Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1756-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities external link and the Library of Congress. Learn more
Image provided by: Washington State Library; Olympia, WA
Newspaper Page Text
NOT OF POCAHONTAS BLOOD "Not only unfaithful to your marriage vows have you been, but that infidelity was in the form of consorting with a niggah, thus adding insult to injury," almost piti ably did Gerald Mightyrich upbraid his young wife, who stood before him holding in her arms her first born, so swarthy in complexion as to almost make her doubt herself. While a great tear stole down her cheek she suddenly pulled herself together and in an almost defiant tone exclaimed, " Absolutely innocent." Then again she softened and as her great wistful, lov ing eyes met his steady gaze she finally said, "Trust me, Gerald, trust me. I am innocent." For a minute his mind waiver ed but being of high southern blood the thoughts of a niggah baby in his house soon overcame any compassion that might have momentarily lurked about his heart, and without a word of reply he abruptly turn ed from her. And then a great gloom like the blue imps of night seemed to envelop the two of them, and in her desperation the young woman prayed aloud, "Oh God for a ray of light." In a two-room cottage in the piny-woods of Mississippi a kindly disposed white man, hailing from another section of the state, met a more or less refined colored woman, who had imbibed her feminine foibles from acting as maid to three young white girls, to whose parents she belonged. She too, many years prior, had lived in the same section from whence came this pleasant faced white man, and as the two gazed upon each other their enthusiasm almost over came their wonted modesty and a joyous handshaking and an old time recounting of days gone by was the result. Many changes had taken place between the time she had quit "de ol plantantion my home and my relations" and when she sat talking to Mr. Reed, direct from the old home scenes. The slaves after the emancipation had scattered and they had only been incidentally heard of. Even Maryellen and her two girls had gone and only rumors as to their actual whereabouts had reached the old home. Everybody knew that the father of Maryellen's two girls was Major Thompson, for whom Mary ellen had kept house, and he having never married, gave Maryellen and her two girls as much of his consideration as the customs of the country would permit him to do. That's a handsome Indian half-breed lady, who has purchased the Brown estate, com mented the gossips of a fashionable Boston suburb, and her two young danghters are perfect beauties. Little was known of the actual nativity of this family, but it had plenty of money and the girls dressed in the height of fashion. It however was mak ing haste slowly in getting acquainted with society. The private seminary to which the girls applied as day pupils received them with open arms and few girls had more personal friends than did the Thomp son girls. Their father often spent the sum mer in Boston and seemed devoted to his family. Mrs. Thompson made no effort to join high society, but held her own when thrown in with it. She was quite dark for an Indian half-breed, but since she claimed to be of Pocahontas blood there was no doubt as to her racial identity. "Dat Henry Jones, who com to see his pepul las week, has jes been all over dis country, an he knows evy body. lie is a potah on a train an maks lots er money," related Aunt Hester, who had lived on this particular plantation belonging to Major Thompson, for sixty odd years. "Lisen honney, dat boy says he saw Majah Thompson on de train in de Nof wid a ooman dat looked jes lak Mayellen, but do Majah did not pay any tentioii to him." Humor had it that Major Thompson had AMERICAN SAVINGS BANK & TRUST COMPANY American Bank Building-, 2nd at Madison CAPITAL AND SURPLUS, FULLY PAID, $700,000.00 Assets. 4 MILLIONS 4 r; Compounded semi-annually, Paid on Savings Our Safe Deposit Vaults are the Largest and Safest in the Northwest. Private Vaults « ntß ,i „* 54.00 per Anum " renxea at sent his concubinage wife and her two children North, where he had subsequently married Maryellen and his long stays from the plantation were to be with his family. The major was a hot number among the whites of his section and however strong the rumor might have been none of them had the courage to confront him with it. He eventually sold his belongings and went somewhere else to live. Hastily getting his traps together after the stormy interview with his wife Ger ald Mightyrich took passage to Europe and from plae to plae he went, hoping thereby to completely forget the past. A year had elapsed and he had seen much, and