AUNT BETSY'S
THANKSGIVING
BY
Katherine D* Tillman
Printed by
THE A. M. E. BOOK CONCERN
031 Pine Street
Philadelphia
Aunt Betsy's Thanksgiving
Dialogue
Characters
Aunt Betsy. ..
Ca'line
Sparks
Nellie Rodney
Mr. Rodney..
.. .Her granddaughter
A Lawyer.
Aunt Betsy's daughter
Nellie's husband
SCENE I.— [A cabin plainly furnished; family por¬
traits on the wall; Aunt Betsy sits pipe in mouth]
Aunt Betsy.—Little did I think I'd eber come to
dis: Heah I am nigh on to seventy yeahs ole and not
a soul to care whedder I lib or die, cepn 'tis Ca'line,
my Nellie's lil gal. Lil Ca'line is a mighty heap of
company for me, but I spect I'll hab to let 'em take
her to de po' house, long side of me, fore many mo'
suns'll rise an' set. Long as I could get roun' an'
work de garden, I could get 'long all right, but since
I done fell down an' broke my leg, I ain't been no
'count tall, cepn to patch, an' to save my life I can't
make enuf to git grub an' does for me an' Ca'line. Ef
I had to pay rent for dis cabin I jes' gib up rite now
an' go off to de po'- house without a word, case I'd
jes-kno' I couldn't do it, but I've libed heah now, nigh
on to fifteen yeahs an' dey ain't nebber axed me fo'
no rent, an' I guess surely dey ain't gwine gin now.
[Enter Ca'line with a basket.]
Ca'line.—Oh, grammer, what you reckon? I met a
cullud lady on de street down in town, an' she look at
me as hard an* axe me my name an' how ole I was,
an' den she said she knowed you when she's a lil gal
2 AUNT BETSY'S THANKSGIVING
lak me an' she gwine to sen' you a present an' she
went in Mr. Paul's sto' an' got dese things I'se
brought home. (Points to basket of parcels which she
has set on the table.)
Aunt Betsy (rising)—Ca'line Johnson, am you ly¬
ing? You ain't done gone an' stole fo' de fus' time in
yo' lil life is you? What lady gib you de things?
Talk quick, an' ef you's took what didn't belong to
you, dars gwine be trouble 'tween me an' you, dats
all!
Ca'line (shrinkingly)—Oh grammer, cose I ain't
lying, I dunno who 'twas. 'Twas a yaller lady all
dressed up fine, and she talked nice and soft like, an'
she kissed me, too. Ef you don't believe me you can
axe Mrs. Price's Ella.
Aunt B.—Shut your mouf Ca'line. Hits all rite. De
Lawd hab pervided, dats all. I was an unfaithful ser¬
vant to doubt Him for a moment. Didn't He feed
'Lijah when he was in the wilderness, an' aint He
promised to feed His children. God bless dat cullud
woman who eber she is. I hope I'll fin' out who she is
an' whar she's from.
Ca'line (taking out parcels) Bread, tea, sugar,
bacon, eggs, butter and oh Lordy, grammer, here's a
silver dollar! (Capers around.)
Aunt B.—Praise de Lawd fo' His mercies. Now I'se
gwine git you a new pair of shoes fo' yo' po' lil feet
so you can go to Sunday school. Po' lil lamb, if yo'
po' mamma hadn't been taken from yo', you'd been a
heap different chile.
Ca'line—Grandma, where is my mamma now?
Aunt B.—Well, lil Ca'line, I'll tell you 'bout Nellie.
You'se twelve yeahs ole now an' ought to know.
When Ben Johnson married my Nellie she was
counted de prettiest cullud gal in Buckner county. I
didn't want her to hab Ben Johnson, but she said she
AUNT BETSY'S THANKSGIVING 3
loved him an' after they married he led her a dog's
life. He was always drinking and carrying on, an'
one night, in one of his drunken fits he threw you
outen de cradle an' Nellie sprung on him like a wil'
cat, an' he'd a killed her ef some men hadn't cum in
an' stopped him. Nellie ran away that night, thinking
that you was dead an' she ain't nebber come back. I
heard once dat she was dead an' again dat she was
traveling with a show. I brought you home dat night
an' I'se kept you eber since. Ben drank himself to
death, an' I was glad when he was gone, do' I nursed
him while he was sick an' tried to pint him to de
Lamb dat takes away de sins of the world.
Ca'line (softly)—Was he afraid to die grammer?
