Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-07-21

DON'T WANT Day FIXED.-Ihe very
last house on the western side OF the south
rrn end OF Pitt street is an unpretenllous
hoard shanty, intellectually oil tnat pattern
,,nprovised for the habitation OF the Govern
,nent's wards during the four years OF clV:l
rortlict. The surroundings consist OF an en-
closure formed mostly Of hoGahcad slaves
and rusty sheet iron, torn probably from o'c
freight cars, in which n few onion or nee'
tops can be seen protrudlnS from inc son.
From this humble abode there emerges a
.,rcrepi, colorcd man, believed now 10 be
c;rl,y-fve \ cars old. with a stick IN each
hand and a iavrpsack over his right shou!-
der. At the very slcwrst gait possible ior
tu.oen being attempting TO Use lis pedal e&-
;rnm;.ias does this old dartcy wind his way
inrouoh the city, huGahiy >a!ut'nG every
,.,a IL, meets, and soliciting pennies.
Tae maiariLy oil those NJ ac.o7tS, 'eins uh-
.,o1aintci with hi, history, look upon MN
,,s 4 fraud, or some, more char!ah'c, WIN
sisnic;nn 1T Last: bat. III Justice 10 NINA. II
may lc stated that ne lah"rr'i tlihla!iy cr
the supper; Of himself ~ s"":; rs nature
u,,, him strength. Lewis Dudley l. tar
..:n,c Of this Anticipated udiv't'!ai, and pc
f,r, ,hr way he wnS slave IN Prince NI!-
liam, rc,ntv, from which place ut came Win
his vii. lw,.:.ty ed years ago. lpon io2i
ti,,r il, hi. city he sought and l''lfn! en-
judgement tny 4 number Of years III 'il-Sih@
i,rayra in rcnuy Hill buryus ground, ny
which Labor and exposure ha. c1lltracte"
:. severe case of rheunt:l$n'. render'
me- him IN invalid for life HIS vale
die! son" years ago. ana Was tu'
away in oh! Penny Hill. on the western side
of the carriageWay through that ground.
fence composed Of some thin strips ana a
border of clam shells surround The grave.
and to this spot the old man draGs himself
on Sundays TO muse over his hye'Sone DAYS
and SPECULATE on that universal reunion IN
which he is II firm believer. Dudley was
asked by 9 merchant, ut whose store he called
the other day, why he did not 20 10 the
poor's House. where he would be taken care
of. Just at ;ai' limo reporter oi the VA
ZETrE entered the store, when The old lel-
low replied by telling the following story:
when | Was - younger man ! used 10
die graves in Penny Hill, and often assisted
AZ the burial Of paupers who died at the
Poor's House. III the first burial OF the
kind at which | was present | heard the
lecper of the burying ground ask the man
from the PGo,'s House who brought the
corrse who he would bring next. The man
REPLIED quickly, Odd aunt Nancy and, sure
enough IN less ;hac two weeks hail 10 dig
q grave for Nancy and helped to bury her.
After the funeral, and jus: ~ the man who
nad brought Nancy; body was driving oil,
tho keeper called to him and asked the
same question, who will you bring next
and the man. without even stopping his
horse, haliooed back, Uncle Jack, and, sir,
unrle .JacI, died and was brought TO Penny
It'll inside Of ten days, aud dug his grave.
Nov, SIR. you ask me why don't go to the
Pnor's HoIl, &c to be we'll taken care OF, and
| s,il You The reason is because | don't
want TO % 20 any place where they know
beforehand exactly when man is going to
die and, besides, the people at the Poor's
House are smart and are proud Of their rep
utatiou, and if were to go there and they
we're 70 fix day for me to die and be sent
T." Penny Hill, and might not happen
=, die that very day, they might send me
lhcrt any way. So will just keep going
.,t,1ut asking gentlemen to give me five
cents to buy something to eat till the Old
Master calls me, and then ! will be willing
To 90: hut don't want any one else to call
nae because might not be ready
After telling his story he got his nickel
aua went on his way rejoicing.