Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 May 1918 — NOTHING BUT SHEER WISDOM [ARTICLE]

NOTHING BUT SHEER WISDOM

Possibly Aunty’s Idea In Burning Chicken Feathers Was to Destroy Circumstantial Evidence. The dainty and winsome heiress of a Kentucky planter, recently graduated from a fashionable northern seminary, was devoting the morning of the first day of her return to the old homestead renewing acquaintance with her father's darky retainers “down among the quarters.” As she entered one of the cabins she saw old Aunt Martha, born in slavery during the life of the young lady’s grandfather, bending over a broad log fire, carefully burning, piece by piece, a bunch of chicken feathers. -.“Aunt Martha.” inquired the young lady, after watching the work of the ex-slave a few moments in silence, “why do you burn those feathers so carefully and systematically? Is it because of some religious idea or a superstition?” “No Misstus Lucy,” came the answer from tlie deliberate old woman, as she watched the last telltale feather crumple into nothing. “ Tain t no ’ligion an’ ’tain t nuffin tuh do wid no sewpustishums. It's wisdum. Jes plain, out-an’-out, wisdum.”