The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-08-21
Our 0lio.
ALL GONE INSIDE.

Old Uncle JEFF is venerable colored
man of most benevolent and sanctimonious
appearance "Peace and good will to all
is written in every line and wrinkle of his
ebon countenance. Many white hairs are
now sprinkled in his beard and wool, and
he has bad limp in his left leg, which is
bowed outward at the knee, giving him
somewhat rolling gait He is wont to say,
''Got dat leg in de ole slabery times, sab,
hefo' de wah.''
Some are so uncharitable as to hint that
he acquired his bad leg one dark night
while running away from smokehouse,
back in Missouri, being overtaken in his
flight by charge of buckshot sent in pur-
suit of him by man who had become
aware that his bacon was disappearing more
rapidly than was accounted for by the sta
tistics of home consumption. Old jeff,
however, has a romantic story of how he
'got dat leg" while fighting on the side of
his old master-against "de Buck Webster
set"
The old fellow loves to tell what pow
erful man he was before he was lamed.
The leg now serves him as an excuse for
doing very little work of any kind. Also
for years he has claimed to be consumptive
-'all gone inside, sab and in daily ex-
pectation of being called to his long home.
He therefore spends most of his time in
making farewell calls upon his old acquain-
tances, particularly such as hail from the
south, where he is always sure of square
meal in the kitchen. Besides visiting all
such in town, he scouts out into the coun-
try to distance of several miles to enjoy
the hospitality of southern people who are
settled on ranches. At the ranches the
old man may make himself at home for a
week or month, with nothing to do but
tinker about among the chickens and pigs,
or to look after the youngsters and amuse
them with songs and stories. As Uncle
Jeff has weakness for drains, he is gen.
orally better off in the country than when
knocking about town.
One of Uncle Jeffs favorite places of
resort in the country is the ranch of Col.
Hackett, on the Carson river. The colonel
is former Missouri acquaintance, and one
of the old school of whole souled southern
planters. There the old fellow does about
as he pleases and can remain as long as he
chooses, as he affords the colonel much
amusement, and serves to remind him of
the DAYS when he had about him a score
or more of colored servitors.
Last week Uncle JEFF made his appear
ance at the ranch of the colonel, who is
always to him "Marse George" and was
more than usually downhearted and nigh
unto deaths door. AS the old man halted
at the vine covered gate and peeped in, the
colonel heard him chuckle to himself:
"Yas, dar he is-dar he is settin' on de
poach readin' his papah. Golly, | done
cotch qm at home
"Marse George" said the old man, a
few minutes later, as he hobbled into the
veranda, seated himself on bench and
decorously adjusted his old wool hat over
the glaring patches on the knees of his
trouses "Marse George, l hopes sees
you well, sab. rs come to see you once
mo'-once mo- before leabs you 70 o'ebber.
Marse George, rs gwine to de odder shoah;
Is far on de way to my long home-to dat
home across de ribber whar de wicked hab
no mo trouble and de weary cease to rest?
You 'uns has all been berry kline to me
heah. Marse George-berry kline to de
old man-but he's gwine away acFost the
dark ribber to jine de company OBJ de blest.
Dar, Marse George, I'll soon take my stan
to sing susannas to de Lo'd for ebber
mo p
"Oh, no, Uncle jeff" said the colonel,
"you're all right yet-good for another
twenty years"
"Berry kline longe o you to say dat,
Marse George kine-but it's no use
1t Almost breaks my hawt to leab you, an
to leab de missus an de chillun, Marse
George, but Use got my call-Ise all gone
inside" and he swabbed his eyes with his
cotton handkerchief.
"Don't talk so, Uncle jeff" said the
kind hearted colonel, ''you're still hale
old man"
gNo use talkil', Marse George, Use got
de call dis time shuah Gittin' so OBJ nights
now pears like can heah de singin' on de
odder shoah. Pears like l can heah de
voice OBJ Aunt Liza an de odders dat gone
befoah' You'se bin berry kline to me,
Marse George; de missus an de chillun's
bin berry good-pears like all de peoples
been berry good to pore ole Jef-pore ole
creetur like me, and again the old man
swabbed his eyes.
"AlI bin SO kine," continued the old
man, dat sometimes feel like I'd been
passin' for mon dan what Use wuf-
what Use wuff. may set in de sun a
few days mo-; for little time mo 1 may
look on de trees an de sky; may hearken
to de singin of de birds little longer, but
Use got de call an l feels it. Use all gone
inside, Marse George all gone inside,
sab /"
"Nonsense, Uncle JEFF" said the colo
mel, emphatically, nonsense You are
good for many years yet. You'll see the
sod piled on the graves of many younger
men than you are before they dig the hole
for youl What you do want just now,
Uucle JEFF, is good square meal. Go
into the kitchen and help yourself-ill up