Aunt B.—No honey, he said dat God had forgive
him an' he hoped to meet Nellie in heaben an' tell her
how sorry he was fo' de way he treated her.
Ca'line.—Oh grammer, if mammy'd only come back
an' live with us, wouldn't it be nice? You'd have
some one to take care of you, an' I'd have nice dresses
like Mrs. Price's Ella, an' go to school every day. I'm
going to pray to God to fin' her an' sen' her home.
Aunt B.—He's the one to pray to lil Ca'line. I don'
kno' whether Nellie is living or not, God knows an' I
pray every day dat ef she is He'll sen' her home. Set
dese things in de cupboard Ca'line, an' den we'll read
a chapter an' go to bed.
[Aunt Betsy opens the Bible for Ca'line. Ca'line
seated on a stool at her grammer's feet opens her
mouth as if to read. Aunt Betsy listens atten¬
tively.]
Curtain falls.
SCENE II.— [Same as first. Aunt Betty is darning.]
Aunt B.—A week don' pas' an' gone an' dat cullud
woman ain't showed herself yet. I wonder who she
was. I kinder thought maybe it was Nellie, but surely
4 AUNT BETSY'S THANKSGIVING
she wouldn't come that close 'thout coming to de
house. Dem groceries dat woman sent is mos' gone
an' de money on Ca'line's feet, but I ain't gwine
worry. Don't de Lawd alius pervide.
[Someone raps.]
Aunt B.—Come in. Hope dats somebody bringing
me some mo' patchin'.
[Enters Lawyer Sparks.]
Lawyer S.—Howdy, Aunt Betsy. (Shakes hands.)
(Aside.) (I hate to tell her.) How are you faring
these hard times?
Aunt B.—Pretty well, sah, Mr. Sparks, considering
my age an' condition. How's yo' family, sah?
Lawyer S.—All well, thank you, Aunt Betsy.
(Aside.) (It's a nasty job.) The fact is, Aunt Betsy,
I've come to tell you that Colonel Harrington has
sold this cabin and the ground its on and you will
have to give it up at once as the owner will doubtless
build.
Aunt B. (rising)—Dis cabin sol' an' heah I'se libed
fifteen yeahs. What on earth is I to do? (Cries.)
Lawyer S.—I am sorry, but those are my orders
from Colonel Herrington's agent. Perhaps if you
write Colonel Herrington, it might do some good. I'll
see you again. Good day.
[Exit Sparks.]
Aunt B (still crying)—De hour hab come at las',
Po' lil Ca'line an' me mus' go to de po' house to be
cuffed aroun' like all de r^s' of de po' outcasts dat am
gathered there.
[Enters Ca'line.]
Ca'line:—What's de matter grammer, does yo' leg
pain you?
Aunt B.—No, it's my heart. De cabin's sol' an' we
ain't got no place to go. Colonel Herrington done sold
AUNT BETSY'S THANKSGIVING 5
de roof over his ole mammy's hed after promising I'd
always hab a home.
Ca'line—I don' believe Colonel Herrington done it
grammer. Dat Mr. Sparks done it case he kno's
Colonel Herrington is in Europe. Don't cry gram¬
mer, I'll be growed up soon an' I'll work an' buy you
another cabin a heap nicer dan dis ole shack! Who
bought it, grammer?
Aunt B.—I didn't axe. It was enuf to kno' dat it
was sol'. Hush, ain't dat somebody knockin'?
[Re-enter Lawyer Sparks.]
Lawyer S.—Well, Aunt Betsy I'm here again. I
have some more news fo' you. I just met my boy
with my mail and I waylaid him and made him give
it up. I find a very important bit of news for you in
one of the letters.
Aunt B. (in despair)—Does we have to go to-day?
Lawyer S.—No, no, my good woman, listen while
I read this letter.
[Opens letter, reads.]
Lawyer Sparks :—
Dear Sir:—
I learri that you are Colonel Herrington's attor¬
ney and I desire you to act for me in reference to
the property that I have purchased of him. I
understand that there is an excellent old lady on
the place and I don't wish her disturbed during the
fall and winter months at least
Aunt B.—Amen!
[Lawyer Sparks smiles and resumes reading.]
I want four good rooms built on in modern style
and the room now standing to be used as a kitchen.
The expense of building must not exceed $250.00.
Also you can draw on me for $3.00 a month to pay
the old lady for taking care of the place until I
come. '
Respectfully,
Sylvia Dean.
