 
is prepared to pay you de same com- 
pliment. Miss Harris, I agree with you ; 
woman don't really make for preaching. 
You will remember Missa Blackburn 
sermon de other day. And, mark you, 
Sarah is not a strong woman. Then 
you must remember she has grown up 
in de Church, and confirm in de Church, 
and she has been a member all these 
years all de way from Missa Denbore 
and old Pine and she accustomed to 
prayer meeting, so her mind is constantly 
upon de Gospel without a rest.' 

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' Her mind was upon something else 
already,' remarked Hooper. ' Hi, yes, 
but de something went away with his 
regiment and died in Africa, and that is 
de first time Sarah has such a thing as 
a feeling to prophesy.' 

'See here,' said Irene, 'that is what 
you are always thinking of.' 

' Well, I don't say no,' replied Hooper. 
' De only thing is, of course, we are talk- 
ing about Sarah and not about me.' 

' She don't mad,' protested Mother Bet, 
' but she get well excited, being de morn- 
ing is really warm and they keep on ask 
her questions.' 

' She says she had a dream,' said 
Esther. 'Was that not what she told 
Missa Daddy?' 

'Now, that is pure madness,' observed 

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Miss Harris. 'You think Sarah has eyes 
to see a shining light ? ' 

'Well,' said Hooper, 'I don't know 
about that, for she has just seen Missa 
Daddy, Mother Bet, Irene and myself, 
and we are de shining light for de time 
being of Port Antonio.' 

Irene smiled, and even Mother Bet 
seemed tickled by the compliment, but 
Daddy thought otherwise. 

' Charlie, my son,' said he, looking 
i 

Hooper full in the face, ' you' tongue is 
running easy, but you' heart is heavy. 
Be careful. Don't make sport of poor 
Sarah. She is really an understanding 
woman, really a woman of faith and truth, 
and de Lord will support her.' 

* Hi, yes,' said Hooper, very solemnly. 

4 Then I hear say that for de last 

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three night now she can't sleep at all/ 
Esther informed the company ; ' and I 
hear say she call Missa Blackburn name 
and clap her hands and sing hymns 
them.' 

' Now,' exclaimed a little woman, with 
a ginger-coloured complexion, 'now, that's 
de same thing now ; and that's how some 
people them tell lie. Mother Barnet tell 
me say that she hear say Sarah get up at 
night to receive spirit them. Then she 
clap her hands to tell de spirit when she 
is ready, then they all sing hymns.' 

' But is that not pure foolishness ? ' 
said a girl. ' After spirits them can't 
sing.' 

' Sing, of course,' declared another. 
' What you know about them ? ' 

Esther would gladly have expressed her 

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opinion upon this particular point had 
she not been prevented by ' Mistriss ' 
Walters a fat little gossip who, just at 
this moment, made her way into the 
centre of the crowd. 

' All of you here come with me,' urged 
Mistriss Walters, almost breathless with 
excitement, 'all of you here come with 
me. Come quick ; come hear Miss 
Hutcheson ! My good Miss Bet ' (turn- 
ing to that individual), ' poor Sarah can't 
be in her right senses. . . . Well, well, 
well, look how me an old somebody live 
'till this day to hear yam and plaintain 
and preaching and praying all mix up to- 
gether. All of you come quick ! ' 

Several of the unkind and curious were 
ready to move immediately, but Daddy 
entreated them not to do so. 

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' Mistriss Walters make a mistake,' said 
he, 'whichen she will confess, so I will 
ask you all very kindly to go your ways. 
Don't harrass de poor creature again. . . . 
Hireen, my daughter, show them de way. 
Miss Bet, Broderick here will thank you 
kindly for a pan of cool drink. Esther, 
may be Binn would like to ask you a 
question. Charlie, my son, I will see you 
later. Miss Harris, I will say a few 
words with you if you please, so just 
take a step this side.' 

