Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1890-07-31
A MODERN CASABIANCA.
Willie and the Junc-Bus ana Faithless
Black Nurse.

Willie and the Junc-Bug nnd Faithlcss
Black Nurse.
! suppose you all know the verses
which commemorate the heroism Of a
boy named "Casabianca," who 'stood
on the burning deck, whence all but he
had fed" because he had promised his
father to remain there until the latter's
return. l have always thought he was
very foolish boy, for he might have
known that had his father had any idea
that he never would return no such
promise would have been exacted. And
now will tell you about small boy
who resembles Casabianca in his habit of
always doing just what he is told to do.
lie has, or | should say he had, little
colored nurse named Dinah. One after
noon Willie's mamma called Dinah and
told her to take Willie into the back
yard and keep him very quiet Willie,
who, by the way, is sturdy three-year-
old, followed Dinah willingly, for
though she was very unreliable as a
nurse, her frolicsome ways made d
splendid playmate. Meanwhile. NAM
ma went to her own room to sleep off a
headache. Unfortunately, few min
utes later, a funeral passed by. Now a
funeral is Dinah's especial delight, and
she goes to that of friend or foe with
equal pleasure. The cemetery is only
few blocks away from where Willie
lives and it was but moments work
for Dinah's fertile brain TO plan for the
child's entertainment, while she ran
across lots and Jumped over fences to
overtake the procession.
Taking long cotton string from her
pocket, she FASTENED into the fruit gar
den. grabbed big June bug off the
luscious fig he was eating, tied the
string to one of his legs and brought
him back to Willie.
Hole i'm, Willie, an let i'm june,
she said.
This is one of her own favorite amuse'
ments, and she knew by many expert
ments that a strong bug could june
long time before his leg came off.
Willie took the extreme end of the
string between his finger and thumt
and looked with solemn eyes at the
bugs frantic effort to escape.
Dinah departed into the house, Slipped
into the pantry, stole big slice of CAKE
for Willie mot forgetting in her hurry
to take another for herself), tore bacl
to the yard, and putting the cake in vii
! lies unoccupied hand, said:
"Sit rite hyah, honey, on de steps
an eat yer cake, an let i'm june tive
Dinah cum back. Dinah jes' gwine rul
roun' de house er minnit," and away sh
flew.
The funeral was that Of colored per
son and the services were long, an,
Dinah in her intense enjoyment forgo
about the little prisoner she had left a
home.
Half an hour later Willie's mamm
was aroused by loud screams from tn
yard. She rushed out to find her littl
boy seated on the kitchen steps, with
fragment of cake in one hand, at whicl
great Shanghai rooster was peckine
and the string to which the June bu
was tied held tightly in the other, Will
the poor insect buzzed wildly and fle,
madly back and forth. The child
cheeks were wet with tears, and yel
after yell issued from his wide-opene
mouth.
"Why, Willie, what in the world
the matter?' cried his mamma.
''rs so tiah'd holm the string for ths
ole bug to june, mamma"
Poor little fellow. He thought b
was helping the bug to enjoy himsel
and remained bravely at his post, a
though expecting the rooster to eat hi
as we'll as the cake. When Dinah can
home she was told that she need n,
stay to take care of (?) Willie an
longer. So she babe the little boy goo
bye with sorrowful countenance, sa
ing as she shook his tiny hand: "Dinah
going to leave you honey, deed she j
She's done ebb'ry thing she could to
good nuss to you, but your mas dor
druv her off. Detroit Free Press