Litchfield enquirer., 1875-01-14


 Tom to help the good Lord and the birds was of a dull, ashen hue, and the short wool which clung close to hls scalp was sun-burnt till it was red and crisp, and formed & curious contrast to his black face. One arm was bare. only the ragged remains of a sleeve hanging over the | shoulder, and 1t seemed no great misfOr- tune 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 se- riously, 'Whar yo' legs?" s'Cut of, was the answer. "How come dey cut off?"
 ''Feet was ffos' bit. Like ter kill me. D
 "What yo' name2'' asked Joe.
 ''Kiah,"
 'sWhat were yo' ole mas name?"
 stDidn't have no ole mas'."
 tsWas you natchul free nigger?"
 Dunno what you mean, said Kiah.
 "Fore we was all sot free," explained Little Joe. ''Was you born wid an ole mas an a ole mis, or was you born free? -jes' natchully free"
 "Free,'' said Kiah, thus placing him self, as every southerner knows, under the ban of Joe's contempt. ''Umph! my LOT! Dat pie sholy do smell goodp'
 "You look hongry," said Joe gravely.
 'I is." said -''hongry as dog.
 Negroes are generous creatures, and Joe's mind was fully made up to give Kiah 8 piece of pie; but before he signi- fled this benevolent intention. he rested his crutches under his shoulders and swung his misshapen feet almost in Kiah's face. He leered at him; he grinned at him; he stuck his chin in his face, and made dart at him with the crown of his head; finally snapping his eyes and slap ping his sides and swinging his heels to the following edition of "Juba, 7" repeat ing with incredible rapidity and inde- scribable emphasis:-
 Ruby-eyed simmon seed
 See Billy hoppin' jes' in time:
 Juba dis an Juba dat;
 Juba killed de yaller cat.
 Roun' de kttle O 'possom fat;
 Whoop a-hoy! whoop a-hoyi
 Double step O Jubal
 Forty pound O candle-grease
 Settin on de mantelpiece,
 Don't you see ole Granny Gracei
 She looks so homely in de face
 Up de wall an down de tition,
 Gimme ax sharp as sickle,
 Cut de niggers woozen pipe
 What eat up all de snassengers!
 Git up dar, you little niggerI
 Can't you pat Juba?
 He stopped suddenly and grinned fero- ciously at Kiah. Kiah gazed stolidly back at Joe. Then Joe stepped to the table, took up rusty old pocket-knife, and cut ting out a piece of the pie handed it to Kiah. Kiah bit of 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 remain der, drew his coat-sleeve across his mouth, and said .''Thankee.," And thus their friendship commenced IL wsss voIy toushing and beautifnl, the attachment which was formed between 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 It's insignificance, except to themselves, some little humble office from one to the other, some little act of self. .denial-perhaps the saving of few cold potatoes that had been given to Kiah, or the sacrifice of buttered roll that Joe had got at Mir. Wise's every day, some bttle thing served to cement this friend ship, which gave to each a companion who did not mortify him; and they be- came inseparable, Joe taking Kiah to the little shed where he spent his nights, and making him an equal partner in business during the day.
 The next time Joe came to be set up, he gave MT. Wise knowing wink, and said mysteriously; ''Don't you go buyin' no bres'pin to war to de weddin,' Mas Tom"
 "Why not, Joe?"
 ''Cos ain't no use in two bres'pins, an dar ain't no tellin' what mout happen fore dat weddin' come of. "
 MT. Wise laughed, but he had no pre- monition that Joe had entered into a suc- cessful negotiation for the grocer's execr- able crescent, and the shock was therefore unbrokeA when on the evening of the mar riage Joe entered his dressing-room and presented it to him with an air of pride so pitiful that it 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 hls shirt bosom, and thanked Little Joe for the gift with all the gracious courtesey of his fine nature.
 MT. Wise was to stand with friend of his sisters who was guest in the house, and, as they fancied themselves very much in love with each other, they had agreed to meet in the parlor an hour before that appointed for the ceremony, that they might enjoy a quiet tete-a-tete before the assembly of the guests. Having finished his toilet, he accordingly went down, and was soon joined by the lady.
 They promenaded up and down the par lors, and again and again her eyes rested curiously on the pin, but she made no al. fusion to it till her feelings had become entirely irrspressible, when she interrupt ed him in the middle of . sentence to in- quire what on earth it was, and where he got it. and why he wore it.
 Then he sat down by her side, with lace curtains shimmering in the twilight, and long mirrors refecting alabaster vases and oil paintings, and the ar heavy with the perfume of flowers, and told her about Little Joe-of his shapeless feet and for lorn life. his empty pockets and grateful heart. And she agreed that it must be dreadful to be so poor ard so deformed, and all that, and of course he ought to be grateful, but really she thought MT. Wise rather morbid in his philanthropy when he could wear that brass moon before five hundred people only to please little de formed negro.
 aPerhaps you do not understand, " said Tom, gently, ''that I have given Joe per- mission to witness the ceremony q believe I told you that he was the personal pro perty of my mother, and favorite with her, and he will certainly @now whether wear this pin that he has worked for. and gone in debt for, and probably starved himself for. Will there be any one here save yourself-whose laugh I dread en- ough to induce me to mortify and disap- point him?" sIt will make us both ridiculous said she haughtily.
 Tom quietly unfastened the pin and placed it in his vest-pocket, and with ii disappeared Miss Annan's prospect of be. coming Mrs. Wise, enviable as she deem. ed the position.
 T have no right to include you in my sacrifice if sacrifice there be- said he with grave courtesv and rafarro1 ,,< ,,o,-,