In this way Daddy soon cleared the 
crowd, and, taking the arm of Miss 
Harris, walked across to Sarah's stall. 
Mistriss Walters had not exaggerated. 
Even before the couple approached close 
enough to be seen, Sarah was heard 
jumbling, in a manner not a little 

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humorous, familiar phrases of Scripture, 
with short sentences common to the 
market. 

* Comfort ye, comfort ye,' she pursued, 
with singular earnestness, ' comfort ye, my 
people saith gal, I sell nothing but dry 
yam, and I sell it cheap. And Paul said 
unto Agrippa Well, if you don't like de 
yam them leave them, I am not begging 
you to buy any. Hi, what a thing now. 
. . . Cast thy bread upon de waters 
and it shall return unto you I say these 
three pieces here for sixpence, those three 
there for sixpence, and these two for 
threepence. It is good dry yam, I tell 
you. . . . Whosoever will ' 

The couple drew a little nearer. 

' Missa Daddy/ whispered Miss Harris, 
' what you think of it, eh ? ' 

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' What I think ? ' replied Daddy sadly. 
'Well, I think and I see till my heart is 
full, Miss Harris. Sarah whichen you 
know she is no common woman Sarah, 
alas ! come this day to a very sad weak- 
ness. Howsomever, who shall question 
de ways of de Lord ? I am saying, Miss 
Harris, that you would think de devil 
had no control over a person so long as 
de holy Spirit dwell within her, but we 
really see to de contrary. De devil, 
we see, disturb Sarah's mind for her to 
minister no more against him. De devil, 
always de devil, Miss Harris, wherever you 
turn as it was in de beginning, is now, 
and ever shall be, world without end ' 

'Amen,' said Miss Harris. 

' Whichen is de conclusion of de whole 
matter,' said Daddy and he sighed. 

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* Nevertheless and notwithstanding,' ob- 
served Miss Harris, ' and asking you to 
pardon me for being so bold, Missa 
Daddy, if I was you I would take home 
Miss Hutcheson instead of standing up 
here behind her back so sorrowful, but 
doing nothing.' . 

'Whichen is a sensible word,' admitted 
Daddy, 'and so I thank you kindly, Miss 
Harris, to mind the provisions them while 
I take home de poor creature and see 
Missa Blackburn to make de arrange- 
ments.' 

To induce Sarah to leave the stall, 
however, was no simple matter. Was it 
the will of the Lord that she should 
leave the stall ? she asked. And now 
Daddy's courteous firmness would have 
surprised a ^stranger. At last Sarah 

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seemed to see the kindness and the 
wisdom of his words, and, taking his 
hand as a child would take the hand of 
her father, the ' prophet ' walked quietly 
away. 



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THE SHADOW OF A SIN 



CHAPTER IX 

THE SHADOW OF A SIN 

" I "HE heat that day had baked the 
violet bed, and I was emptying 
the third pan of water upon it when old 
' Mistriss ' Pengelly rapped sharply at the 
garden gate to tell me of her son's arrival. 
' My son come, busha, my son come,' 
she cried. ' Busha, Reggie come, sa, and 
he really look handsome, and I am indeed 
well pleased to see him.' 

' Mistriss ' Pengelly, a respectable widow, 
had four sons, but of these there was one 
only, a fine young man, of whom she 

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could justly be proud. The other three 
had tempers and vices, and although their 
mother loved them so dearly that she 
could not see the whole number or the 
seriousness of their faults, it was no secret 
that these three sons caused her a good 
deal of anxiety. The youngest, Reginald, 
had the most uncontrollable temper, which 
deprived him of work very soon after he 
had obtained it, and which threatened 
entirely to disfigure his life. But he had 
such a kind heart, and, though black, 
such fine features and such manners, that 
he made many friends chiefly among the 
' young gentlemen ' or common swells of 
the town. He was no favourite with the 
old and sober heads, however, nor with 
such men as Binn, Hooper and Zacche 
who thought him intolerable. When, 

