The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-11-12

Joe took the mild pleasantly, and, in
quiring What mout be de price o. de
pin?' was told that il might be anything
from nothing up-bat it could go for
seventy.fyc cents.
He stood again outside the window,
looking sadly and reflectively at the at
tractive bijOu, then seated himself on the
curbstOne, his crutches resting in the gut
ter, and thoughtfully smoOthed between
his finger and thumb the twenty-fve-cent
note Mr.. Wise had given him: ''Ef
takes dis, an den one Mas Tom gwine to
gimme mex week, dat'll be fifty cents, but
it won't be seventy-five, so got TO make
a quarter on de two. Eff Miss Mollie
knOwed, spec she would wait anoder
week to cit married, an den | wouldn't
run no resko o. desc; but | amt gwine to
tell her, eos know she couldn't help tel
lin Mas Tom, an want to s'prise him.
Mas Tom is made me feel good a many
time; | want TO make him feel good
wunst. He don't nuvvur came dis way,
an amt seed dat pin, or he would ha' had
it fore now"
rhcn Little Joe bestirred himself and,
obtaining the assistance Of friend took his
dry-goods box up to Capitol Square.
'rherehc turned IL upside down, spread
newspaper over the top, and proceeded to
display his wares.
\ pyramid of three apples stood in one
corner; a small stack of pepperment candy
was its visa -UiS a tiny glass of peanuts
graced the third, and was confronted by
lemon that had seen life, and was more
sere than yellow. But the crOwning glory
was the center-piece-an unhappy-lOOking
pie of visage pale and thin physique, yet
how beautiful to Joe! He stepped back
to his crutches, turned his head from side
to side as he surveyed the effect, took up
a locust branch he had brought with him
to brush away the flies, and, leaning
against the iron railing, with calm dignity
awaited coming events.
His glance presently fell on the figure of
a negro boy, who stood gazing with long
ing eyes on the delicacies of his table, and
it was with a strange feeling of kinship
that Little Joe continued to regard the
newcomer, for he, too, had been branded
by misfortune. He appeared about Joe's
age, and should have been taller, but his
legs had been amputated nearly up to
the knee, and as he stood on the
pititul stumps, supported by a short
cane in one hand, his head was hardly as
high as the iron railing. lie had none of
Joe's brightness, but looked ragged and
dirty and hungry, and evidently had no
Mas Tom to help the good Lord and the
birds of the air to take care of him. His
skin was of dull ashen hue, and the short
wool which cluug close to his scalp was
sunburnt till it was red and crisp, and
formed a curious contrast to his black face.
One arm was bare only the ragged re-
mains of a sleeve hanging over the shoul-
der, and it seemed no great misfortune
that his legs had been shortened, for he
had hardly pantaloons enough TO cover
what he had left.
He looked at the pie, and Joe looked at
him. Presently the latter inquired seri-
Ously. "Whar yo' legs?"
"Cut off, was the answer.
" How come dey cut off?''
Feet was froS-bit. Like ter kill me-"
"What yO' name?" asked Joe.
" Kiah.''
"What were yo' ole mas name?"
- Didn't have no ole mas"
"Was you a natchul free nigger?"
"Dunno what you mean." said Kiah.
"'Fore we was all sOt free" explained
| Little Joe. "Wos you born wild a ole
mas an a ole mis-, or was you born free?
-ies' natchully free"
Free" said Kiah, thus placing himself,
as every SOutherner knows, under the ban
of JOe's contempt. "Umph my Lor'
Dat pie sholy do smell good!"
"You look hongry" said Joe gravely.
81 is" said KIah, " hOngry as a dOg!"
Negroes are generous creatures, and
Joe's mind was fully made up to give Kiah
a piece of pie; but before he signified this
benevolent intention herested his crutches
under his shoulders and swung his mis-
shapen feet almost in Kiah's face. He
leered at him; he grinned at him; he
stuck his chin in his face. and made dash
at him with the crown of his head finally
/ g r1a cil
and swinging his heels to the following
edition of ",Juba," repeated with incredi-
bic rapidity and indescribable emphasis:
Ruby-eyed 'simmon-seed
See Billy hOppin' jes' in time;
.Juba dis an' Juha dat,
,Juba killed dc yaller cat.
Roun' de kittle o. 'pOssum fat,
Whocp a-hoy! whOop a-hoy!
Double step o. Jubal
Forty pound o. candle grease
Settin' on de mantlPpiece.
! Don't you see ole Granny Graccl
She look so hOmely in de face.
Up de wall an down de 'titiOn,
Gimme sharp as sickle,
Cut de nigger's wooZen pipe
What eat up all de snassengers!
Git up dar, you little nigger
Cdn'tyOu pat Juba?
He stopped suddenly and grinnel ferO-
ciOuely at Kiah. Kiah gazed stOlidiy back
at Joe. Then Joe stepped TO the table,
took up a rusty old pOcket-knife, and cut
ting out piece of the pie handed it to
Kiah. Kiah bit off a point of the triangle
with his eyes fixed on Joe as if in doubt
whether he would be allowed to proceed,
but finding that the liberty was not re-
sented, he eagerly devoured the remainder,
drew his coat-sleeve across his mouth, and
said "Thanky.' And thus their friend
ship commenced.
1t was very touching and beautiful, the
Lot hafu
these two unfortunate creatures. Neither
could perform the labor or join in the
sports incident to his age, and they SEEM
ed drawn together by the attraction of a
common misery. Every day some little
service, pitiful in its insignificance except
to themselves, some little humble Office
from one to the other, some little act of
| selfdenial-perhaps the saving of few
cold potatoes that had been given to Kiah,
or the sacrifice of buttered roll that Joe
had got at Mr.. Wise's-every day some
little thing served TO cement this friend
ship which gave TO each a companion who
did not mortify him; and they became in
separable, Joe taking kiah to the little
shed where he spent his nights, and maxi
ing him an equal partner in business dur
ing the day,
The next time Joe came to be set up, he
gave Mr.. Wise q knowing wink and said
mysteriously: Don't you go buyin'
no bres'pin to war to de weddin', Mas
Tom"
"Why not. joe"
" Cos amt no use in two bres'pins. an
dar amt no tellin' what mOut happen fore
dat weddin' come Off"
Mr.Wise laughed. but he had no premo-
milton that Joe had entered into a success
ful negotiation for the grocer's eXecrable
crescent, and the shock was therefore un-
broken when, on the eve of the marriage,
Joe entered his dressing-rOom and pre-
sented it to him with an air of pride so
pitiful that il would have made woman
cry.
Tom was fully as much surprised as
Joe had anticipated, and affected to be as
greatly delighted; and when he had COM
pleted his toilet of faultlessly quiet tone,
he pinned the horrible thing in his shirt
bosom, and thanked little Joe for the gift