Augusta Zelia Fraser

“ The beauty of the scenery of their lovely West Indian island, and the softness of its climate, held out hopes that a perpetual crop of winter tourists would speedily cause them to reap a golden harvest for their pains. They were doomed to disappointments. The hotels were there, but beyond the name they were of small use to luxurious and consumptive visitors.
They afforded shelter indeed, and a tolerably clean and habitable room, but for food, attendance, and all the other items that are generally regarded as part of a hotel's duty to provide, the less said the better. ”

“ The value of the entire stock may, perhaps, have amounted to two shillings; but as far as beauty of colour was concerned, Aladdin's jewels could not have surpassed them in splendour. Josiah also sold the more prosaic molasses, and a few other simple household necessaries.
An edifice built up carelessly of the vivid blue soap that is so prized by Creole washerwomen was particularly noticeable, while a cluster of common tin mugs hanging from a string caught the sunlight most effectively, and kindly flashed it on to the darker corners of the little shop. ”

“ To mend is an unknown verb in Creolia, and a stitch in time saves nine a proverb that has never been allowed a chance of proving its own wisdom.
Your black housemaid will buy two or three new dresses, and have as many more in the recesses of her trunk, and yet will appear before you as a mere bundle of rags; and this strange habit gives often a perfectly erroneous aspect of poverty to casual visitors. This was the case with Angelina, for on Sundays she blossomed as the rose, and was gorgeous in pink and yellow calico frocks. ”

“ Fortunately, like most of us poor mortals, they were sublimely unconscious of their own deficiencies, for in each other's eyes (which, after all, is where our standard of taste is to be sought for) their faintly coloured flowered prints and white Gainsborough hats, over-burdened feathers and mock pearls, with looked very correct, and what they themselves termed "stylish," even although they surmounted a collection of tightly plaited woolly locks. ”

“ A Study in Colour.
I.
he Missus" was walking along the Port Albert Road one Sunday. The hour was early, for it was six o'clock in the morning, but at that time the Creole climate is simply perfection, for the sun has not as yet asserted his power and become too fierce to enjoy in comfort the luxuriant loveliness that surrounds one on every side. On that particular Sunday the mountains were even more beautiful than usual, and the Missus stopped from time to time to look at them. She knew them by heart, but for her they never lost their charm. ”

“ I do not, indeed, feel towards them as a mother, but rather as one who, finding them wandering neglected and forlorn, took pity on the little foundlings, and, clothing them in simplest words, now sends them out into the wide world to seek their fate. ”

“ One exception I am, however, bound to make, and that is with regard to food. The Missus did occasionally miss biscuits, white sugar, and other small European luxuries. No amount of teaching can imbue the negro mind with the idea that where food is concerned they are privileged. "Taking no stealing," they will assert," and in their own words, "Food God's gift and b'longs to us all." ”

“ At first the milk used to arrive at all sorts of erratic hours, but the Missus found a remedy for that annoyance in the daily gift of a few sweets, if Angie was punctual. If she was later than she ought to be she got fewer sugar-plums, while if the milk was not forthcoming at the little Massa's breakfast-time, she was deprived of them altogether. On Sunday a small coin was added to the "sweeties" if she had been good throughout the week, as a reward of virtue. ”

“ A fat quadroon man-cook, who owed his fixity of tenure more to his stolidity than his talents; a smart-looking mulatto boy, who attended to the bar, and answered generally to the name of Brown; and a mahogany-coloured female, of uncertain age and ragged aspect, who spent the greater portion of her life on her hands and knees floor-cleaning, might be looked upon as forming the permanent staff. ”

“ She was even glad to escape so easily, for some gorgeous Chinese crapes and embroideries having been sent to her shortly afterwards, Justina fixed her affections on a small but brilliant scarlet and sea-green garment.
The Missus caught her in the act of clothing the baby in it one morning, and so promptly asserted her authority, that the rainbow-hued vestment was removed, amid a storm of tears, exclamations,and entreaties.
"Oh, Missus, I 'sprised at you! Do let de lilly Massa wear it. He look so grand for all the women to see him. ”

“ The unhappy mortals who by their occupations or necessities were tied to the spot, dragged on from day to day a precarious existence, and con soled themselves for their short commons and numerous small discomforts by incessant but unavailing growls. ”

“ In all, poor black children, a queer compound of infantine vanity and pathetic humility, ready to do valuable work in the world with proper care and guidance, but fit material also for deeds with which to match their own dark skins. ”

“ Den when I coming hyar, an' want to look fine an' pretty too, I tink ob my teeth. Dey white, Missus, an' I show dem plenty." And Justina gave here a specimen of her wide mouthed smile. "Well, Missus, I tink I will hab fine gilt teeth too, same as de white Buckra ladies; so I tuk some pieces ob silber off ob de wine bottles in de bar. Brown he help me do it. Shampain wine dey call it, an' I cubber my teeth wid de stuff. True it silber, an' no gold, but it shines all de same, an' look smart, an' make me look all de same as de white ladies dat spend so much on deir teeth. ”

“ Two or three black women were standing by the store counter, gossiping on their way to early church. The shop was not by way of being kept open on Sunday, but fruit spoils quickly, and Josiah was therefore willing, and even anxious, to part with his last night's stock at a cheap rate. Akees, as all the world knows, become poisonous if kept, and he was always ready to oblige a neighbour ”

“ Orinthia looked regretfully at poor Angelina. She could not deny her blackness, but she once more tried feebly to defend herself.
"You both married now, daters— married so well too , an' with luck, for dey fine light-coloured men; but you know berry well dat you no like to keep me. I soon may grow ole. My eyes berry bad now for de dress making." This was an entirely imaginary affliction, evolved under stress of circumstances at the moment. "When I no able to work longer, you no able to help me; so better I marry David Hall, even if he black man, so dat he keep me 'spectably." ”

“ Note
he term "Creole" in former times used to be strictly limited to the white children of white parents born in the West Indies. In the French islands the signification has never altered, and is rigidly confined to its original meaning. ”