"Venus and the Night Doctors" SPEECHES & WRITINGS FILE VENUS AND THE NIGHT DOCTORS. Venus Johnson was no fool according to her own opinion at least. Why should she be? She had worked for years for the cream of Washington, none of your poor white trash, mind you, and she felt that what she lacked in book larnin was more than made up to her by daily contact and association. Venus had no special love for doctors of any kind. She didn't believe in them. "The whole kit and crew of em is a bad lot", she said. She would rather die than go to a hospital. She would die anyhow, if she went there. Most people shuffled off the mortal coil who went to hospitals, Venus had observed, and those who came forth alive, were simply sent out as a bait to catch others who were foolish enough to be encouraged by their good luck. But night doctors were Venus's special aversion. Nothing that Mr. Westfield, her employer, or any other member of the Westfield family had said could satisfy the mind of this good cook that night doctors are not a living, breathing, terrible reality. "Needn't tell me nuffin, honey", she said when arguments were adduced to prove how erroneous was her opinion, "I know a heap ur folks what night doctors has chased. One ur em chased me wunst and 'twas only by the grace ur God that I 'scaped his clutches". "What in the wide world did a night doctor want with you? Venus", said Mr. Westfield, "What day want wid me" Why day wants to cut me up, 2. dat what. The wust ur night doctors is you can't hear em comin. Day all wears rubber shoes. Day pounce upon you lak a duck upon a junie bug, and got you in a waggin with rubber wheels, befo you kin say grasshopper. No in deedy, I jes es soon think ur marchin straight into a lion's den as to pass by ary hospital ur Washinton in de night time. I aint none too show of em in de bright sun light ur day. A body 'd think de night doctors wud have enuff dead folks to cut up, de way day kills 'em off in de hospital, but, 'pears lak day wants to cut folks up alive dats well and hearty, so as to see if day can 'scover sumpin new about day insides." It appeared to Mr. Westfield that it would be a capital joke to catch Venus napping some time and give her a good, strong, allopathic dose of night doctor. Being buxom and prepossessing Venus had many admirers in her social set, but she was something of a flirt. A very fine fellow who was Mr. Westfield's coachman had been paying his "Distresses" to Venus for several years, but she had toyed with his heart as a cat plays with a mouse, till he was "nigh bout 'stracted," as he complained to his employer. Brownie, as he was familiarly called around the house, had heard Mr. Westfield laugh many a time and say he would give a good round sum to see Venus well frightened by a night doctor. A bright though suddenly occured to Brownie. Perhaps with Mr. Westfield's assistance he could bring Venus to terms. He would try at least and nothing beats a trial but a failure. 3. "Mr. Westfield", said Brownie one day, with a very serious air, "you know Venus been triflin with my 'fections for nigh onto two year. I'm mighty tired of it, but I don lak to giv her up now arter strugglin so long". "Well what can I do about it, Brownie? I can't force Venus to marry you, if she doesn't want you." "If you will loan me de use o' your rubber tire carriage some dark night, I think I can come putty nigh making Venus see the folly o' her way," said Brownie. How do you propose to do that? Venus seems to possess a heart as hard as flint, so far as you are conerned." "Yas sir, dats so, but day say dat de hardes rock eber knowed can be worn away in time. I've hearn tell that it take only one straw - de berry las straw - to break a camel's back. I was jes thinkin yudder day, dat if Venus could get into a might tight place an' I could save her, dat she might pay me back fer my pashuns and love." "If I can serve you, call on me, Brownie." "Jes you loan me de use o' your rubber tire carriage, dats all i ax". For several days thereafter Brownie discoussed learnedly and continuously on night doctors. He cited blood curdling instances of attempts which night doctors had made to capture several of his dearest friends. One, indeed, had actually been caught and dissected alive. "Why they'll kyarve you same as a coon will kyarve a possum", said he. After much persuasion Brownie induced Venus to accompany him to a church fair which Lovely Zion was about to give. Church fairs 4. had for years been a weakness with Venus. When her own church, in which she was a bright and shining light, gave one, she always had a table, and thanks to her charms and graces, she invariably took in more money than anybody else. Brownie had several friends who sympathized with him deeply in his unsuccessful attempts to storm Venus' heart. To these he confided his plan and applied for aid. "I'd do mos anything 'spectable to beat a woman's time lak Venus," said one of them. "You've been givin of her presents, takin her to church and comin arter her, when it suited her convenyance and spendin money on her lo these many days, and she treats you lak a dog." It happened that Mr. Westfield had an unrented house in the suburbs of Washington,near which had been built the new colored church that was holding a fair. When Brownie asked for the keys of this house / and was questioned concerning the use he intended to make of them he told Mr. Westfield it was a part of the plan to make Venus treat him right. "Look out and mind you don't get into trouble. A man who is as deeply in love as you are, Brownie, is apt to go too far." But