Aunt B.—Praise de Lawd. Glory to de King! Does
6 AUNT BETSY'S THANKSGIVING
you hear that, lil Ca'line. We don' hab to move. I'm
dat happy I could shout.
Lawyer S.—Here are your first three dollars and I
will add two more to help fix Ca'line for school. I
have a heart somewhere about me if I am a lawyer.
Ca'line (jumping up and down)—Oh goody, goody,
goody!
SCENE III.— [Prettily furnished sitting room; bird
in window, books, pictures. Aunt Betsy in pretty
flowered dress is darning, Ca'line pores over her
school books.]
Aunt B.—Well, well, dese las' few months jes' pas'
by lak a dream. I'se had plenty flour, plenty meat an'
plenty fire. God bless dat Miss Dean an' now this is
Thanksgiving eve an' to-morrow she's gwine come to
see how we's getting along.
Ca'line—She mus' hab lots of money. Don' built
dis nice parlor wid de big winder fo' flowers an' sent
all dis nice furniture to fix up de house, an' a box of
clothes 'sides.
Aunt B.—I'se tried to keep de furniture jes' lak she
sent it.
Ca'line You certny keep it kivered up good gram-
mer, I ain't never knowed what color de sofa was till
to-night.
Aunt B.—I guess not, case I sewed de kivers all
down an' I jes took 'em off to-day, so everything'd
look peart when she come to-morrow, an' I'm jes
dressed up an' setting in here to-night to kinder prac¬
tice an' know how to act to-morrow. I 'clare I feel as
good as white folks.
Ca'line—You is as good as dey is. All of us is if we
behave ourselves ! Teacher said so.
Aunt B.—Dat teacher better be careful what he
says 'bout white folks. Never mind whether we's as
AUNT BETSY'S THANKSGIVING 7
good as dey is or not. Git all de learning an' de sense
dat you kin git, an' you'll be all right. Don't kno'
what Miss Deane might do fo' you ef she takes a
likin' to you.
Ca'line—I heard that Colonel Everly done give some
smart colored man groun' enuf to build a college here
at Everly fo' de cullud folks.
Aunt B.—Hi yi, dats good news. I hope I'll git you
in Ca'line. Well, I'se sleepy. Guess I'll nod a bit.
(Aunt B. nods.)
[Door opens. Enters Mr. Rodney with a large
basket, from which turkey feathers protrude. Nel¬
lie Rodney follows him carrying a valise. Ca'line
starts and stares with open eyes. Nellie stoops
over Aunt Betsy and kisses her, then kisses
Ca'line, then rushes again to Aunt Betsy.]
Mrs. Rodney—Mother, oh mother, here is your
child, your long lost Nellie, come home at last, and oh
Caroline, my precious child!
Aunt B. (waking up and staring)—Is dis you Mis'
Deane? We's powerful glad to see you. Lawd hab
mercy, it's my own Nellie, glory, glory, glory. Praise
de lamb. (Hugs her and cries for joy.) Where you
been all dis time, Nellie, an' who dis man wid you?
Mrs. R.—This is Harry Rodney, my husband,
mother. He is very smart and is going to build a
college here for colored boys and girls.
Ca'line—Grammer, dis is de lady gib me dem gro¬
ceries an' dat dollar.
Nellie—Mother, forgive me, it was I. I had given
you up as dead long ago, in fact I had been told that
you was, and of course I thought Caroline was dead.
Colonel Everly had given Mr. Rodney some land for
a school here at Everly. I had worked hard for years
for a home of my own and had bought this land
through a white friend from the North, not knowing
that you lived on it or lived anywhere on earth. When
8 AUNT BETSY'S THANKSGIVING
I saw Caroline that day, the truth flashed on my mind,
but knowing the prejudice against colored people get¬
ting good property, by the advice of my white friend*
Mrs. Sylvia Deane, I went away without seeing you
until now. I can not tell you all my story now, but I
am here to be with you and Caroline always.
Mr. Rodney—We worked to give our mother and
daughter this happy surprise. We have got home in
time to eat our Thanksgiving turkey with our loved
ones. Nellie had more patience than I to wait two
whole months without seeing you after knowing of
your whereabouts, but that was best for us all. Our
white friends did not object to Aunt Betsy's cabin, but
many of them will object to Aunt Betsy's cottage fur¬
nished, as it will be, with all modern improvements.
Dear mother, believe me when I say, I have come to
be a son to you, in your old age and a father to Caro¬
line.
Curtain falls.