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therefore, on finding little employment in 
the town, he determined to see a bit of 
the world, ' missis queen and all de prince 
and pretty princess them/ and it was 
likely he would not return, there was a 
feeling of regret among his friends, and 
his mother cried, but Binn and others 
expressed their satisfaction and the hope 
that, if his temper did not lead him on 
to murder and hanging abroad, Reginald 
would some day come back to them a 
quiet, wise and well-behaved man. All 
the money and the means necessary for 
his passage in the schooner Esther Bell, 
to Boston, his mother and Daddy found 
for him. Indeed, Daddy persuaded the 
rector to give Reginald a letter to a 
clergyman in the States who would surely 
help him in the hour of need. Soon 

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after the schooner sailed, a report was 
mysteriously mouthed about the town that 
she had foundered, and the distress of 
Mistriss Pengelly at the death of this 
estimable son was painful to witness. 
The arrival of another schooner, however, 
with a letter from Reginald in Boston, 
soon dispelled his mother's fears. For a 
few months afterward, he wrote her 
regularly, but these letters told a miserable 
tale. He could get no work and was 
starving. Could his mother lend him a 
few shillings ? He would be sure to re- 
turn them with love and interest. And 
the mother was at her wit's end to find 
the money. Still, she sent him the few 
shillings, 'and so that you keep a good 
boy, my son,' she dictated, ' and love and 
fear de Lord and walk in his ways, no 

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trouble to return de money, whichen I 
give you for you'self.' Then three mails 
arrived and there was no letter, and, as 
the postman rapped less at her door, you 
might have seen the old woman, her face 
careworn and wet with tears, calling at 
the post office to inquire why Reginald 
had not sent her a letter. 

vSpeaking to me of the distress of 
Mistriss Pengelly at this time, Daddy 
took the opportunity to observe, with 
fervour, that there was nothing in 
this world more permanently beneficial 
to the body, the mind and the soul 
than prayer offered daily, on bended 
knees, from the lowest bottom of the 
heart. The Lord, added Daddy, did 
not allow Mistriss Pengelly to suffer 
long, having taken due notice of her 



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prayers, for she soon received tidings 
of her son, who had left Boston for 
Colon, there to make a fortune and a 
home. The news was confirmed by a 
letter from Reginald who, however, 
was in ill health and debt. Mother 
Bet, learning of this fresh appeal (for 
Reginald had, of course, appealed for 
help) was bold enough to remark that 
if Reginald had a face, he certainly 
had no conscience, and that his mother 
would be a great fool to again help 
him. Mother Bet protested that he 
was not sick at all, but playing ' grand 
man' in Colon, whilst his eldest brother 
slaved in Port Antonio to support the 
family, which was a burning shame. 
And Mother Bet was supported in this 
opinion by many. But Mistriss Pen- 

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gelly believed otherwise. Poor Reginald 
was dying in a strange land among 
strangers, she pleaded, and so won the 
sympathies of several people. Money 
must be raised to relieve him, and, 
for this purpose, there was a great sale 
of Mistriss Pengelly's guava jelly and 
cocoanut cake. Zacche filled his stomach 
for three days and three nights with 
' grater ' cake, 4 sutt'nly,' said he, ' not 
for de boy himself whichen he is a 
scamp, as we all know, but for de sake 
of his poor old mother going fast to 
her grave, and taking a last experience 
of this sorrowful world.' The money 
thus raised was forwarded without delay, 
to be returned, Reginald wrote, with more 
which he was going to make to com- 
fort his dear mother in her declining days. 

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Reginald remained in Colon for a 
couple of years, during which time he 
made, but with little success, many 
more appeals to his family for money 
during which time also he lived a life 
of extravagant pleasure and acquired 
vices of a refined kind. But the day 
dawned, to be sure, when he was 
advised to leave that country. Borrow- 
ing, therefore, all the money he could, 
he set sail at night for Jamaica. Before 
leaving, however, he informed his mother 
of a certain small fortune which he 
had made and as good as lost, but that 
he was returning home to let her enjoy 
the few dollars that were left. 

