"WHAR'S DE KERRIDGE

Evening Star, Issue 5229, 8 December 1879, Page 3

"WHAR'S DE KERRIDGE

MR BERRY'S OVERSIGHT IN TRYING TO TAKE

A YOUNG LADY TO A BALL,

He was a new boot-black, but already seemed quite at home at the old stand, so long a familiar object on the line of our daily perigrinations. " Sartin, boss; shine 'em up in lese'n no time," said he, and we mounted to the hurricane deok of his place of business. " Wall, yes, boss, not been here long, but I'se gettin' insight inter de ways mighty fast. De ways here, sah, is different to what dey is down in old Masaissip. Bin Maesissip, sah ? Fine ole State, sah !" "The colored people here appear to be quite as happy as in any part of the world," we ventured to remark.

"No, aah ; beg leave to diffah; you's not on de inside, sah ; nar's too much elewation; dat's what's de matter. G.ve you an instance: Las' week, you know, sah, Ue cullud iolks had a ball; quite a high-toned affair, sah. Well, I engaged a young lady for de party; one dat I at dat time looked on as de pride ob de country, sah. lam not indifferent to dress, and I put on clothes, sah—clothes dat don't every day see de light ob de sun—and went to de residence ob the gal. " I 'rived at de 'pinted time. De gal was in de bes' room an' in her bes' clothes, watin' my arrival on de scene. De ole man was dar, an' de ole woman also figgered in de tableaux, wid a few juvenile supernumerary members ob de family. " Miss Augusta smiled on me in dat meltin' way ob do eyes dat allers guv me a movement ob do heart. I was interjuced to de more influential members ob de household, an' de discours was agreeable. Presently I suggested dat it would be well to be inovin' for de party, an' Misa Augusta rose in all de pomp an' circumstance of her high-priced attire. " We arrived on de stoop ob de door, an' offerin' my arm, I suppose we should progress. No sah, uot a bit ob it. Dat gal receded. She rose eric' to an astonishin' hight, an' as she transfixed mo wid her gaz?i, she uttered dese memorable words : ' Whar'a de transpotatien ?' " ' De what?' says I, fcelin' dat suffin waß agoin' wrong. " 'De trans-pot-ation ! Whar's de trans* potation ?' " ' What's de transpotation ?' says I. "'De wehicle —whar's da wehicle?'she

Bays. " ' I don't know nuffia 'bout no wehicle,

sayi I. " ' Wbar's de kerridge ? ' says she. "• De kerridge I' saya I. ' I haven t seen nokerridge.' " ' Mistah Berry, does you pretend to tell me dat you've com«* to take me to the ball widout a kerridge ?' and she became ob a still greater night, " '"Why, ob couse,' saya I. ' I thought we could walk, Down in ole Maßeissip de gala think nuflin of gi'in' miles an' miles ' - " ' So you expects mo to hoof it, Mistah Berry ? You toll me 'bout de gals in Maasissip, Mistah Berry ; do de gala in Massistrip know anything 'bout proper attire, Mr Berry ?' An' she gnv a sort of kick au' a, sling of her body an' trailed out about four yarch of fra'n. " D 3 ole man an' de ole woman an' all de rest now put in dar 'pearance, an' says de ole man ' What's all dia confusion ob torjgueH?" " ' Mistah Berry doesn't consider de honah suilioient to warrant him in de outlay necessary for do furnishing of propah tranapotation,' fiaid Miss Augusta. " ' Sah !' said de ol* man ; ' .Sah !' said de ole woman ; ' Sah ! ' said all de little members. " I said nufhV. "'Does de niugah 'spect he's gwine to lead our darter oft' cm de hoof like she was a cow?' slid de 010 woman. '"Who you c.ill niggali, ole woman?' says I. 'Why, I'ae drove butter lookin' heifers nor ynir'n to do plough m ole Manfiisaip ' ' ''•Uagalshiidvt! ; D.ir you talk t,.» me o.u my darter hj; dat bituminous manner,' Paid do ok man. f»ri' hi i'uv rru; u lift wid 'lib old ddt rj,ieed jj>« f'iTu de bUK-p an' Policed it up wid numerous ob de name dtt was much assistance to me in gittin out degate." "Dar'a tomuph elewation, sah, creepin' into cullud society, I turns my back to it, aih ?'' —' Virgiuia City Chronicle.'