the love-sick swain assured his employer that he wasn't so far gone that he didn't know his business and promised that no harm should come to himself or anybody else. Brownie knew the policeman whose duty it was to guard the 5. peace in the neighborhood of the unrented house. He was also on quite intimate terms with a cook who didn't live a hundred miles away and who was in the habit of lavishing upon this particular officer and toothsome dish she thought would temp his palate. To her Brownie went. "Martha", said he, "I'll give you a bran new black alapacer dress if you keep pleeceman Diggs roun' here from eight till nine Wednesday evening. I'm jes' going to play a little joke on a fren' and I'm afraid that he'll interfere wid it." "Now Brownie", said Martha with a righteous air, "I'm a 'spectable, hones 'ooman; I don' wan' to get in no trouble mysef nor help nobody else into none." Brownie thereupon called heaven and earth to witness that he had never harmed a hair of anybody's head from the day of his nativity to that moment, and reminded Martha of his good name and unblemished reputation. Then Martha gave another exhibition of the eternal feminine by yielding. Brownie was assured that her good friend the "pleeceman" would be nowhere near the vacant house between the hours of eight and nine o'clock. In order to clinch matters better Brownie paid Martha a delicate little compliment by telling her she was the only woman of his acquaintance who could keep her right hand guessing what her left hand was doing. He pledged her again to eternal secrecy and promised faithfully that she should know the joke in a few days. Gorgeously bedecked and bejewelled, Venus, the proud and obdurate, 6. started out with Brownie for the fair. The night was dark. The heavens were a huge block of blackness which was relieved neither by moon nor by star. Arm in arm the couple were walking when suddenly a man appeared near the vacant house and asked if he might speak a word privately with Brownie. The two men had no sooner stepped aside than there was a slight confusion somewhere in the darkness nearby. Just as Venus turned around to discover the cause, she was blindfolded. Before she had time to recover sufficiently from the shock to scream, a sepucheral voice announced that the men who had captured her were night doctors who wanted somebody to dissect. "Don't scream", said the voice, "for we always cut the jugular vein of a woman who raises a disturbance. If you keep quiet, we'll just take you to the hospital and have the other doctors see what a fine specimen of a perfectly healthy woman you are. You are too fat to dissect, I think". The spokesman was one of Brownie's young friends who was studying medicine and who was indebted to the kind-hearted coachman for more than one lift to tide him over his financial troubles. Into the carriage with rubber tires poor Venus was put more dead than alive. If there had been any doubt in her mind about the genuineness of these particular night doctors, they would have been dispelled by the noiseless movement of the carriage wheels. Within two minutes the party reached the vacant house. The 7. trembling victim of the night doctors was just being lifted from the carriage, when a well-known voice shouted, "What yer doin' heah with this lady, you scoundruls. Let go o' her at wunst, or I'll make mince meat of yer." And then Brownie with the courage of Dewey and the strength of Samsom overpowered the night doctors, put them to flight and rescued the trembling Venus, just as she thought she was to be sacrificed a victim upon the alter of medical science. When speech had returned, Venus fell upon Brownie's neck and thanked him, until she was breathless from excuses of gratitude. "In a minute more I would have been a dead woman", said she. "All the way along them rapscallion night doctors kep a tellin how day was goin to kyarve me. 'Fust we'll cut her years off' said one, 'Its been a long time sence we've had sich a fine subjick' said the yudder.. And when I 'tempted to scream, "we'll cut your rugular vein,' said day." As Brownie himself had been in the carriage, and could have taken an affidavit that no such conversation had ever been held, he might have lost confidence in the veracity of the woman whom he wished to endow with all his worldly goods, if he had not remembered that she was too badly frightened to be responsible for what she said. Whatever other faults Venus had, ingratitude could not be laid at her door. "Brownie, how can I ever pay yer" sobbed Venus, "You have 8. delivered me, as it ware from the lion's den." "Marry Me, Venus", interrupted the practical, matter of fact Brownie. So Venus and Brownie were married. Martha received a brand new alapaca dress and a joke was told her according to promise, though it was not the joke that the happy groom played to win his bride. Brownie was henceforth a hero in Venus's eyes. He had proved his undying affection for her by bearding the night doctors in their den, and had exhibited courage such as she knew no other man in her set possessed. Nobody ever knew why Venus decided so suddenly to become Brownie's wife, except Mr. Westfield and the bridegroom's two best friends. Being men they kept it a dead secret of course, though each man reserved the right to tell it to his best friend, and so it reached me at last. Mary Church Terrell - 326 T St. N. W. Washington, D. C. SOFRONIA AND THE NIGHT DOCTORS. Sofronia Johnson was no fool according to her own opinion, at least. Why should she be? She had worked for the cream of Washington for years- none of your