Reginald arrived in Port Antonio 
from Kingston one fine afternoon in 
May, to the astonishment of Uttock 

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who, hurrying to the Reservoir, was the 
first to see him. 'Hi, so you is with 
we again,' was all Uttock had time to 
say. Reginald next met Needlecase 
Phillips striding straight for Titchfield 
with a pair of boots under his arm. 
Phillips stopped. ' Well now coo ' (look 
at) ' Reginald ! ' he exclaimed and strode 
on. But he took the news with him to 
Titchfield, and in ten minutes Mistriss 
Pengelly and the friends in town were 
gathered together to welcome Reginald. 
It was an afternoon to be remembered, 
the pleasure marred only, as Mistriss 
Pengelly said, by the fact that Reginald's 
brothers, working them at different places 
in the parish, were not there to receive 
him. After an embrace in which she 
cried for joy, excitement lent Mistriss 

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Pengelly strength to walk briskly up 
the hill to the rector's door and to my 
garden gate. Then she returned to 
the house where she found Reginald 
admiring his features in a broken looking- 
glass and commenting on the general 
shabbiness of the place. Later, Daddy 
called to welcome his godson. 

' My son ' he began. 

' No preaching, old man, I hope,' in- 
terposed Reginald. 

Daddy was surprised and not a little 
pained, but you would scarcely have 
known it. 

' My son,' said he, ' I am indeed glad 
to see you. You really grow tall and 
handsome and you look very well.' 

Reginald beamed, and drew his stool 
nearer the beadle. 

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' I am really glad to see you myself, 
Missa Daddy,' said he. ' You have grown 
old, but old age, as you know, is honour ; 
honour is de richness of de soul; and de 
soul is precious in de sight of the Lord.' 

Mistriss Pengelly, putting supper on 
the table, straightened herself with pride. 
In all her life she had not heard words 
as eloquent as these. Daddy, too, 
thought kindly. 

' I am saying, Reggie,' he remarked, 
' you ' connection with de Church in 
Colon, but more especially you' mother 
and our prayers, has been of some 
assistance to you. Now, I am well 
thankful for that, and I hope to see 
you, my son, an everlasting credit, like 
you' poor dead father, in this said town 
of Port Antoney.' 

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Reginald gripped the old man's hand, 
and Daddy was satisfied. The truth 
is, Daddy was too charitable and there- 
fore too blind to see that Reginald was 
a humbug. 

The conversation now turned on the 
subject of Reginald's experiences abroad, 
and he spoke so modestly and sensibly 
giving Heaven credit, like a Christian, 
for whatever health and prosperity he 
had had that his mother embraced him 
again and again, and Daddy left the 
house with the conviction that Reginald, 
was one of the finest young men he 
had ever known. Indeed, Daddy did 
not wait until the following morning to 
give Michael and Mary his impressions 
to give Mary particularly who, he 
was aware, had always had a kind 

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feeling for Reginald. If Daddy had 
been observant he would have seen 
that Mary listened to him that evening 
with unusual attention ; that, in fact, 
she seemed peculiarly pleased at what 
he said. The next day Reginald called 
at the cottage, and, Daddy and Michael 
being out, was entertained by Mary. 
He was dressed in his best blue suit, 
wore his heavy ' gold ' chain and ring, 
and endeavoured to look like a wealthy 
gentleman, He is more handsome than 
ever, thought Mary, and such a nice 
fellow. When Daddy returned he found 
them seated at the table, with the large 
Bible between them, discussing the 
Scriptures. Now this was a sight that 
pleased the beadle. If it should come 
to pass that this new Reginald, who 



