Morning journal and courier., 1889-02-19
The Gates of Heaven.

lFronl the San Francisco News Letter.
 This was the picture in front of 'Old Daddy Pu1lback's" cabin in the "Kaintuck" quarter of Hinckley alley the other after noon: Two colored men sitting on wash- bench, silent and sorrowful; and old dog sleeping in the sun at their feet, and @ col ored woman calling to a boy who was on the fence: 'Now, George Washington, you git right down from datl Doan you know dat Daddy Pullback am jist on de pint of dyin' and gwine up to hebben?'
 Here was the picture inside: The poor old white headed man lying on his dying bed, flesh wasted away and strength depart ed Near him sat his faithful old wife, | rocking to and fro and moaning and griev- | ing. Further away was colored man and | woman, solemn faced and sad hearted, and shaking their heads as they cast glances to- I ward the bed. For long time the old man ! lay quiet and speeches., but at length he l signed to be propped up. A sun as warm as midsummer poured into the room. He took | notice of 1t and change came to his face as his eyes rested upon his wife.
 ! "Ize bin gwine back in my mind!" he whispered, as he reached out his thin hand for her to clasp. "For ober fo'ty years we'f trabbled long dc same path. We ssryed the same master as slaves 'way back in ole Vir. ginny in de dim past. We sang de same songs-we prayed de same prayers-we had hold of hans when we listed in de gospe ranks an sot our faces to'rds de golden gates of hebben. Ole woman, Ize gwine to part wid you! Yes, I'ze gwine ter leave yer al ! alone!"
 "Oh! Daddy! Daddyl" she walled.
 'tDoan' take on SO chilei It's de Lawds | doin's, not mine. Tomorrow de sun may be as bright an warm, but de ole man won' \ hsah haoh Ha ri of a shady path leadin' down to ds shor' of big, broad ribber. I'ze seen peo. pie gwine down dar to cross ober, and in g little time I'll be wid e'm."
 She put her wrinkled face on the pillow beside his and sobbed, and he placed his hand on her head and said:
 'sIt's de Lawd, child-de pressed Lawd chile. Tze tried to be good to yer. You has been good to me. We am muffin but ole culPd folks, pol in eberyting, but tryin' to ! do right by everybody. When dey tole me I'd got to die I wasn't sartin if de Law6
 wanted pol ole black man like me up dal in his golden hebben 'mong de angels, but he'll take me-yes. chile, he will Dit mawnin' heard de harps playin' an de rus tie ob wings; cloud sorter lifted up and got cPar view right frew de pearly gates saw ole slaves and nayburs dar, an dey was jist as white as anybody, an a hundred hans beckoned me to come right up dal l 'mony 'em."
 "Oh. daddy I'll be all alone-all aloneI' she walled.
 "Hush, chile I'ze gwine to be lookin down on ye! Ize gwine to put my han on yer head an kiss ye when yer heart am big wid sorrow, and when night shets down, and you pray to de Lawd, I'll be kneelin' Hong side of ye. Ye won't see me, but I'll be wid ye. You's ole an gray. It won't be long befo' yell git de summons. In lit tie time de cloud will Tiff fur ye, an I'll be right dar by de pearly gates to take ye in my arms"
 ''But can't-I will hold you down heah
 wid mel''
 stGhilel Tze sorry for ye, but Tze draw ing nigh dat shady pathl Hark I kin h'ar de footsteps of de mighty parade of l speerits marchin' down to de broad rib berl Dey will dig a grave an lay my ole ! bones dar, an in week all de world but
 you will forgit me. But doan' grieve, chile | De Lawd isn't gwine to shut de gates on m' 1 Cause I'm ole an' pol an black. kin SCI dem shinin' way up dar-see our boys at d. ! gate-h'ar de sweetest music dat angels Xiii ! playl Light de lamp, chile, e use de nigh l has comet"
 "Ohi he's gwine-he's gwine!" sue wailet l as her tears fell upon his face. 'Chilel hold my han. Ober heah am d l path! I kin see men an women an chilel
 marchin long! Furder down am de sun
 light It shines on de great ribber! Obe l ! de ribber ram-de-gates-of- "Of heaven!"
 On earth old and poor and low-beyon I the gates an angel with the rest.