The Arkansaw traveler., 1882-06-18
UNCLE ZEB'S LAMENT

by the editor of this paper. is republished by request:
 \ little boy has just died in the city. a part of whose life and whose little charac- ter can better be told by his benefacior, an old eoIored drayman. The old man came down the street yesterday with a countenance expressive of the deepest sor- row. His eyes were moist. and his thick lips. sprinkled lightly with white hairs. like the mildew that gathers on an old gar ment exposed to the weather. twitched as though he suffered extreme physical pain.
 Whar's yer dray. Feb !- asked com panion. -I'se hauled free loads. Is yer g~ine ter let me git away wid yer:'
 My dray is under de shed an my mule is in de stable. l'se suffered grea, ,rib- ulauon an won't contest wid yer agin fur some time"
 What's de matter. Look heah, ole man. Is yer been eHin.
 Come. sol down heah on de bank steps an let me tell yer ob my lament"
 The two men seated themselves. and when several other draymen advanced and leaned on the railing. old Feb removed his hat rubbed his head in that man ner so characteristic with an old negro when he IS trying to recall date, and be- gan:
 cum to Arkansaw when was a young man. married hcah an raised my family. l nebcr married but onst. an when da changed de law. 'yidin' new constitution for de marin ob eullud folks. jes stuck to ole Sarah ease we married afore free dom. mong de trees on a Sunday. down on de riber plantation. Sarah an my son Jim went away an go, killed. cum inter town an tuck to drayin'. lived by my self had little house whar stayed. cookin an eatin' by myself. About two years ago was goin home one night. IL was mighty dark an cole. an il were a sleetin' As passed by dark doorway heard somebody a cyin'. stepped. stepped into de doorway an aNed who was dar. \ voice cum outen de darkness. struck match an by hits glare seed little white boy lyin' on de steps. axcd him whar was his home an he said dat he didn't hab ncnc. den axed him whar was his ladder. an he said he neber had none. den axed him whar was his mudder an he said dat long time ago some men cum ter his house an tuck his mudder away. an da, dey tuck her to de Jail and den 10 place ~har dar was big gate an wall almost as high as de sky. He said dat Ga wouldn't let him stay wid her. an da, da sont hEm away. \ short time ar,er dis. he said. all de time crouehed down on de step. while l kep, s,rikin matches. woman whar l stayed tuck me Tn her arms an tole me da, mann ma was dead. Da, bery night de 'oman's s husban' cum home an flung me in de street. Since den has been lvin' aroun' Come along wid me. little feller. l says, let me take you in my arms. Put yer arms aroun my naik. He put his little arms aroun' me. an da was so cole dat da made me shibber We'll tuck him home an warmed him. fixed him some sup per. and arter ,alkin to him an tindin dat his name was sammy. put him inter de bed an wrapped him up warm. He was putty chile. beautiful. stood an looked at him while he was asleep an il done my ole heart good ter see him. l tuck so much ter de chile dat -l-aeses ported him ter de 'thorities. l dubbed him from de start. an he tuck ter me. l 'dop,ed him. l sent him to school. He larned ter read. an nights he'd read ter de ole man bout Jacob an Moses. an murders an people what didn't hab no home He was de arnly human being what dubbed. an ustcr hurry home ter see him. Day afore yesterday he tuck siek.-lhad a-doctor. but he said he want ailin' much. Yesterday he got wus. an gin him hot teas. an walked aroun' de room wid him in my arms Las night" and the old mans voice ohokcd. he died. l sot by de fire ~id him holdin his little feet out to de blaze. Gran pa. he said. fur l teached him ter call me dat. .doan you think dat I'll be we'll 'nough ter go ter school tomorrow l tole him yes. an he got closer ter me an pu, his curly heal, on my breast.-I wash could talk like him. fur his voice was as sweet as music. but can't. l'se only got one way. He kep' on shibbcrin an l lad him on de bed. Great God. den saw dat my little boy was a dyin'. De fack almost tuck my breaf tuck his little hans in mine. an hf,in 'em to my mouf prayed through his fingers. His oreaf was short an he shibbered agin an agin. He kep his eyes on me, an my tears fell
 in his golden ha'r. dat looked to me like a crown ob glory. A bright ligh, cum in his eyes. It growed brighter. It faded. He auivered. My darling was dead. Gen 'lemen. da may talk bout de fiosofy: da may read de books ob de free think CTS da may say da, de soul am nuthin- da may do all da can. an a shake from head white wid age will 'suoy all de argu- mepfs De white folks IS tryin. to prove da, dar aint no God; ain't no angels :: ain't no hebbin: an wid all de learnin da can get da can't do as much good as de words dat little boy uster read to me. De light what shined in his eyes when his life went away may not mount to much wid learned white man. but II made de lamp ob ole nigger's soul blaze wid brightness dat is dazrlin ter de mortal eye An. frien's dis IS why de ole mans dray ain't ou, dis mornin'.
 Welcomed as an Old Time Friend