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was so respectable, should marry Mary, 
how happy he would be. So Daddy lit 
his pipe and smoked, and the smoke 
was sweet. Reginald then became in- 
timate with the family, making Mary 
presents and treating Daddy with much 
kindness and respect. With Michael, 
however, he was less friendly, for 
Reginald fancied that Michael suspected 
him. Meanwhile the joy of Mistriss 
Pengelly was unspeakable. Robert, 
Alexander and Frederick had come to 
town and given their brother a hearty 
welcome. Robert, who still supported 
his mother, was no longer the pride of 
the family. Reginald was the pride of 
the family : Reginald with the handsome 
face, the ring, the heavy ' gold ' chain 
and the score of vices. Reginald is 

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good, said his mother. He even pre- 
sumed to attend the Communion - 
evidence of his piety which Daddy 
deemed indisputable. Reginald, however, 
still showed that sort of contempt for 
straightforwardness and that impertinent 
independence which Binn, and men like 
him, so disliked. And now Reginald 
displayed his fine clothes and watch and 
chain on every occasion especially on 
Sundays and in a manner to indicate 
that he was the most important person 
in the town. So Binn and Hooper and 
Zacche abided their time. 

The intimacy with Mary plainly ripened 
into courtship, yet, strangely enough, 
Daddy took no steps, as usual, to hasten 
the marriage. And now Zacche, a keen 
observer and logician of a kind, who saw 

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Reginald and Mary more frequently than 
they thought they were seen Zacche had 
an idea. In short, he was convinced 
that Reginald was very carefully planning 
to seduce Mary, and Zacche must, as the 
saying is, put a spoke in the villain's wheel. 
Meeting Michael one evening after service, 
he asked Michael if he could tell him posi- 
tively whether Reginald was courting Mary. 

' Sutt'nly,' added Zacche, ' that's what 
I hear, but report, like female, is not to 
be relied upon. Sutt'nly I don't want 
you to tell me a secret, but if you' 
tongue is really loose well, sutt'nly, speak 
out like a man.' 

Michael replied that he believed they 
were engaged, and attempted to pass on. 
But Zacche held him, for he had some- 
thing more to say. 

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'Well, look here,' said he sternly, 'open 
you' eye and you' father eye, Michael 
Rutherford, although sutt'nly don't say I 
say so. One thing I have to say, and it 
is this : a Colon man don't live in Colon 
and wear Colon watch and chain and ring 
and blue suit for nothing. Well, sutt'nly 
that's all. Good-night.' 

Michael's suspicions were therefore 
strengthened, and although he had deter- 
mined to preserve strict silence in the 
matter, early the following morning he 
must take Zacche into his confidence. 
They had scarcely finished speaking when 
Hooper walked into the tailor shop and 
hazarded a remark that was astonishingly 
a propos. 

'Hi, Mike, boy,' said he, 'let me be de 
first to congratulate you upon de new 

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arrangement. Reginald getting on first- 
class hi, yes ! Patient man ride jackass 
hi, yes ! Don't you know that ? ' 

'You is a funny man, though,' said 
Michael uneasily. 'Why don't you speak 
plain out? Give me you' meaning. How 
do I know what Reginald is doing ? ' 

' That is it now,' exclaimed Hooper ; 
' that is de very thing. You don't know 
what Reginald is doing, and Reginald 
know that hi, yes. I tell you so. Wake 
up, man, this is de time. Sleeping with 
you' eye open is just as dangerous as 
telling lie with you' eye shut, for you 
don't know what is happening in de 
meantime,' and he smiled. 

' Well, sutt'nly,' said Zacche, ' Michael 
eye do open before this day, and he does 
know a thing or two. Howsomever, no- 

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thing can be done now. Sutt'nly we 
must watch and wait.' 

It was therefore agreed that the busi- 
ness of securing evidence to condemn 
Reginald for ever should rest entirely in 
the hands of the three of them, and that, 
as Zacche suggested, they should watch 
and wait. Further, information obtained by 
one should be instantly communicated to 
the other two, and Zacche, the most in- 
nocent looking, was to be placed in every 
position of advantage. 

