The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1870-04-07
Scene in New York.

On Friday afternoon, as Justice Hogan
was about to leave his court room In the
Tombs, the gentlemanly clerk called his at
tention to forlorn and dilapidated colored
man. The poor old colored man was nearly
seventy years of age, aud was quite lame.
He had an old slouched hat wrapped about
the head of his cane, and his hair, moustache,
and eyebrows were as white a; the driven
snow. Hobbling to the outer railing he look
ed at the judge, while his palsied hands were
shaking on his stick, and bent body was
quiveripg with decrepitudc. 1t was some
time before he could speak. At length in
choking accents, he said:
"Judge, I-I-I'se an ole man. Use way
down from Alb marie county Varginny- dar's
whar Sc from. De ole mass, an dc bows.
an my son -Peto, and all de- little n1gs am
scattered by dc wah an the old mans in
strange LAM Judge-in strange Ian ~
Here the poor old man dropped his hat
from the top of his cane, and wiped tear
from his eye with the back of his shrivelled
hand. The Judge, becoming interested, told
the old man to go on with his story, saying
that he had some friends in Albemarlc couu-
ty, and asked if he knew any of the Toli-
vers. Tho old darkey frightened up and
said
eyes, yes, indeed de ole Mass Tolver
won de great Alb marie cock fight nigh onto
forty years ago, You member dat cock
fight Judge? 2" ~
The Judge laughed, and said that that was
before his time. The old man stopped and pick
ed up his felt hat with great deal of diff
Guilty, after which he drew long breath, and
hobbled closer to the Judges desk as. Ter
"Ah, dose Tolliver chick'ns had de shuah
blood, Judge, an all de gemmens was afeard
on 'em. Did ye eber see any Of dem birds
what de ole Mass Tolliver had, Judge p
"No. no, uncle" replied the Judge, shat
was before my time"
Yes, yes, pensively said the old darkey,
"dat was long time agone, for shuah-dat
great Alb'mare cock fght-dat was in de
ole jackson and de Henry Clay time. Does
ye remember dose times Judge!" n. .saa
The Judge assured the old man that he
did not, and asked him what he could DO for
HIM. The tears again started to his eyes,
and in trembling voice he said:
Eyes, yes, Judge. Ye see Use an old mig
ger-a poor ole niger; an mass, an do
boys, an Pete-dats my son-an' all de lit
tie nigs am scattered By de wah, an. de Gle
mans in strange Ian. An de ole mans
hungry au' COLE An dc ole mans frens say
for him to cum down to de Judge, and do
Judge would glib 'em commit to de Island,
whar de ole man he could sleep an eat until
dem warm days would come again. Am dis
right for you to do dis ting Judge, jos for de
'commodation of de ole man? For dc ole
mans all alone in de worl', an de ole mans
got nothing, and de ole mans hungry an
cole, and dah's no place for de ole man for to
co. -
The tears sprang to the eyes of the kiEd.l
hearted Judge. He asked the decrepit; old
man if he wanted any money, but he shock
his venerable white head, and again in bro
ken accents begged to be sent to the Island.
Thereupon the Judge turned to the clerk, and
directed him to make out commitment, as.
surfing the old man that he would see that he
was taken from the Island to the almshouse,
where he would be kept warm and we'll fed
until the summer months.-N Y SIM.