Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-10-01
WHERE THEY LEFT DADDY.
Old and Helpless and They Wouidn't Tote
Him Along.


Old and Helpless and They wouldn't Tote
Him Along.
A cart drawn by q single OK drove
up to the depot platform and a mid
die-aged colored man and his wife
and five children got out. They had
bundles and were going up to some
point in Georgia. The cart was driven
away by a negro boy. and twenty min.
utes later one of the queerest old
darkies you ever saw came down the
street it had taken. He was bow-leg-
ged. hump-backed, gray-headed and
lame. and he looked to be hundred
years old.
Thar comes daddyw exclaimed
the woman as she caught sight of him.
and each one Of the childron echoed
the Cry.
The old man hoped and hobbled in
a queer way. and he looked scared
and envious as he finally arrived at
the platform. just then the husband
came up and demanded:
Now. what yo's dom yere, old
daddy?"
Il dun can't stay-'deed 1 can'tv'
replied the old man.
but yo's got to! Didn't we talk it
all ober! Didn't we dun say we
couldn't take yo'p"
"Chillens!" said gdaddy. as he
reached out his hands .Joan' leave
the ole man we're! He's dun gwine to
starve to death il yo' do! Moses
Mary-take de ole man long up to
Gawgia wild yor'
We began to make inquiries, and
we found the family to be squatters on
a piece OF land four Or five miles from
town. Moses was his own son and for
four or five years the old man had
been almost helpless, and consequent
ly burden. 10 get rid of him they
were going to journey to new loca-
ton, leaving him entirely alone on
the squat to live as best he could.
They had talked it over two or three
times with him. but he was so old and
childish that he had not fairly UNDER
stood. They had secretly laid their
plans and had slipped quietly away in
the early morning leaving him fast
asleep. When he awoke and missed
them he set out for the depot and
here he was to appeal to his own flesh
and blood not to be left behind.
The daughter-in-law seemed to be
bitter against him and to exercise a
strong influence over the son. While
he stood there begging for his life. as
1t were she rose up and gave him a
slap and said:
ats no use, ole daddy! We hain't
dun gwine to take yo'. an il you doan'
60 back I'll hurt yo' powerfully bad.'
Several of us interfered to prevent
further assault. The old man took i,
meekly, and turned to the son with:
Moses, 20 was de only chile I got
Was yo' gwine to leave yo' ole daddy
to die in de bresho"
I'VE dun can't take yo'. cause yo'
too old and it costs too much"
I'm work Moses-l'll work hard i
you take me-"
Il say We amt going to take yo'!'
bluntly exclaimed the woman.
Gran chillen"' he pleaded as b.
turned to the little ones. lis yo' al
gwine to leave yo' ole gran'fadder Il
: starve an die?'
They were silent.
; "Yes yo' CLAIR right out. now yo
useless trash" shouted the woman
looking around in defiant way; an,
after looking from one to another Il
hopes to arouse pity the old man hal
fell. half rolled of the platform an
walked down the track. 1t was straigh
away for two Or three miles. and h
. had shambled off to a distance abou
l forty rods when he saw an expires
coming. He was facing it. He hobbies
D few yards further and then halted
faced about and dropped on his knee
: right in the center Of the track.
was a half minute before we under
l stood. Then 1t was too late. The er
Il gineer whistled and we saw the fire A
a as the air. brakes Rugged the wheels
t but the heavy train could not b
J. stopped. When it drew up at the d.
o pot there were splashes of blood Q
h the pilot and the limp and broke
. body of old daddy was lying in tn
hazel.bushes up the track.-M. Qua
a in New York World.