The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1880-09-03
UNCLE; q zEB'so LAMENT.
And the Gilmpses OF Glory that Death
81 Brought to Him.
IArlSansas (Iazette.1

10.
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,-f."iF5 Arkansas C1azette.] =
A little boy has just died in the city
a part of whose life and whose littl
character can better be told by his ben
efactor, an old colored drayman. TIL
old man came down the street yester
day with a countenance expressive q
the deepest sorrow. His eyes wer
moist, and his thick lips, sprinkle,
lightly with white hairs, like the mil
dew that gathers on an old carmen
exposed to the weather, twitched Al
though he suffered extreme physica
pain. sh-f; T. "a r.ai -.
"Whar's de dray, zeb ?'' asked q
companion, NI'se hauled free loads. Is
yer gwine ter let me git,away wild
yer?'' "stii h-a SEQ =. %,
s.My dray is under de shed an my
mule Is in de stable. Use suffered a
great tribulation an won't contest wild
yer agin for some timc.''
ssWhat's de matter. Look heah, ole
man, is yer been cryin'?' -
"Come, sot down heah on the bank
steps am let me tell yer Oh my lament"
The two men seated themselves, and
when several other draymen advanced
and leaned on the railing, old Zeb re-
moved his hat, rubbed his head in
that manner so characteristic with an
old negro when he is trying to recall a
date, and began: a r
81 was raised in Ferginia. My mars
ter cum to Arkansaw when 1 was a
young man. married heah an raised
my family. L neber married but onst,
an when da changed de law, 'vidin'
new constitution for dc lnarrin' oh
culled folks, 1 jes stuck to old Sarah,
ease we married atore freedom, 'mong
de trees, ono Sunday, down on de riber
plantation. Sarah am my son Jim
went away and got killed. I cum inter
town an tuck to drayin'. / lived by
myself. 1 had little house whar 1
stayed, cookin' am catin' by myself.
"About two years ago was goin'
home one night. 1t was mighty dark
an cole, an it were sleetin'. AS I
passed by dark doorway L heard
somebody a cryin'. Istopped, stepped
into the doorway and axed who was
dar. A voice cum outcn the darkness.
I struck.a match an by hits glare
axed him whar his home an he said
dat he didn't hab none. 1 den aXed
him whar his fadder, am he said he
neber had none. I den aXed him whar
was his mudder an he said dat long
time ago some men cum ter his house
am tuck his lnudder away, am dey
tuck her to de Jail and den to place
whar dar was Il big gate an Il wall al
most as high as dc sky. He said dat
da wouldn't let him stay wild her, and
dat dey sent him away. "a short time
arter dis he said, all do time crouched
down on dc step, while l kept strikin'
matches, "a woman whar stayed tuck
me in her arms am told me dat mamma
was dead. Dat berry night de 'oman's
husban cum home an flung me in de
street. Since den I has been lynn
aroun'.
"'Come along wild me, little feller,'
says, slet me take you in my arms.
Pat yer arms aroun' my naik'. He
put his little arms aroun' me, ana da
was so cole dat da made mo shibber.
Well, l tuck him home an warmed
nm. fixed him some supper, and
arter talkin' to him am findin' dat his
name was Sammy, put him inter dc
oed an wrapped him up warm. He
was putty chile, beautiful. L stood
anu looked at him while he was
asleep, an it done my olo heart good
Ter see hims 1 tuck SO much ter de
s -, dat ! never ported him ter der
am he tuck to me. 'dopted him,
sent him ter school, lie larnetl tor
read, an nights he'd read to dc oIc
man bout Jacob am Moses, am muir
ders an, people what didn't hah no
nome. He was de ARMY human being
what / lubed, an I ulster hurry home
ter see him.
ebay afore Yesterday he took sick. L
had n doctor, but he said he want
ailin' much. Yesterday he got wus,
am gin him hot teas, AM walked
aroun' de room wild him in my arms,
Las night" and the old mans voice
choked, tshe died. set by, de fire wild
him holdin' his little feet to de blaze.
'Gran'pa,' he said, fur L teached him
to call mo dat. 'doan you think dat
I'll be well ''nough ter so ter school
?" L tole him yes, am he
got closer ter me an put his curly head !,