Reginald and Mary were often together. 
Seated beside her on the small green 
lawn in front of the fort, Reginald would 
watch the sun set, and tell Mary, as he 
thought poetically, how beautiful was that 
love of his which would never set. Such 
love, he added was heavenly. Later, if 

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the weather were fine, they would launch 
Michael's canoe, and Reginald would pull 
across the eastern harbour, still talking 
about that love of his that was so 
heavenly. And in the same hour Daddy 
and Mistriss Pengelly would, curiously 
enough, be seated in the cottage, the 
little kerosene light burning steadily and 
their old eyes sparkling with a happiness 
that could not be described. 

No rain had fallen that afternoon and 
the evening was dry and fine. The moon 
rose early and with it a cool, sweet wind 
from the north. Reginald and Mary 
turned the church corner shortly after 
seven and walked swiftly and happily on 
in the direction of the Reservoir. They 
were followed at some distance by Zacche, 
Hooper and Michael, the latter carrying 

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a short, thick, pimento stick. When they 
reached the gate that closes the path to 
the Reservoir, the couple stopped, and 
Reginald turned round twice, evidently 
to see if they were being followed. And 
had not Hooper, who was a few yards 
ahead of Michael and Zacche, arrived 
just then at the bend in the road, 
Reginald must have seen him. Seeing 
no one, however, Reginald opened the 
gate, left the path and hurried with Mary 
across a kind of field to a spot in the 
wide shadow of a clump of bamboo trees. 
Hooper, finding the gate open, called 
cautiously to Zacche and Michael to 
double up. The three then separated, 
Michael keeping to the clear path which 
led to the Reservoir, Zacche creeping 
west close to a stone wall and Hooper 

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dodging his way to the clump of bamboo 
trees. Zacche, however, soon thinking 
that he was losing time in a wrong 
direction, got on his feet again and ran 
after Hooper, who now put up a hand 
to counsel silence. Slowly they approached 
the clump, Zacche stopping once or twice 
to pull a prickle from his heel. The 
breeze had freshened, and the bamboos 
creaked an accompaniment to the croak- 
ing of the toads and the piercing chirp 
of the water crickets, but loudest was the 
voice of the river to the right protest- 
ing at the stiffness of the stones. Pre- 
sently there was a cry a woman's cry 
of agony and shame. It rose and fell 
and rose again before Hooper had time 
to spring to the spot. And then he 
found Mary sobbing and saw Reginald 

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bending over her with his jacket in his 
hand. 

' Hi, Reggie, you is here I see,' said 
Hooper, with a smile. ' Well now, this is 
what I call first-class ; de only thing is, of 
course, you is a worthless fellow, and you 
deserve the biggest beating you ever have 
in your life hi, yes, I am not joking.' 

At the sound of Hooper's voice, both 
Reginald and Mary started, and Reginald, 
furious at his small success, and from 
the peculiar sting of Hooper's words, 
seized a bit of rock and flung it with all 
his strength at Hooper's head. Hooper 
dodged it, remarking quickly but coolly : 

' And that is first-class too, being you 
mean to have a game with me. But I 
don't agree with you, Missa Reggie, as 
you will see.' 

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Then, before Reginald had time to 
comprehend his meaning, Hooper struck 
him a powerful blow full in the face, 
which sent Reginald sprawling to the 
ground. Mary, who had been trembling- 
all over, now commenced to shriek, and 
it was this shrieking that summoned 
Michael to the scene. Zacche, too, came 
up panting about this time. He had 
fallen into a muddy hog hole, and was 
unable, therefore, to put in an earlier 
appearance. Quickly recovering his breath, 
he first addressed Mary to comfort her. 

' Well, sutt'nly, my dear,' said he, putting 
his arms tenderly round her, ' you have 
had a fright whichen is what some 
female really want ; but no damage, no 
damage, so wipe you' eyes. Sutt'nly we 
is here now to protect you.' 

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Negro Nobodies 

Michael, speechless with rage, lifted his 
stick to beat the' life out of Reginald, 
but Hooper held his arm. 

