The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-10-08
manitomof pilot.
WHERE THEY LEFT DADDY.
We Was Ola and Helpless and They mo
They Couldn't Tote Hin. Along.

A cart drawn by a single OK Grove
M to the depot platform and mlauie-
ared colorcd man and his VIE ana I'VE
children got out. They had bundles
and we're going MP 70 some point IN
Georria. the cart was driven away
by a negro boy. and twenty minutes
later one of the qucerest ola oarhies
Won ever saw came down the street u
had taken He was bow-ieSTed'
hump-backed, grev-headed aud lame
.tThar' comes daddy exclaimed the
woman as she caught sight OF hlm. and
each one of the children echoed the
The old man hoped and hobbled in
a queer way. and he looked scared ana
enyious as he finally arrived at the
platform. just then the husband came
up and demanded:
Now. what yo's doih' ycrc' ole
daddy?"
Il dun can't stay-'dced | can't, " re-
piled the old man.
But yo's rot to. Didn't we talk 1t
all obcrl Didn't we dan say we could
mt take yo'?'
..ChiIlens! said daddy. rs he reach
ell out his hands. ''doan' leave the ole
man we're! He's dun gwine 10 starve
TO death if 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
piece of land tour or live miles from
Town. Moses was his own son and for
four or five years the old man had
been almost helpless. and consequent
IL burden To 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 lie 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 ana
blood not to be left behind.
The daughter-n-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
it we're she rose up and gave HIM
slap and said:
Its no use. ole daddy! We hain't
dun gwine to take yo', and if you doan
90 back I'll hurt yo' powerful bad!'
Several of rs iuterfcred to prevent
further assault The old man took it
meekly, and turned to the son with:
Moses. vo' was de only chile | got
Was yo' gwine to leave yo' ole daddy
to die in de bresh?"
I'VE dun can't take vo', cause yo's
too old an it costs too much.
''rll work Moses-Hll work hard il
you take me-"
Il say we amt going to take yo'!
blunty exclaimed the woman.
Gran chiIlen!' he pleaded as h,
turned to the little ones, lis yo' al
gwine to leave yo ole gran ladder tC
starvc aud die?'
They were silent.
Yes yo' clair right out. now yo
useless trash" shouted the woman
looking around III defiant way. Ant
after looking from one To another il
hopes to arouse pity the old man hal
fell, half rolled Off the platform and
walked down the track.
1t was straight away for two or three
miles and he had shamblcd off TO /
distance about forty rods when he saw
an express coming. He was facing it
He hobb:ed Il few yards further, anC
then halted faced about and dropped
on his knees right in the center of the
track. If was Il half-minute before w
understood. Then it was too late
The engineer whistled and we saw fire
liz rs the airbrakes Rugged the wheels
but the heavy train could not be stop
ped. When it drew up ut the depo
there were SplaShcS Of blood on tin
pilot and the limp and broken body o
old daddy was lying in the hazel
bushes MP the track. III Qtrd III N
J. llOriI.