poor white trash mind you, and she felt what she lacked in "book larnin" was more than made up by her daily contact and association. Sofronia had no special love for doctors of any kind. She didn't believe in them. She would rather die than go to a hospital. She would die anyhow if she went there. Most people shuffled off this mortal coil when they went to hospitals, Sofronia had observed, and it was her opinion that those who came forth alive were simply sent out as bait to catch others who were foolish enough to be encouraged by their good luck. But night doctors were Sofronia's special aversion. Nothing that Mr. Westfield, her employer, or any other member of the Westfield family had said could satisfy the mind of this good cook that night doctors are not a living, breathing terrible reality. "Needn't tell me nothing honey," she said, when arguments were adduced to show how erroneous was her opinion, "I know a heap er folks what night doctors has chased. On er them chased me wunst, and 'twas only by the grace er God that I 'scaped his clutches." "What in the world did a night doctor want with you, Sofronia?" said Mr. Westfield. "What day want wid me? Why day wants to cut me up, dat what. The wurst er night doctors is you can't hear em comin'. Day all wear rubber shoes. Day pounce upon you lak a duck upon a junie bug, and got you in a waggin with rubber wheels, befo' you kin say grasshopper. No indeedy, I jes as soon think er marchin' straight into a lions den as to pass by 2 ary hospital er Washington in de night time. I ain't none too show er em in de bright sunlight er day. A body'd think de night doctors wud have enuff dead folks to cut up, de way day kills em off at the hospital, but 'pears lak day wants to cut up folks alive, dats well and hearty, so as to see if day can 'scover sumpin' new about day insides." It occured to Mr. Westfield that it would be a capital joke to catch Sofronia napping sometime and give her a good strong, allopathic dose of night doctor. Being buxom and prepossessing, Sofronia had many admirers in her social set, but she was something of a flirt. A very fine fellow, who was Mr. Westfield's coachman, had been paying his "distresses" to Sofronia for several years, but she had toyed with his heart as a cat plays with a mouse, till he was "nigh 'bout 'stracted", as he complained to his employer. Brownie, as he was familiarly called around the house, heard Mr. Westfield laugh many a time and say he would give a good round sum to see Sofronia well frightened by a night doctor. A bright thought suddenly occured to Brownie. Perhaps with Mr. Westfield's assistance, he could bring Sofronia to terms. He would try at least. "Mr. Westfield" said Brownie one day, with a very serious air, "you know Sofronia's been triflin' wif my 'fections fer nigh onto two year. I'm mighty tired er it, but don't lak ter giver her up now, after strugglin' so long." "Well what can I do about it, Brownie? I can't force Sofronia to marry you, if she doesn't want you." 3 "If you will loan me de use er yo rubber tire kerridge some dark night, I think I kin come putty nigh makin' Sofronia see the folly er her way," said Brownie. "How do you propose to do that? Sofronia seems to possess a heart as hard as flint, so far as you are concerned." "Yes sah, dat's so--but day say dat de hardes' rock eber knowed kin be wore away in time. I've hearn tell that it take only one straw--de berry last straw--to break a camel's back. I was just a thinkin' de yudder day dat if Sofronia could git into a mighty tight place, and I could save her, dat she might 'ward me fer my pashuns and 'fection." "If I can serve you, call on me Brownie." "Jes you loan me de use er you rubber-tire kerridge, dat's all I ax." For several days thereafter Brownie discoursed learnedly and philosophically on night doctors, whenever he could reach Sofronia's ear. He cited blood-curdling instances of attempts which night doctors had made to capture his friends. One, indeed, had been actually caught and dissected alive. "Why, day'll kyarve you same as a coon will kyarve a possum," said he. After much persuasion Brownie induced Sofronia to accompany him to a church fair, which Lovely Zion was about to give. Church fairs had been a weakness with Sofronia for years. Whenever her own church, in which she was a bright and shining light, gave one, she always had a table, and thanks to her many charms and graces, she invariably took in more money than anybody else. Brownie had several friends who sympathized with him deeply in his unsuccessful attempts to storm Sofronia's heart. To two of these he confided his plans and applied for aid. 4. It happened that Mr. Westfield had an unrented house in the suburbs of Washington, near which had been built the new colored church that was holding a fair. When Brownie asked for the keys of this house, and was questioned concerning the use he intended to make of them, he told Mr. Westfield it was a part of the plan to make Sofronia treat him right. "Look out and mind you don't get into trouble. A man who is as deeply in love as you are, Brownie, is apt to go too far." But the love-sick swain assured his employer that he wasn't so far gone that he didn't know his business, and promised that no harm should come to himself or anybody else. Brownie knew the policeman whose duty it was to guard the peace in the neighborhood of the unrented house. He was also on intimate terms with a cook, who didn't live a hundred miles away, and who was in the habit of lavishing upon this particular officer any toothsome dish she thought would tempt