The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-11-05
The .Anti-Monopolist.

lerin', but nobody didn't come till Kiah
was done drownded."
Il am sorry for you, Joe; ] wish I
had been there. But, as far as Kiah
is concerned, he is better off than he
was BEFORE said Mr.. Wise. -g
ssNo, he amt Mas Tom,' said Joe
stoutly ''leas ways, Kiah didn't think
50 hissc'f, cos eff he had 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 Ki:h. You needn't
gimme n socks, cos he amt got no
feet. Oh, Lordy oh, Lerdy!' sobbed
Little Joe. s'ef me an Kiah had jes'
had feet like some folks, Kiah wouldn's
ha' been drownded y
ssTake this up to the house,, said
Mr.. Wise, handing>him note, sand
Miss Mollie will give you whatever you
want
.sThanky, SIR said Joe. Il know
you amt got no coffin handy, but you
can gimme de money and l can git one.
l don't recon it will take much. cos
Kiah warn't big
Then Mr.. Wise wrote note for the
undertaken, ana directed Joe what to
do with it.
The next day was cold and dark and
misty, and the paupers' Aearse that
conveyed Kiah to the graveyard was
driven SO fast that poor little Joe the
only mourner, could hardly deep up as
he hoped along behind on his
crutches.
The blast grew keener and the mist
heavier, and before Kiah was buried
out Of sight the rain was falling in tor
rents that drenched the poor little
cripple sobbing beside the grave, and
the driver Of the hearse, good-hearted
Irishman, said to him. 'sIn wild We. or
get up here by me, an ye're mind to.
I'll take ye back
But Joe shook his head, and pre-
pared to hop back as he had hoped
out. ssThankee, sir" said he, 'but
I'd rather walk. | feels like l would
be gittin' a ride out O Kiah's funeral.
The wind blew open his battonless
shirt, and the rain beat heavily on his
loyal little breast, but he struggled
against the storm, and paused only
once on his way home. That was be.
sides the goods box that he and kiah
had for stall. Now it was drenched
with rain and the sides bespatered with
mud, and the newspaper that had
served for q cloth had blown over one
corner and was soaked and torn, but
) chung to its old companion. though the
wind tried to tear it away and the rain
to beat it down. Little Joe stood {
minute besideit, and cried harder thar
ever.
For several days Little Joe drsoped
and shivered and refused to eat, and a.
length he sent for Mr.. Wise, but Mr.
Wise was out of town. and did not re
turn for week; and though, when h,
got home, the first thing he. did was t.
: visit Little Joe, he came too late. fol
Joe would never again rise from thu
! straw pallet on which he lay, nor ust
the crutches that now stood idle in tn
corner.
His eyes frightened and he smile.
family as Tom entered like breath o
fresh air-so stroug and fresh and Wig
orous that it made one feel better only
to be near him.
! "Why, Joe! how is this =
The little cripple paused to gathe
I up his strength then he said 'Buste'
e agin, Mas Tom, and you can't. nuvvu
sot me up no mo-
, sob, stuff! DR.. North can if can't
i Why didn't you send for him when yo'
! found | was away 2"
S Il dunno. sir, I nuvvur though
:, bout it.
: Turning to the woman with whom
; Joe lived, s.And why the ID didn'
: you do it :" said Tom angrily.
e 81 didn't know Joe was so SICK.
d said Sc. .sTain't no use sen in for nj
S doctor now. jes' been tellin' Joe h
: bcteer not put eff making peace wild d
Lord
j Il don't reckon the Lord is mad Wit
4 me, Nancy. What is | done to him
e | didn't use to cuss. and didn't pla..
marbles on Sunday, cos couldn't pla,
g EN- no time, like the boys dat ha
e feet
= EFF you don't take keer you'll be to
|. late, like Kiah. A amt a-saCin wher
: Kiah is now-'taint for me to jedge,
said Nancy, shut you better be atryin
: to open de gate o Paradise.
: Piping the words out slowly an,
painfully, Little Joe replied, 81 don
r bleeve | kecr bout goin' less kial
! can git in too; but spec he's dar, co
: don't see what de good Lord could ha
. had agin him. He oughtn't to though
s hard @ nothin' Kiah done
i cos he warn't nuvvur nothin
i but free niger, an didn't hav no Of
mas to pattern by. Maybe He'll le
/. US bofe in. know kiah's waitin' 70
: me somewhar. but dunno what to sa
to him. You AZ Him, Mas Tom"
Il He spoke more feebly. and his eye