The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1893-12-15
THE REFUGEE BABY.

ANoS hAsh uNSiCeu ~ sps
THE REFUGEE BABY.
DR.. Alston was health officer OF a
small town in southern Georgia dur.
ing the prevalence of yellow fever in
Jacksonville, Fla, in the well rcmem-
bered year, 1887. One OF his duties
was to see that no infected person en-
tered or came too near the town.
About dark one long hot September
afternoon he was returning in his
buggy from the examination of a sus-
pected case of fever in the country.
This way lay between long stretches
of fields, divided by an occasional strip
Of woods.
When within mile of town he saw
a glimmer of light through a narrow
skirt OF intervening woods. Watch
Ing closely, he noticed some one NOV
ing between the light and himself.
"Some of those refugee negroes from
Jacksonville, I'll be bound, waiting
until night to slip into town and
spread the fever" he said, as he gave
the reins a quick Jerk and stepped out
OF the buggy to make his way through
the underbrush toward the fire. For a
fire it proved to be, built near a shell
ter made OF pine poles, with brush
covering the top. The leaves upon
the brush were quite dry, and the
shelter was evidently the camp OF
some refugees, who had occupied 1t
for night and then moved on. The
doctor crept warily up to learn the
character Of its occupants before be-
ing discovered himself.
On the side opposite that from
which he came, and from which a
light breeze was now blowing, stood
q stout middle-agcd negro woman
dressed In blue homespun, busily en-.
gagged IN pinning a shawl along the
top of the shelter SO that it fell like a
curtain to the ground, thus keeping
of the wind. Upon some bushes near
by were hanging various articles of
baby attire freshly washed and hung
out to dry.
In the corner of the shelter furthest
removed from the fire there was
spread upon the ground an old-time
bcd-quilt, such as negroes prize, made
of strips of gaudy calico pieced to-
gether.
In the middle OF the quilt sat lit
tie baby girl of IL or II months cloth
ed DIN q long white nightgown, with
frills of lace at the neck and wrists.
The baby was purely white, with soft
golden curls clustering aboul her neck
and forehead. The gown was pushed
back, and two little dimpled, rosy
feet pecped out among the greens and
yellows of the quilt. Long dark lashes
shaded her cheeks, as her eyes bent
down over cluster of crimson cotton
blossoms with which her hands were
filed. A nursing bottle, empty of
milk, lay beside her, showing she had
just taken her supper.
DR.. Alston was transflxcd with sur.
priscd and admiration. Never in his
life had he seen anything so pure and
beautiful as this little child as she
sat amidst her strange surroundings,
with the lights and shadows playing
over her.
The woman's back was toward him
and she neither saw nor. heard his ap-
proach.
"Blcss my soul, annty, what does
this mean?' he cried. She turned
quickly, but not before the startled
baby had lifted two great blue eyes
to the doctors face and dropping the
cotton blossoms, had cried out with
0utstretched hands:
Papa! Papa!"
The doctors heart thr0bbed as his
thoughts went to the quiet church.
yard, where beside her mother foi
long years had lain the little form OF
his wee daughter, who had died just
as her baby lips began to syllable his
name.
The baby scrambled across the quilt
tangling her chubby legs In the folds
Of the long gown, still holding out
her arms and calling joyously, "Papa,
Papa !"
The appeal was irresistible. DR..
Alston STOPPED and, gathering her In
his arms, seated himself upon a low
stump beneath the shelter.
s'She done took you fur Mars
Gawgc," said the woman, smiling will
delight.
who is Mars George, and what in
In the world are you doing In the
woods here at night with this baby ~
asked the doctor, the baby meanwhile
clinglng to his neck and showerinQ
kisses upon him.
!
Mars Gawgc is her pa. Leastwist
he was. He's dead now" answered
the old woman, her voice falterlng.
Tell me all about her and how you
came by her." demanded the doctor,
"Is there no one to whom she be
llongss"