his palate. To her Brownie went. "Martha," said he, "I'll give you a bran-new alerpacer dress, if you keep Policeman Diggs 'round hyer from 8 till 9 Wednesday evening. I'm jes goin' to play a little joke on a fren, and I'm afeared he mought interfyer wid it." "Now Brownie," said Martha with a righteous air, "I'm a spectable hones' oomun. I don' wan' ter git in to trouble mysef, and I don't wan' ter help nobody else into none." Brownie called heaven and earth to witness that he had never harmed a hair of anybody's head from the day of his nativity to that moment, and reminded Martha of his good name and unblemished reputation. Then Martha gave another exhibition of the eternal feminine by yielding. Brownie was assured that her good friend, the "pleeceman," would be nowhere near the vacant house between the hours of 8 and 9 o'clock. 5. Brownie told Martha that she was the only woman of his acquaintance who could keep her right hand guessing what her left hand was doing, pledged her again to eternal secrecy, and promised faithfully that she should know the joke in a few days. Gorgeously bedecked and bejeweled, Sofronia, the proud and obdurate, started out with Brownie to the fair. The night was dark. The heavens were one huge block of blackness, which was relieved neither by moon nor by star. Arm in arm the couple were walking, when suddenly a man appeared near the vacant house, and asked if he might speak a word privately with Brownie. The two men had no sooner stepped aside than there was a slight confusion somewhere in the darkness near by. Just as Sofronia turned around to discover the cause she was blindfolded. Before she had time to scream a sepulchral voice announced that she man who had captured her were night doctors who wanted somebody to dissect. "Don't scream," said the voice, "for we always cut the jugular vein of a woman who raises a disturbance. Take my advice and keep quiet." Into the carraige with rubber tires poor Sofronia was lifted more dead than alive. If there had been any doubt in her mind about the genuineness of these particular night doctors, it would have been dispelled by the noiseless movement of the wheels. Rubber tires were a new thing under the sun. Mr. West's carriage had just been purchased, so that the attention of the cook had not been called to this particular feature. After Sofronia was captured, Brownie took a short cut to the vacant house, while the carriage kept a block or two out of the way to accomodate him. He unlocked the front door and then ran a short distance from the premises before the party arrived. 6. "How is your health?" said Night Doctor No. 1 to Sofronia, as he was driving her noiselessly along to her doom. He was one of Brownie's young friends who was studying medicine and who was indebted to the kind-hearted coachman for more than one lift to tide him over his financial troubles. "I'se jes' as well as a human bein' could possibly be," replied the prospective victim of medical science. "I clar' ter goodness I never was sick a day in my life." "It may be," interrupted Night Doctor No. 2 "that she is too healthy to use as a subject." "Deed an double 'deed I is," assented Sofronia quickly. "If you're looking for folks what's got intrustin' ailments, 'taint no use fer to take me ter no hospital." "Well," said the other Night Doctor, "we'll see about that later on. Healthy people are just the kind we want sometimes." Then and there words failed Sofronia. She was too frightened to reply. In a very few minutes the carraige reached the vacant house. A halt was made. Night Doctor No. 2 jumped out and rushed up the steps. He opened the front door and closed it with a bang. Night Doctor No. 1 assisted Sofronia to alight. Her impulse to scream was restrained both because she feared her jugular vein would be cut and because she entertained the hope that she might prove to be too healthy to be of any service to the night doctors. Sofronia was being ordered to walk right along, when a man came rushing up breathless. "What is all dis hyer?" he shouted. "Its's me, it's me, your Sofronia, Brownie, and the night doctors got me an' goin' to cut me up. Save me, save me/ fer de Lawd's sake." "Let her go at wunst, er I'll make mince meat er yer," demanded Brownie, who thereupon overpowered the night doctors, and put them to 7. flight, rescued Sofronia, and made himself a hero in her sight all at the same time. When speech returned, Sofronia fell upon Brownie's neck and thanked him till she was breathless from excess of gratitude. "In a minute more I would a-been a dead 'ooman," said she. "All de way erlong dem rapscallion night doctors kep' a-tellin' how day was a-goin' to kyarve me. "Fust we'll cut her years off," said one. "It's a long time sense we've had sech a fine subjick," said the yudder. An' when I 'tempted to scream, "we'll cut yer rugler vein," said day." Brownie was philosopher enough to know that a woman who has been badly frightened is not responsible for what she says. "Brownie how can I ever repay yer?" sobbed Sofronia. Whatever other faults she had, ingratitude was not one of the. "You have saved my life--delivered me as tware from the lions den." "Marry me, Sofronia," said the practical matter-of-fact Brownie. So Sofronia and Brownie were married. Martha received a brand-new alpaca dress and a joke was told her according to promise, thought it was not the joke the happy bridegroom played to win his bride. Mary Church Terrell. 