The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1881-01-07
UNCLE zrB,s LAMENT
why he ole Mans Dra5 Ain.t out 4
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AA- - 80 -.@e.-- - <--e- - 20
Cpl p Reed IN the Little Rock Gazette
A little boy has just died in this city,
q part of whose life and whose little
character can better be told by his bene-
factor, an old colored drayman. The
old man came DOM the street yesterday
with q countenance expressive of the
deepest sorrow. His eyes were moist,
and his thick lips, sprinkled lightly with
white hairs, like the mildew that gath
ers on old garment exposed TO the wealth
er, twitched as though he suffered ex-
treme physical pain,
"Whar's yer dEay, Zeb 90 asked 3 COM
panion. Use hauled free loads. Is yer
gwine ter let me git away wild yer 81
My dray is under de shed and my
mule is in de stable. Use suffered q
great tribulation and won't contest wild
yer agin for some time"
What's de matter. Look hear, ole
man, is yer been cryin's''
Come, sot down heah on dc bank
steps an let me tell yer oh my lament"
The two men seated themselves, aud
when several other draymen advanced
and leaned over the railing, old Zeb re-
| moved his hat, rubbed his head in that
manner so characteristic with an old ne
gro when he is trying to recall date,
and began:
81 was raised in Fergina. Ny marster
| cum TO Arkansas when | was a young
man. l married hcah an raised my
| family. / nebber married but onst, an
when da changed lie law, widen new
constitution for de marin OBJ culiud
folks, jes stuck To ole Sarah case We
married aforde freedom, 'mong de
trees On Sunday, down on
| dc rlbber plantation. Sarah AN
| my son Jim went away IAN got killed
/ cum inter town IAN tuck to drayin.'
lived by myself had little house
whar l stayed, cookin' AN eatin' by my
self. About two-years ago | was goin
home one night. 1t was was mighty
dark an cole, an it were sleetin.' A.
l passed by a dark doorway l heard
somebody cryin.' | stopped, stepped
into de doorway an axed who was'dar
4 voice cum outen de darkness. l struck
| a match an by hits glare | seed a little
white boy lyin' onIde steps. asked hin
| whar was his home an he said dat ht
didn't hab none. den axed him whal
was his fodder, an he said he nebber haC
none. 1 den axed him whar wa
his mudder an he said dat a Ions
time ago some men cum ter his housI
an took his mudder away, an dat
dey tuck her to de Jail an
den to a place whar dar was big gait
an wall almost as high as de sky. H
said dat dey wouldn't let him stay Wit
her, an dat dey sent him away. q
short time arter dis he said, all de tim
crouched down on de step, while KEEP
strikin' matches, "a woman whar / staye(
tuck me in her arms an tole me da
mamma was dead. Dat berry night d.
'oman's husban' cum home an flung IN
in de street. Since den / has bip lyin
aroun.' Come along wild me, little fel
ler,' l says, let me take you in my arms
Put yer arms aroun' my naik.' HI
put his little arms aroun' me, an d;
was SO cole dat da made me shibber
Well, tuck him home an warmed
him. | fixed him some supper, an
arter talkin' to him an tindin' da
his name was Sammy, l put hin
inter de bed an wrapped him up warm
He was putty chile, beautiful. l stool
and looked at him while he was asleep
an it done my ole heart good ter SCI
him. I tuck so much ter de chile dat
never ported him ter de liberties.
lubed him from de start, an he tuck t.
me. | 'dopted him, l sent him TEL
school. He larned ter read, an night
he'd read to- de ole men bout Jacob an
Moses, an murders, an people VIVA
didn't hab no home. He was dt
ARMY human being what lubed
an ulster hurry home tie
see him. Day afore yesterday he tucl
sick. | had doctor, but he said h
wasn't allin' much. Yesterday he go
wus. an l gin him hot teas, an walked
aroun' de room wild him in my arms
Las night" and the old mans voic
holdin' his little feet out to de blaze
'Gran'pa,' he said, for teached him te
call me dat, 'doan you think dat FIJI
well 'nough ter go ter school to-moI
row?'' | said yes, an he got closer te
me an put his curly ,ila;aa or "a
breast. l wish / could talk like hin
fur his voice was as sweet as music
, but / can't. Use only got on
way He KEEP on shibberin', an lai,
him on de bed. Great God, den | say
my little boy was dyin'. De fack almos
; tuck my breaf. I tuck his hans il
mine, an liftin' 'em to my mouf,
prayed through his fingers. His brea
was short, an he shibbered agin ar
agin. He KEEP his eyes on me, an IN
tears fell in his golden har, that locke
: to me like crown OBJ glory. 4 brigf
i, light cum in his eyes. 1t growed brigh
E er. 1t faded. He quivered. My da
, lin was dead Gem'ienmen.
! may talk bout de flosofy;
= may read de books OBJ d
free thinkers; da may. say dat q
!. soul am nuthin-da may do all da XII
!, an shake frum head white wild ag
will 'stroy all de arguments. De whit
i, folks is tryin' ter prove dat dar 'aint n
. God; 'aint no angels; faint no heaber
4 an vid all de learin' da can get, da can
q do as much good as de words what d
q little boy ulster read to me. De ligl
] lNok eb N ~
went away may not mount ter muC
Il wild a larned white man, but it m ade {
= lamp ODE an ole nigers's soul blaze W
. brightness dat is dazZlin, ter de mort
n eye An friends, dis am why do o
4 mans dray amt out dis mornin'"