The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-07-09
Moral ann ReliQions.
" Gwine Back Home"

AS we waited in the l.. q n. depot
gan crying, and au excitement was
raised among the passengers. A brief
investigation proved that it was an old
colored man who was giving way to his
grief. Three or four people remarked
on the strangeness of it, but for some
time no one said anything to him.
Then a depot policeman came forward
and took him by the arm, and shook
him roughly and said
See here, old man, you want to
quit that You are drunk, and if you
make any more disturbance I'll lock
you up!"
"'Deed, but hain't drunk, +" replied
the old man, as he removed his tear
stained handkerchief. I've losted
my ticket an money, an OATS what's
de matter"
Boshl You never had any money
to lose! You dry up, or away you
go!"
What's the matter yere?" queried
man as he came forward.
The old man recognized the dialet of
the sOutherner in an instant, and, re-
pressing his emotions in great effort,
he answered.:
Say, Mars Jack, Pze bin robbed"
My name is White"
Well, then, Mars White, somebody
has done robbed me of ticket an
money"
Where are you going?"
Gwine down into Kaintuck, whar l
was BON an raised"
Where's that?r
Nigh to Bowlin' Green, sab, an
when de wah dun sot me free | cum up
this way. Hain't been home since,
sah."
And you had ticket?'
Yes, sab, an ober twenty dollars in
money. Bin savin' up fur ten Vars,
sab. ="
What do you want to 90 back for?"
ITO see de hills an de fields, de to-
bacco an de CON, Mars Preston an de
good ole mssus. Why, Mars White,
i'ze dun bin prayin' fur it fo' twenty
Vars. Sometimes de longin' has cum
till | couldn't hardly hold myself"
It's too bad"
De ole woman is buried down dar,
Mars White-de ole woman an free
chillen. | kin member the spot same
as if | seed it Yesterday. You 90 out
halfway to de fust tobacker house, an
den you turn to de left an 90 down to
de branch whar de wimmin used TO
wash. Oars fo' trees on de Odder
bank, an right under em' is whar dey
is all buried. kin see it / kin lead
you right to de spoil"
- nd ubat will Won do rba,, ,,O,, ,,a .
there?" asked the stranger
:" Go up to de big house an AK
Mars Preston to let me lib out all de
rest of my days right dar. I'ze ole an
all alone, an | want to be nigh my
dead. Sorter company fur me when
my heart aches"
" Where were you robbed?"
" Out doahs, dar, | reckon, in de
crowd. See de pocket is all cut out
I'ze dreamed and pondered-I'ze had
dis journey in my mind fer Vars an
Vars, an now Pee dun bin robbed an
can't 90 !"
He fell to crying, and the policeman
came forward in an officious manner.
Stand back, sir!" commanded the
stranger. " Now, gentlemen, you have
heard the story. I'm going to help the
old man back to die on the old planta
ton and be buried alongside of his
dead"
g So am | !" called twenty men il
chorus, and within five minutes we haC
raised enough to buy him ticket anC
leave fifty dollars to spare. And wher
he realized his good luck, the old snow
haired black fell upon his knees in tina
crowd and prayed:
Lord, l'ze bin believer in you al
my days, an now | dun axes you t
watch ober desc yere white folks da
has believed in me an helped me to g
back to de ole home"
And | do believe that nine-tenths o
that crowd had tears in their eyes a
the gateman called out the train TO