326 T St. N.W. Wash, D.C. Written by Mary Church Terrell 1615 S. St., N.W. Washington, D.C. Venus and the Night Doctors. Venus Johnson was no fool, according to her own opinion, at least. Why should she be? She has worked for the cream of Washington for years, none of your poor white trash, mind you, and she felt that what she lacked in "book larnin" was more than made up to her by daily contact and association. Venus has no special love for doctors of any kind. She didn't believe in them. She would rather die than go to a hospital. She would die anyhow if she went there. Most people shuffled off this mortal coil when they went to hospitals, Venus had observed, and it was her opinion that those who came forth alive were simply sent out as a bait to catch others who were foolish enough to be encouraged by their good luck. But night doctors were Venus' special aversion Nothing that Mr. Westfield, her employer, or any other member of the Westfield family has said could satisfy the mind of this good cook that night doctors are not a living, breathing, terrible reality. "Needn't tell me nuffin, honey," she said, when arguments were adduced to prove how erroneous was her opinion. "I know a heap er folks what night doctors has chased. One er em chased me wunst, and 'twas only by the grace er God that I 'scaped his clutches." "What in the world did a night doctor want with you, Venus?" said Mr. Westfield. "What day want wid me? Why day wants to cut me up, dat what. The wust er night doctors is you cant hear em comin. Day all wears rubber shoes. Day pounce upon you lak a duck upon a junie but, and get you in a waggin wid rubber wheels, befo you kin say grasshopper. No indeedy, I jes as soon think er marchin straight into a lion's den as to pass by ary hospital er Washington in de night time. I aint none too show er em in de bright sunlight er day. A body'd think de night doctors wud have enough dead folks to cut up, de way day kills em off at de hospital, but pears lak day wants to cut folks up a live, dats well and hearty, so as to see if day can scover sumpin new about day insides." 2 It occurred to Mr. Westfield that it would be a capital joke to catch Venus napping some time and give her a good strong allopathic dose of night doctor. Being buxom and prepossessing, Venus had many admirers in her social set, but she was something of a flirt. A very fine fellow, who was Mr. Westfield's coachman, had been paying his "distresses" to Venus for several years but she had toyed with his heart as a cat plays with a mouse, till he was "nigh 'bout "stracted", as he complained to his employer. Brownie, as he was familiarly called about the house, heard Mr. Westfield laugh many a time and say he would give a good round sum to see Venus well frightened by a night doctor. A bright thought suddenly occurred to Brownie. Perhaps, with Mr. Westfield's assistance, he could bring Venus to terms. He would try, at least. "Mr. Westfield," said Brownie one day with a very serious air, "you know Venus been triflin with my 'fections fer nigh onto two years. I'm mighty tired er it, but dont lak to give her up now, arter strugglin so long." "Well, what can I do about it, Brownie? I cant force Venus to marry you, if she doesn't want to." "Ef you will loan me de use er yo rubber-tire kerridge some dark night, I think I kin come putty nigh makin Venus see de folly er her way," said Brownie. "How do you propose to do that? Venus seems to possess a heart as hard as flint, so far as you are concerned." "Yas suh, dat's so- but day say dat de hardes' rock eber knowed kin be wore away in time. I've heard tell dat it takes only one straw- de berry las' straw- to break a camel's back. I was jes er thinkin' de udder day dat if Venus could git into a mighty tight place, an' I could save her dat she might 'ward me for my pashuns an' 'fection." "If I can serve you, call on me Brownie." "Jes you loan me de use or your rubber-tire kerridge, dat's all I ax." For several days thereafter Brownie discoursed learnedly and philosophically on night doctors, whenever he could reach Venus' ear. He cited blood-curdling instances of attempts which night-doctors had made to capture 3 his friends. One, indeed, had been actually caught and dissected alive. "Why, day'll kyarve you same as a coon will cyarve a possum." said he. After much persuasion Brownie induced Venus to accompany him to a church fair, which Lovely Zion was about to give. Church fairs had been a weakness with Venus for years. Whenever her own church, in which she was a bright and shining light gave one, she always had a table, and thanks to her many charms and graces, she invariably took in more money than anybody else. Brownie had several friends who sympathized with him deeply in his unsuccessful attempts to storm Venus's heart. To two of these he confided his plans and applied for aid. It happened that Mr. Westfield had an unrented house in the suburbs of Washington, near which had been built the new colored church which was holding the fair. When Brownie asked for the keys of this house and was questioned concerning the use he wished to make of them, he told Mr. Westfield it was part of a plan to make Venus treat him right./ "Look out, and mind you dont get into trouble, A man who is as [deep] deeply in love as you are, Brownie, is apt to go too far." But the love-sick swain assured his employer that he wasn't so far gone that he did not know his business, and promised that no harm should come to himself or anybody else. Brownie knew the policeman whose duty it was to guard the peace in the neighborhood of the unrented house. He was also on intimate terms with a cook. who didn't live a hundred miles away, and who was in the habit of lavishing