Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1891-10-01

A cart drawn BY single OK drove
up to the depot platform aud middle
aged rolored man and his wife and five
children got out. They had bundles
aud were going an to some point 10
Georgia. The cart was driven away
hv "A Aegro boy, and twenty minutes
later ono Of the queercst old darkies
vou ever SAW CAME down the street Il
had taken. llo was how-legged,
hump backed, grey-hended and lame.
"Ihnr rnmes da,liy!' exclaimed the
woman rs SHE caught sight OF him. aud
each ono of tae children echoed the
cry.
Tho old man hoppcd and hobbled in
queer way. aud he looked scared and
envi0us MS he finally arrived at tho
platform. just thcn the husband came
up and demanded;
Now, what yes doin' yero, olo
daddyP'
81 dun can't stay--'dced can't" re.
piled the old man.
But yo's got to Didn't we talk Il
all ober! Didn't we dun say we could
Mt take yo'p'
"Chillensm said daddy, rs ho reach
ed out his hands, ''doan' leave the ole
man yerol He's dun gwine to starve
to death If yo' dol Moses Mary
take de ole man long up to Gawgia
wild yol'
We began to make inquiries and we
found the family to be sqnatters on
piece OF land TOUR or live miles from
town. Moses was his own son and for
four or live years the old man had
been almost helpless, aud consequent
ly 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 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 hero
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, az
il were. she rose up and gave him q
slap and said:
''It's no use. ole daddy We hain't
dun gwine to take yo', and II you doan'
go back I'll hurt yo' powerful badf'
Several Of us interfered to prevent
further assault. The old man took it
meekly. and turned to the son with:
Moses. yo' was de only chile 1 gotl
Was yo' gwine to leave yo' ole daddy
to die in dc breshPn
1--WE dun can't take yo', cause yo's
too old an it costs too much
"Ill work Moses-I'll work hard il |
you take meih
Il say we amt going to take vol"
bluntly exclaimed the woman.
Gran chillenm be pleaded as he
turned to the little ones. lis yo' all |
gwine to leave yo' ole gran'fadder to
starve aud die?n
They were silent.
Yes yo' cla'r right out, now yo'
useless trashr' shouted the woman
looking around in defiant way And
after looking from one to another in
hopes to arouse pity the old man half
fell. half rolled off the platform and
walked down the track.
II was straight away for two or three
miles and he had shambled off to
distance about forty rods when he saw
an express coming. He was facing it.
He hobbled few yards further. and
then halted faced about aud dropped
on his knees right in the center of tho
track If was half-minute before we
understood. Then il was too late.
The engineer whistled and we saw fire
fly ns the airbrakes hHgged the wheels.
but the heavy train could not be stop
ped. When it drew up at the depot
there were splashes OF blood on the
pilot and the limp and broken body of
old daddy was lying in the hazel
bushes up the track M quad "a N.
y IlnrIH