Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-11-06

ought TO be grateful but really she
thought Mr.. Wise rather morbid in his
philanthropy when he could wear that
brass moon before FIVE hundred people
( only to please a little deformed negro.
Perhaps you do not understand ~
said Tom, gently" that have given Joe
permission to witness the ceremony Il
believe / told you that he was the per
sonal properly of my mother, and a favor
| ite with her), and he will certainly know
whether | wear this pin that he has
worked for, and gone in debt for, and
probably starved himself for. Will
there be anyone here save yourself
whose laugh dread enough to induce
me to mortify and disappoint himP"
at will make us both ridiculous, said
she, haughtily.
Tom quietly unfastened the pin and
( placed it in his vest-pocket, and with it
disappeared Miss Annan's prospect of
becoming Mrs. Wise, enviable as she
I deemed the position.
"I have no right to include you in my
sacrifice, if sacrifice there be-" said he,
with grave courtesy, and referred no
more to the matter; but as soon as he
could leave her he sought his sister, and
! requested that the honor of standing
with Miss Amman might be conferred on
Mr.. Marshall, and himself allowed to
take Mr.. Marshall's partner, she being a
little girl on whose pluck and good-na-
ture he could alike rely. His sister had
no time to enter into particulars, but
made the desired change, and Mr.. Wise
! said to Miss Amman: L could not sacri-
fee Joe, Miss Emily, could not sacrifice
you, so have sacrificed myself, and am
a volunteer in the noble army of mar
tyrs."
When, however, as the bridal cortege
pasted through the hall, he saw Joe
nudge fellow-servant with his elbow
and point out the pin, he felt repaid,
though Miss Amman Vas holding her
head very high indeed.
| The next morning Little Joe came by
tie Office What did de folks say bout
yo brespin, Mas Tom?"
"Say? Why, they did not know what
to say, Joe They could not take their
eyes off me. That pin knocked the
black out of everything there. The
bridegroom couldn't hold a candle to
me-" said Mr.. Wise, and Joe laughed
aloud with delight. did they give you
your supper"
Did dat, Mas Tom; an I tux home a
SNOWFALL an a orange to Kiah," said Lit
tie Joe
IHtc On t0b vi iHC SAINT Nldy
Mr.. Wise was about leaving his Office
when Little Joe's crutches sounded in
the doorway and Little Joe himself ap-
peared sobbiug bitterly, tears streaming
down his face: ooh, Lordy, Mas Tom!
oh, Lordy"
"What is the matter, Joe?"
"Oh, Lordy, Mas Tom! Kiah's done
deadw
Kiahl Is 1t possible? What was the
niatter?" asked Mr. Wise.
"Oh, Lordy! oh, Lordyw sobbed Lit
tie Joe. Me an him went down to de
creek, an was playin' baptizin', an |
done baptized kiah, an'-oh, Lordy,
Lordy!--an' Kiah was jes gwine to bap-
tie me- an he stepped out too fur, an
his legs was so short he lost his holt on
me an drownded; an / couldn't ketch
him cos couldn't stan up widout moth
in to hold on to. Oh, Lordyl wish |
nuvvur had ha' heerd o. baptizin'! |
couldn't git him out, an jes' KEEP ON a.
hollerin', but nobody didn't come till
BBieh BB9ehh Yaf SHsf9ai dong Sd dhrownded"
cerned, he is better on zoe 5te... wisn M had
fore" said Mr.. Wise.
{" No, he amt, Mas Tom" said Joe,
stoutly; "lcastways, Kiah didn't think
so hisse'f, cos ef he had a-wanted to die
he could ha' done it long an merry ago.
don't b'leeve in no such fool-talk as
dead folks bein' better off dan dey was
befo'."
Tom was silent, and Little Joe went on
with renewed tears Il come up to ak
you to gimme clean shirt an par O.
draws to put on Kiah. You needn't
gimme no socks, cos he amt got no feet.
| Oh, Lordy! oh, Lordyw sobbed Little
| g tnh n1
like some folks, Kiah wouldn't ha' been
| drowndedW
Take this up to the house" said Mr..
Wise, handing him note, land Miss
Mollie will give you whatever you want"
"Thanky, sir" said Joe. / know you
amt got no coffin handy, but you can
gimme de money an ! can git one.
don't reckon it will take much, cos Kiah
warn't big"
Then Mr.. Wise wrote note for the
undertaken, and directed Joe what to dc
with it.
The next day was cold and dark and
misty, and the pauper's hearse that con
veyed Kiah to the graveyard was driven
SO fast that poor little Joe, the only
mourner, could hardly keep up as he
hopped along behind it on his crutches.
The blast grew keener and the mls'
heavier before Kiah was buried out o
sight; the ram was falling in torrents thai
, drenched the poor little cripple, sobblnt
beside the grave, and the driver OF tint
hearse, a good.hearted Irishman, said t
/ him, "In wild ye, or get up here by me
: an ye're mind to- lltake ye back"
But Joe shook his head, and prepared
, to hop back as he had hoped ou'
' "Thankee, sir" said he, "but I'd rathe
\ walk. ] feels like l would be gittin'
ride out o. Kiah's funeral"
: The wind blew open his buttonles
shirt, and the rain beat heavily on hi
n loyal little breast, but he struggle
a against the storm, and paused only ono
= on his way home. That was beside tn
= goods box that he and Kiah had fo
a stall. Now it was drenched with raj
and the sides bespattered with mud, an
n the newspaper that had served Tor clot
n had blown over one corner and wa
soaked and torn, but clung to its oil
?. companion, though the wind tried to tel
e. it away and the rain to beat it dow
& Little Joe stood minute beside it an
IS cried harder than ever.
g For several days Little Joe droop6
2 and shivered and refused to eat. and
ir length he sent for Mr. Wise, but M
re Wise was out of town, and did not !
turn for a week; and though, when
rs got home, the first thing he did was
,e visit Little Joe, he came too late, for JC
I'd would never again rise from the stra
ct pallet on which he lay, nor use q
is crutches that now stood idle in 4
or corner.
Of His eyes frightened and he smil
family as Tom entered like breath
I'd fresh air-so strong and fresh and vig'
ne GUS that it made one feel better only
es be near him.
ey "Why, Joel how is this?"
ur The little cripple paused to gather
", his strength; then he said "Busted agi
tie Mas Tom, and you can't nuvvur sot J
is, up NO mo-"
ly "Oh, stuff DIR. North can If caI
he Why didn't you send for him when y
found was awayY"
he 81 dunno, sir; l nuvyur thought 'bC
'es IT,"