upon this particular officer any toothsome dish she thought would tempt his palate. To her Brownie went. "Martha," said he, "I'll give you a bran-new alerpaca dress, if you keep Pleeceman Diggs 'roun hyer from 8till 9 Wednesday evening. I'm jes goin to play a little joke on a fren, an' I'm afeared he mought interfere wid it." "Now Brownie," said Martha with a righteous air, "I'm a 'spectable, hone' ooman. I don' wan ter git in no trouble mysef, an' I don' wan' 4 ter help nobody else into none." Brownie called heaven and earth to witness that he had never harmed a hair of anybody's head from the day of his nativity to that moment, and reminded Martha of his good name and unblemished reputation. Then Martha gave another exhibition of the eternal feminine by yielding. Brownie was assured that her good friend, "the pleeceman", would be nowhere near the vacant house between the hours of eight and nine o'clock. Brownie told Martha that she was the only woman of his acquaintance who could keep her right hand guessing what her left hand was doing, pledged her again to eternal secrecy, and promised faithfully that she should know the joke in a few days. Gorgeously bedecked and bejeweled, Venus, the obdurate and proud, started out with Brownie to the fair. The night was dark. The heavens were one huge block of blackness, which was relieved neither by moon nor by star. Arm in arm the couple were walking, when suddenly a man appeared near the vacant house, and asked if he might speak a word privately with Brownie. The two men had no sooner stepped aside than there was a slight confusion somewhere in the darkness nearby. Just as Venus turned around to discover the cause she was blindfolded. Before she had time to scream a sepulchral voice announced that the men who had captured her were night doctors who wanted some body to dissect. "Dont scream," said the voice, "for we always cut the jugular vein of a woman who raises a disturbance. Take my advice and keep quiet." Into the carriage with the rubber tires poor Venus was lifted more dead than alive. If there had been any doubt in her mind about the genuineness of these particular night doctors, it would have been dispelled by the noiseless movements of the wheels. Rubber tires were a new thing under the sun. Mr. West's carriage had just been purchased, so that the attention of the cook had not been called to this particular feature. After Venus was captured, Brownie took a short cut to the vacant house. while the carriage kept a block or two out of the way to accommodate him. He unlocked the front door and then ran a short distance from the premises 5 before the party arrived. "How is your health?" said Night Doctor No. 1 to Venus, as he was driving her noiselessly along to her doom. He was one of Brownie's young friends who was studying medicine and who was indebted to the kind-hearted coachman for more than one lift to tide him over his financial troubles. "I'se jes as well as a human bein' could possibly be," replied the prospective victim of medical science. "I clar to goodness I never was sick a day in my life." "It may be", said Night Doctor No. 2, "that she is too healthy to use as a subject." "Deed and double deed I is," assented Venus quickly. "If you're lookin' f fer folks what's got intrustin' ailments. taint no use fer to take me to no hospital.' "Well". said the other Night Doctor, "we'll see about that later on. Healthy people are just the kind we want sometimes." Then and there words failed Venus. She was too frightened to reply. In a very few minutes the carriage reached the vacant house. A halt was made. Night Doctor No. 2 jumped out and rushed up the steps. He opened the front door and closed it with a bang. Night Doctor No. 1 assisted Venus to alight. Her impulse to scream was restrained both because she feared her jugular vein would be cut and because she entertained the hope that she might prove to be too healthy to be of any service to the night doctors. Venus was being ordered to walk right along, when a man came rushing up breathless/. "What's all dis hyer?" he shouted. "It's me, it's me, your Venus, Brownie, an the night doctors got me an goi' to cut me up. Save me, save me, fer de Lawd's sake." "Let her go at wunst, er I'll make mince meat of yer," demanded Brownie who tereupon overpowered the night doctors, and put them to flight, rescued Venus and made himself a hero in her sight all at the same time. When speech returned, Venus fell upon Brownie's neck and thanked him till she was breathless from excess of gratitude. 6 "In a minute more, I would a been a dead 'ooman," said she. All de way erlong dem rapscallion night doctors kep a tellin how day was a goin' to kyarve me. "Fust we'll cut her years off," said one, "It's a long time sense we've had such a fine subjick," said de yudder. An' when I 'tempted to scream 'we'll cut yer rugler vein', said day." Brownie was philosopher enough to know that a woman who has been badly frightened is not responsible for what she says. "Brownie, how can I ever repay yer?" sobbed Venus. Whatever other failures she had, ingratitude was not one of them. "You have saved my life- delivered me as 'tware from the lion's den." "Marry me, Venus," siad the practical, matter of fact Brownie. So Brownie and Venus were married. Martha received a brand-new alapaca dress and a joke was told her according to promise, though it was not the joke which the happy bride groom played to win the bride. Mary Church Terrell. Venus and the Night Doctors. Venus Johnson was no fool, according to her own opinion, at least. Why should she be? She