Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1888-06-29
Tom Sawycr's Whitcwashing
Experience.

Experience.
Saturday morning was come.
and all the summer world was
bright aud fresh, brimming with
life. There was song in every
heart; and if the heart was Young
The music issued at the lips. There
was n cheer in every face and a
spring in every step. The locust
tr e. were in bloom, and the fra
gtance OF the blossoms filed the air
Cardiff Hill, beyond the village and
above II, was green with vegetation.
and II lay Just far enough away to
seem = Dclectablc Land, dreamy.
reposeiul and inviting.
Tom appeared on the sidewalk
with bucket of whilewash and a
long handled brush. He surveyed
the fence, and all pladness left him.
and deep melancholy settled down
upon his spirit. Thirty yards OF
board fence nine feet high. Life to
him seemed hollow, and existence
but burden. Signing, he dipped
his brush and passed il along the
topmost plank; repeated the opera
ton; did 1t again; compared the in
significant whitewashed streak with
the reaching continent OF un.
whitcwashcd fence, and sat down
on the trecbox discouraged. linn
came skipping out at the gate with
tin pail, and singing Buffalo Gals
Bringing water from the town
pump had always been hateful
work in Toms eyes, before, but
now il did not strike him so. He
remembered that there was compa-
ny AT the pump. White, mulatto
and negro boys and girls always
were there waiting their turns, rest
ing, trading playthings, quarrelling,
fighting, skylarking. And he re.
membered that although the pump
was only hundred and fifty yards
off, Jim never got back with buck
CT oil water under an hour-and
even then somebody generally had
TO go after him. Tom said:
"Say, Jim, III fetch the water IL
you'll whitewash some" Jim shook
his head and said:
Cant Mars Tom Ole missis.
she tole me ! got to go and git dis
water an stop foolin' round wild
anybody. She says she spec Mars
Tom gwine to- ax me 20 whitewash.
an so she tole me go an tend 90
nay own business-she lowed she'd
tend TO de whitewashin'."
ooh, never you mind what she
said, Jim. That's the way she talks.
Gimme the bucket-I won't bc
gone only a minute. She won't
ever know"
"Oh, dasn't, Mars Tom. Ole
missis she'd take and tar de head
oh7n me. Deed she would"
"Shc. She never licks anybody
-whaoks 'em over the head with
her thimble--and who cares for that
I'd like 90 know? She talks awful.
but talk don't hurt anyways il don't
IL she don't cry. Jim, I'll give you
a marvel. III give you white
alley"
m began 90 waver.
White alley, Jim. And its a
bully taw."
MY. OATS a mighty gay marvel.
! tell you. But, Mars Tom, Is
powerful 'fraid ole missis-"
"And besides if you will, III
show you my sore toe"
Jim was only human--this attrac-
ton was too much for him. lie
put down his pail, took tho white
alley, and bent over the toe with
absorbing interest while the bandage
was being unwound In another
moment he was flying down the
street with his pail and q tingliug
rear, Tom was whitewashing
with a vigor, and Aunt Polly was
retiring from the field with a slip.
per 10 her hand and triumph in her
eye.
But Toms energy did not last
lie began 20 think Of the fun be
had planned for this day. and his
sorrows multiplied Soon the free
boys would come tripping along on
al sorts Of delicious expeditions.
and they would make a world Of fun
Of him for having to work-the
very thought Of it burnt him like
fire, He got out his worldly wealth
and examined it--bits Of toys. mar
bles and trash; enough % buy an
exchange oi work, may be, but not
half enough to buy so much as half
an hour Of pure freedom. So be
returned his straigtcned means TO
his pockei, and gave up the idea Of
trying 10 buy the boys At this
dark and hopeful moment an in