' You going put you'self in a perspira- 
tion for nothing, man,' he reasoned ; ' hi, 
yes ! I tell you so. Now, this is it, we 
three will take charge of Missa Reginald, 
and Missa Reginald, of course, can take 
charge of us, and we is going to de 
cottage now hi, yes (turning to Reginald, 
still furious, but who saw, from the arrival 
of Michael and Zacche, that fighting was 
useless), hi, yes, man, and you is going 
to tell Missa Daddy all about de 
angel them from heaven who are with 
you now, whichen is we. Hi, yes, of 
course.' 

' Well, sutt'nly,' said Zacche, who had 
succeeded in quieting Mary, ' sutt'nly de 

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night is dark and we are far from home 
whichen that may not exactly be de case, 
but it's a line from de hymn book all de 
same nevertheless I propose we right 
about face and out of this place sharp, 
sharp. Only, sutt'nly,' pointing, with his 
muddy finger, to a certain spot, 'there is 
a small hog hole over there, whichen 
you must mind.' 

Michael then took Mary's hand, and 
Zacche and Hooper, getting on either 
side of Reginald, the party started to 
walk across the field. Before they had 
proceeded many yards, however, Reginald 
suddenly stooped and caught Zacche by 
the legs, lifting and throwing him against 
Hooper, who fell also. Reginald then 
bolted in the opposite direction and was 

soon out of sight. 

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' Sutt'nly,' said Zacche, rising and 
wiping his mouth, 'that man is hell.' 

' Well, yes,' assented Hooper, ' but 
we is hell also, de only thing is we give 
him a chance to make his escape.' 

'Ah,' sobbed Mary, 'don't disturb him, 
don't disturb him. Oh, have pity on 
me, pity me and leave him. . . . He 
promised to take me for a walk to this 
said place that was indeed lovely, and I 
would be so happy with him there, he said. 
Did I doubt him ? Oh, could I doubt him ? 
Was he not really a handsome man ? Oh, 
what a thing is love, for now I know it 
can deceive you. . . . Then, suddenly, 
he held me, he kissed me, he oh, God, 
what shall I do ? For I am indeed ruined. 
It must be so. I am lost, lost, lost. Oh, 
Michael, Michael, what am I to tell father?' 
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'Well, don't distress you'self,' said 
Zacche kindly, ' no damage, no damage, 
my dear whichen we all hope. Sutt'nly 
I watch him and come to de conclusion 
that he was not to be trusted. We 
watched him this very evening and made 
an arrangement whichen it has come to 
pass that we was right and de fellow get 
a surprise. Sutt'nly life is a funny thing, 
being you don't know what to expect 
next, and de cleverest man is de man who 
know that God Almighty put his sense 
and his two eye them in his head for 
more purpose than one.' 

On their way to the cottage they met 
Daddy returning from a visit to Mother 
Bet. The old man seemed lost in 
thought, and, when he heard Mary's 
half-stifled sobs, he put his hand to his 

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head and stared at them as if he had 
lost his senses. The truth is, Daddy had 
that night learnt for the first time of the 
true character of Reginald Pengelly, and 
was still puzzling over the course of action 
he should pursue when the party ap- 
proached. Then Mary's sobs and the 
expressions on the faces of her com- 
panions so rudely confirmed his worst 
suspicions, that he suffered a terrible 
shock. Indeed he would have fallen 
had not Hooper supported him. And it 
was not until some minutes afterwards, 
when he appeared to be calmer, that 
Zacche, with great tact and delicacy, 
ventured to give him an idea of what 
had happened. 

About twelve o'clock that night, 
when the town was sound asleep, and 

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the moon, shining in a cloudless sky, 
spread a soft, clear light, like a silken 
sheet, upon the land ; while the wind 
blew gently upon the trees, and Nature 
herself seemed in a beautiful dream, there 
wandered, ghostlike, upon Titchfield Hill, 
two figures. The one, sighing, was Mistriss 
Pengelly. The other I need not name. 



THE END 



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