had worked for years for the cream of Washington, none of your "poor white trash", mind you, and she felt that what she lacked in book larnin was more than made up to her by daily contact and association. Venus had no special love for doctors of any kind. She simply didn't believe in them and nobody could make her put any faith in them, no matter how many or how fine were the points presented in their favor. "The whole kit and crew of them is a bad lot," she said. She would rather die than go to a hospital. She would die anyhow if she went there. Most people shuffled off this mortal coil who went to hospitals, Venus declared, and those who came forth alive, were simply sent out as baits to catch others who were foolish enough to be encouraged by their good luck. But night doctors were Venus' special aversion. The tales she could tell about their cruel deeds would make anybody's blood run cold. Nothing that Mr. Cabot, her employer, or any other member of his family had said could satisfy the mind of this good cook that night doctors were not a living, breathing, menacing, terrible reality. "Needn't tell me nuffin, honey," she said when arguments were adduced to prove how erroneous her opinion was. "I know a heap uv folks what night doctors has chased. One uv em chased me wunst and 'twas only by the grace uv God that I 'scaped his clutches." "What in the wide world did a night doctor want with you, Venus?" asked Mr. Cabot. "What dey want wid me? Why day wants to cut me up- dat what. The wust of night doctors is you cant never hear em comin. Day all wears rubber shoes. Day pounce upon you lak a duck upon a junie bug, and got you in a waggin with rubber wheels, befo you kin say grasshopper. No indeedy! I jes as soon think uv marchin straight into a lion's den 2 as to pass ary hospital uv Washington in de night time. I aint none too show uv em in de bright sunlight uv day. A body'd think de night doctors would have enuff dead folks to cut up, de way day kills em off in de hospitals. But 'pears lak day wants to cut folks up alive dats well and hearty, so as to see ef day can 'scover sumpin new 'bout day insides." It appeared to Mr. Cabot that it would be a capital joke to catch Venus napping some time and give her a good , strong , allopathic dose of night doctor. Being buxom and prepossessing Venus had many admirers in her social set, but she was something of a flirt. She had the reputation of leading them on and then letting them go in a very hard-hearted, cold-blooded way. A [very] fine fellow who was Mr. Cabot's coachman had been paying his "distresses" to Venus for several years. But she had toyed with his heart as a cat plays with a mouse, till he was "nigh" 'bout 'stracted," as he complained to his employer. Brownie, as he was familiarly called around the house, had heard Mr. Cabot laugh many a time and say he would give a good round sum to see Venus well frightened by a night doctor. A bright thought suddenly occurred to Brownie. Perhaps with Mr.Cabot's assistance he could bring Venus to terms. He would try, at least, and nothing beats a trial but a failure. "Mr. Cabot," said Brownie, one day with a very serious air, "you know Venus been triflin' with my 'fections for night onto two years. I'm mighty tired of it, but I dont lak to give her up now arter struggling so long. Folks will laugh at me and make more fun of me den de law allows, ef some other man gits her." "Well, what can I do about it, Brownie? I cant force Venus to marry you, if she doesn't want you." "Dat ooman dont know what she want,Mr. Cabot, I can prove to you that she do want me, ef you will help me some. Ef you will loan me de use 3 uv your rubber-tire carriage some dark night, I think I can come putty nigh makin' Venus see the folly uv her ways," said Brownie. "How do you propose to do that? Venus seems to possess a heart as hard as flint, so far as you are concerned." "Yes, sir, dats so, but day say dat de hardes rock eber knowed can be worn away in time. I've hearn tell that it take only one straw- an' de berry last straw at dat- to break a camel's back. I was jes thinkin' yudder day, dat if Venus could git in a mighty tight place, an' I could save her, dat she might pay me back fer my pashuns and love." "If I can serve you, call on me Brownie." "All you got to do, Mr. Cabot, is jes to loan me de use uv your rubber-tire carriage. Dat's all I ask." For several days thereafter Brownie discoursed learnedly and continuously on night doctors. He cited blood-curdling instances of attempts which night doctors had made to capture several of his dearest friends. One, indeed, had actually been caught and dissected alive. "Why, day'll carve you same as you'd carve a possum," said he. After much persuasion Brownie induced Venus to accompany him to a church fair which Lovely Zion was about to give. For years church fairs had been a weakness with Venus. When her own church, in which she was a bright and shining light gave one, she always had a table, and thanks to her charms and graces, she invariably took in more money than anybody else. Brownie had several friends who sympathized with him deeply in his unsuccessful attempts to storm Venus' heart. To these he confided his plan and applied for aid. "I'd do 'mos anything 'spectable to beat a woman's time lak Venus," said one of them. "You've been givin' uv her presents, takin' her to church, comin' arter her, when it suited her conveniunce and spendin' money on her, lo these many days. And she is still treatin' you lak a dog." It happened that Mr. Cabot had an unrented house in the suburbs of Washington, near