The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1890-07-04
GwINE BACK HOME.

As we waited in the l.. & N depot
at Nashville for the train, some one
began crying, and an 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 fodr people re-
marked on the strangeness of it, but
for some time no one said anything TO
him. Then depot policeman came
forward and took him by the arm, and
shook him roughly aud SAID:
See here, old man, you want to quit
that You are drunk, aud if you make
any more disturbance III lock you upl'
'Deed, but / hain't drunk, replied
the old man, as he removed bis tear
stained handkerchief. Ize losted my
ticket an money, an dat's what's de
matter
'Boshl You never had any money to
lose. You dry up or away you gol'
Whats the matter yereF queried a
man as he came forward.
This old mau recognized the dialect
of the Southerner in an instant, and re-
pressing his emotions with great ef-
fort he answered:
Say, Mars Jack, Tze bin robbed
my name is White
We'll, thea, Mars White, somebody
has done robbed me OF ticket an
money
where were you going7'
'Gwine down into Kaintuck, whar l
was bon an raised
where's that7'
Nigh 10 Bowlin' Green, sab, an
when de wah dun sot me free / cum
up this way. Hain't bin home sence,
sab.
And you had a ticket
Yes, sab, an ober S20 in cash. Bin
savin' up fur ten vars, sah.'
What do you want to go back for9'
TO see de hills au' de fields, de to-
bacco an de con, Mars Preston an de
good ole missus. Why, Mars White,
TIE dun bin prayin' fur it fo' twenty
vars. Sometimes de longin' has cum
till l couldn't hardly hold myself.
Its too bad
DE ole woman is buried down dar,
Mars White-1e ole woman an free
chillen. | kin member the spot same
as if l seed 1t yesterday. You go out
half way to de fust tobacker house, an
den you turn to de left an go down to
de branch whar de wimmen used to
wash. Dar's fo' trees on de odder
bank, an right under 'em is whar dey
is all buried. kin see it, l kin lead
you right to de spotl'
And what will you do when you
get 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. Tze ole an all
alone, an l want TO be nigh my dead.
Sortei company fur me when my heart
aches
Where were you robbed
| Out doahs, dar, 1 reckon, in de
crowd Sect De pocket is all cut
out. Tze dreamed an pondered-I'ze
had dis journey in my mind fer vars
an vars, an now Tze dun bin robbed
an can't gol
| He set to crying, and the police
man came forward in an officious man
ner.
Stand back, sir!' commanded the
stranger. Now, gentlemen, you have
heard the story. Pm going to help
the old man back to die on the ole
plantation and be buried alongside OF
:, his dead
so am Il called twenty men il
chorus, and within five minutes we haC
raised enough to buy him ticket an(
leave $50 to spare. And when h,
). realized his good luck, the old snow
q haired black fell upon his knees ii
: that crowd and prayed
Il Lord, Tze bin believer in You a
my days, an now dun axes You t
watch ober desc yere white folks da
g believed in me an helped me to G
). back to de ole home
" Aud do believe that nine-tenths {
n that crowd had tears in their eyes 4;
i the gatemen called out the train fl
Louisville