A Tale of Heartfelt Southern Charm?

An Uplifting Tale or Aspirational Fiction of Early 20th C. Southern States,  from a New York Magazine?

Entertaining Friends of Color in 1906

A charming sketch of Southern life in the New Idea Woman’s Magazine for December describes the visit of an old black “auntie” and her grand-daughter to the white family of whom the old woman had been a slave before the war. The situation is unique, and is handled with sympathy and humor by the writer, S. B. Hackley. 

The white’s fortunes had fallen and the ladies “do their own work.” An excellent understanding of etiquette, however, prevails and while the ladies wait on their black guests at the little table for two in the little kitchen, “Aunt Maria” and “Lizzie” appropriate the subsequent dish-washing. 

The entertainment consists in “Aunt Maria” hearing all the news of the beloved “white folks” and of all their collateral branches; In being shown the gala hats and frocks of the young ladies and finally in the affectionate bestowal of manifold gifts, broadly hinted for by the guests, from packages of coffee to hats, belts and flannel skirts.

The article which has the ring of truth more than of fiction, is an interesting document at the present juncture on the Southern question. — Adin Argus, November 1906

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