which had been built the new colored church which was holding the fair. When Brownie asked for the keys of this house and was 4 questioned concerning the use he intended to make of them he told Mr. Cabot it was part of his plan to "make Venus treat me right." "Look our and mind you don't get into trouble. A man who is as deeply in love as you are. Brownie, is apt to go too far." But the love-sick swain assured his employer that he was not so far gone that he didn't know his business and promised that no arm should come to himself or anybody else. Brownie knew the policeman whose duty it was to guard the peace in the neighborhood of the unrented house. He was also on quite intimate terms with a cook who didn't live a hundred miles away and who was in the habit of lavishing upon this particular officer any toothsome dish she thought would tempt his palate. To her Brownie went. "Martha," said he, "I'll give you a brand new black alapacker dress, ef you keep pleeceman Diggs roun' here from eight till nine o'clock Wednesday night. I'm jes goin' to play a little joke on a fren', and I'm afraid he'll interfere wid it." "Now, Brownie," said Martha with a righteous air, "I'm a 'spectable, hones' ooman; I dont want to git in no trouble myself and I dont want to hep nobody else into none." Thereupon Brownie called heaven and earth to witness that he had never harmed a hair of anybody's head from the day of his nativity to that moment, and reminded Martha of his good name and unblemished reputation. Then Martha gave another exhibition of the eternal feminine by yielding. Brownie was assured that her good friend, the pleeceman, would be nowhere near the vacant house between the hours of eight and nine o'clock next Wednesday night. In order to clinch matters better Brownie paid Martha a delicate little compliment by telling her she was the only woman of his acquaintance who could keep her right hand guessing what her left hand was doing. He pledged her again to eternal secrecy and promised faithfully that she should know all about the joke in a few days. Georgeously bedecked an bejewelled, Venus, the proud and obdurate, 5 started out with Brownie to the fair. The night was dark- very dark. The heavens were a huge block of blackness which was relieved neither by moon nor by star. Arm in arm the couple were walking when suddenly a man appeared near the vacant house and asked if he might speak a word privately with Brownie. The two men had no sooner stepped aside than there was a slight confusion somewhere in the darkness nearby. Just as Venus turned around to discover the cause, she was blindfolded. Before she had time to recover sufficiently from the shock to scream, a sepuchral voice announced that the men who had captured her were night doctors who wanted somebody to dissect. "Dont scream," said the voice, "for we always cut the jugular vein of a woman who raises a disturbance. If you keep quiet we'll just take you to the hospital and have the other doctors see what a fine specimen of a perfectly healthy woman you are. You are too fat to dissect, I think." The spokesman was one of Brownie's young friends who was studying medicine and who was indebted to the kind-hearted coachman for more than one lift to tide him over his financial troubles. Into the carriage with rubber tires poor Venus was put more dead than alive. If there had been any doubt in her mind about the genuineness of these particular night doctors, they would have all been dispelled by the noiseless movement of the carriage wheels. Within two minutes the party reached the vacant house. The trembling victim of the night doctors was just being lifted from the carriage, when a well-known voice shouted, "What yer doin' heah with this lady, you scoundruls. Let her go at wunst, or I'll make mince meat uv yer." And then Brownie with the courage of an African chieftain and the strength of Samson overpowered the night doctors, put them to flight and rescued the trembling Venus, just as she thought she was to be sacrificed a victim upon the alter of medical science. When speech had returned, Venus fell upon Brownie's neck and thanked [him, until she was breathless from] 6 him, until she was breathless from excess of gratitude. "In a minute more, I'd a been a dead ooman," said she. "All the way along them rapscallion night doctors kep a tellin' how day was a goin' to kyarve me. Fust, we'll cut her years off," said one. "It's been a long time sence we've had sich a fine subjick," said the yudder. "And when I 'tempted to scream, "we'll cut your rugular vein,' said day. Whatever other faults Venus had, ingratitude could not be laid at her door. "Brownie, how can I ever pay yer?" sobbed Venus. "You have delivered me, as it ware, from the lion's den." "Marry me, Venus," interrupted the practical, matter-of-fact Brownie. So Venus and Brownie were married. Martha received a brand new black alapaca dress and a joke was told her according to promise, though it was not THE joke that the happy groom played to win his bride. Brownie was henceforth a hero in Venus' eyes. He had proved his undying affection for her by bearding the night doctors in their den, and had exhibited courage such as she knew no other man in her set possessed. Nobody ever knew why Venus decided so suddenly to become Brownie's wife, except Mr. Cabot, the bridegroom and his two best friends. Being men they kept it a dead secret, of course, through each man reserved the right to tell it to his best friend, and so it reached me at last. Mary Church Terrell Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.