Diddie, Dumps Tot | Page 8

entered
the chapel they found a large congregation assembled; indeed, all were
there except the sick; and master and slaves, the white children and
black, united their hearts and voices to
"Laud and magnify His holy name,"
and to return thanks to God for his great Christmas gift of a Saviour to
the world.
As they were leaving the chapel after service, Dumps drew close to her
mother and whispered,
"Mamma, bein' as this is Chris'mas, an' it's rainin', can't we have some
of the little quarter niggers to go to the house and play Injuns with us?"
Mamma was about to refuse, for the little girls were not allowed to play
with the quarter children; but Dumps looked very wistful, and, besides,
Mammy would be with them in the nursery, so she consented, and each
of the children were told that they might select one of the little negroes
to play with them.
Diddie took a little mulatto girl named Agnes. Dumps had so many
favorites that it was hard for her to decide; but finally she selected

Frances, a lively little darky, who could dance and pat and sing and
shout, and do lots of funny things.
Tot took Polly, a big girl of fourteen, who could, and sometimes did,
take the little one on her back and trot around with her. She lifted her
now to her shoulders, and, throwing her head up and snorting like a
horse, started off in a canter to the house; while Diddie and Dumps, and
Chris and Riar, and Agnes and Frances followed on behind, all barking
like dogs, and making believe that Tot was going hunting and they
were the hounds.
"See, Mammy, here's Agnes and Polly and Frances," said Diddie, as
they entered the nursery; "mamma let us have them, and they are to
stay here a long time and play Injuns with us."
"Now, Miss Diddie, honey," said Mammy, "Injuns is sich a
sackremenchus play, an' makes so much litter and fuss; git yer dolls, an'
play like er little lady."
"No, no, no," interrupted Dumps; "we're goin' ter play Injuns! We're
goin' ter make out we're travellin' in the big rockin'-cheer, goin' ter New
Orleans, an' the little niggers is got ter be Injuns, hid all behin' the
trunks an' beds an' door; an' after we rock an' rock er _lo-o-ong_ time,
then we're goin' ter make out it's night, an' stretch mamma's big shawl
over two cheers an' make er tent, and be cookin' supper in our little pots
an' kittles, an' the little niggers is got ter holler, 'Who-ee, who-eee,' an'
jump out on us, an' cut off our heads with er billycrow."
"How silly you do talk, Dumps!" said Diddie: "there ain't any Injuns
between here and New Orleans; we've got ter be goin' ter California, a
far ways f'um here. An' I don't b'lieve there's nothin' in this world
named er '_billycrow_;' it's er tommyhawk you're thinkin' about: an'
Injuns don't cut off people's heads; it was Henry the Eighth. Injuns jes'
cut off the hair and call it sculpin', don't they, Mammy?"
"Lor', chile," replied Mammy, "I dunno, honey; I allers hyeard dat
Injuns wuz monstrous onstreperous, an' I wouldn't play no sich er
game."

But "Injuns, Injuns, Injuns!" persisted all the little folks, and Mammy
had to yield.
The big chair was put in the middle of the room, and the little girls got
in. Chris sat up on the arms to be the driver, and they started off for
California. After travelling some time night set in, and the emigrants
got out, and pitched a tent and made preparations for cooking supper:
little bits of paper were torn up and put into the miniature pots and
kettles, and the children were busy stirring them round with a stick for
a spoon, when the terrible war-whoop rang in their ears, and from
under the bed and behind the furniture jumped out the five little
negroes.
The travellers ran in every direction, and the Injuns after them. Diddie
hid in the wardrobe, and Mammy covered Tot up in the middle of the
bed; Chris turned the chip-box over and tried to get under it, but the
fierce savages dragged her out, and she was soon tied hand and foot;
Dumps jumped into the clothes-basket, and Aunt Milly threw a blanket
over her, but Frances had such keen little eyes that she soon spied her
and captured her at once.
Then a wild yell was sounded, and Polly and Dilsey pounced upon Tot,
who had become tired of lying still, and was wriggling about so that
she had been discovered; and now all the travellers were captured
except Diddie. The Injuns looked everywhere for her in vain.
"She mus' er gone up fru de chimbly,