being a man of high mental qualifiations, he was much wiser than when he had quit his home in dear old New York. Apparently he had no desire to return to his native land lest he meet or hear of the woman that had de eived him and to an extent wreked his life. "And yet," he said to himself, "I never saw one thing in my wife's deportment that would lead me to mistrust her. Perhaps, after all, I have done her an injustie, and, if I have not, I should at least, know the facts, and, perhaps, then murder the black brute that consorted with her. I am going home." Nothing transpired in the Thompson fam ily different from that of other families. The young ladies graduated with high hon ors and their parents were present and as proud of their children as all parents are when they succeed. One after the other married to good advantage and each reared large and interesting families, who grew to manhood as well as womanhood and they too married and the grand children of Ma jor and Mrs. Thompson were proud of their ancestry. Mrs. Mightyrich, junior, did not com mit suicide as she frequently thought she would do to end her troubles, but took a new lease on life and determined to know the cause of the complexion of her baby, which she seemed to love doubly dear. A detective was hired to trace the lineage of her own family and one to trace that of her husband. The detective, looking up the pedigree of her husband, had found that his grandmother claimed to be an Indian and a direct descendant of Pocahontas but for months he was baffled as to her exact place of birth. A chance business relation that was a matter of record in Boston in dicated that Major Thompson was from Mississippi, and from that time the plot was rapidly unfolded. His visit to Missis sippi confirmed his suspicions and the whole story was told. "I am delighted to see you Gerald, and in spite of our parting I still love you. I felt that you would some day realize your mistake and at least come back to assist me m solving our family mystery. Your mo ther has told me all, of which you knew nothing. Instead of your grandmother be ing an Indian woman she was a colored woman and our child bred back, which, the scientits tell me, periodically happens." And after the happy couple had wept in each others arms and were thoroughly recon ciled they turned to their baby and he said and we two have an Indian in our fam ily, whom we both will love even as much as I love my dear old Indian grandmother " WOMEN'S CLUB NOTES The Hayward Unit, a colored women's motor crops, branch of the National League for Women's 'Service in New York City is doing a great deal of work among the re turned soldiers. Especial attention has been given to the sick and wounded men. At their headquarters they have rest rooms for reading and writing, piano, player-piano and \ ictrola, which are at the disposal of the men. They also have placed at the disposal of these men the three ambulances, two basses and a dozen motor cars which are owned by the members of the company. The upkeep of the motors and the other ex penses are met by contributions and dona tions of the members of the corps and the public. Mrs. Mary B. Talbert is in France with the Y. M. 0. A., doing special work among the colored soldiers who are engaged in cemetery work. She is with a group of other colored women who will be sent to Verdun and Chateau Thierry. The Tennessee Federation of Colored Wo men's Clubs met in Nashville, Term., in July. Addresses on various phases of the work were delivered by Mrs. J. A. McMil lan, Mrs. J. C. Caldwell, Dr. Mattie Cole man, Hon. I. T. Montgomery of Mound Bayou, Miss., and a number of others. Thirty-five clubs were represented and made excellent reports on the work done in edu cation, charity and reforms • v<f various kinds. The of leers elected wete: Mrs. F. P. Cooper, Memphis, President; Mrs. F. E. Dawson, Nashville, Vice-President; Mrs. A. T. Johnson, Oakland, Secretary. The Woman's League, Incorporated, of Hartford, Conn., an organization composed of enterprising colored women of that town, recently purchased a club house. It will be equipped with everything necessary for carrying on charitable and uplift work in their community. CAYTON S WEEKLY (Office 303 22nd Aye. South) Regular, Reliable, Republican, Readable Wants 500 New Subscribers This is a Sample of what it sends out Every Week No Friends to Reward or Enemies to Punish A Publication of Ideas Rather Than Personalities Read for Yourself and Be Convinced Telephone Beacon 1910 SANDERS & COMPANY LOANS NEGOTIATED 1003-1004 L. C. Smith Building Office Hours From 8 :30 A. M. to 5:30 P. M. Seattle, Wash. Elliott 4662 You Are Welcome GREAT NORTHERN POOL AND BILLIARD HALL Cigars, Tobacco and Soft Drinks. BOYD & WILLIAMS, Props. 1032 Jackson St.