Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-07-21
ALL GONE. INSIDE.
Old Uncle jeff at Col. Hackett's Ranch in
Nevada.
BY DAN DE QUILLE.

Old Uncle Jeff is venerable colored man
of most benevolent and sanctimonious ap-
pearance. 'Peace and good will to alp 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 leg, which is bowed
outward at the knee, giving him some
what rolling gait. He is wont to say, scot
dat leg in de ole slabery times, sab, befo'
de wah."
Some are so uncharitable as to hint that
he acquired his bad leg one dark night
while running away from a smokehouse,
back in Missouri, being overtaken in his
flight by a charge of buckshot sent in pur-
suit of him by a man who had become
aware that his bacon was disappearing more
rapidly than was accounted for by the
statistics of homo consumption. Old jeff,
however, has 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 power
full man he was before he was famed. The
leg now serves him as an excuse for doing
very little work of any kind. Also, for years
hehas claimed to be consumptive-"all gone
inside, sah'-and IN daily expectation of
being called to his long home. He therefore
spends most of his time in making farewell
calls upon his old acquaintances, particu-
larly 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 country 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 him
self at home for 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 Uucle Jeff has weakness for
drains, he is generally better off in the
country than when knocking about town.
One of Uncle JefFs favorite places of re-
sort in the country is the ranch of Col
Hackett, on the Carson river. The colonel
is a 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 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 mis- h 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 a settin' on de poach a
readin' his papah. Golly, done cotch UNI
at home"
s'Marse George" said the old man, few
minutes later, as he hobbled into the We
randa, seated himself ON bench and dec
orously adjusted his old wool hat over the
glaring patches on the knees of his trousers.
''Marse George, hopes sees you well,
sab. rs come to see you once mo'-once
George, rs gwine to de odder shoah; rs 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
'unds has all been berry kline to me heah.
Marse George-berry kind to de ole man
but he's gwine away acrost the dark ribber
to jine de company OBJ de blest. Oar,
Marse George, I'll soon take my STAN to
sing susannas to de Lo'd for ebber mop
ooh, no, Uncle Jeff," said the colonel,
"you're all right yet-good for another
twenty years."
'Berry kline long O. you to say dat.
Marse George-berry kine-but it's no use.
1t Almost breaks my hawt to Leah you, an
to Leah de missus an de chillum, 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."
'tNo use talkin', Marse George, rs got
de call dis time shuah. Gittin' so OBJ nights
now pears like can heah de singin' on de
odder shoah. Pears like can heah de
voice oh 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 Jeff-pore ole
creetur like me-" and again the old man
swabbed his eyes.
'All bin so kine," continued the old man,
dat sometimes feels like I'd been passin'
for mo- dan what Sc wuff-mo'n what Use
wuff. may set in de sun alfew days mo-;
for little time mo- may look on de trees
an de grass, an de sky; may hearken to
de singin' OBJ de birds little longer, but
Use got de call an feels it. Use all gone
inside, Marse George gone inside, sahn'
ssNonsense. Uncle jeff, said the colonel,
emphatically, ssnonsense! You're 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 you!
What you want just now, Uncle JEFF, is
good square meal. Gointo the kitchen and