Middletown transcript., 1894-04-14

quiet air, and even the mOcking bird
that always sang in the crooked OLD
apple trees around the door had been
frightened into silence. We went to
the little wash house, expecting to find
Roxie over the tubs, up to her elbows
in soapsuds, when there she sat on a
stool, looking every bit as miserable as
did the old fellow on the step.
"What is the matterp" we asked.
She took but feeble notice of our
presence, and went on wringing her
hands, rocking herself to and fro, and
making a little doleful noise that
sounded very like the cry of the mourn
ing doves, which kept their ceaseless
"Ooh, ooh-ooh" back of the college
and made us homesick.
"Aunt Roxie, tell US what troubles
you," we said "can't we help your"
She reached out her hands in q
helpless entreating way, and we rushed
to her and knelt about her, begging her
not to cry, for Roxie's crying was as
pitiable sight as ever looked upon.
"Honey," she whispered, ''dis ole
woman is mighty sor'ful. You see dat
ole mau on the steps?"
Eyes" we answered, ''Who is he?"
She did not reply but continued to
moan, and stare into vacancy with
wide open. tear dimmed eyes. Pres
emily she got up, went to the little
window, and looked at the old fellow,
then came back murmuring, sits him
it's him, after all desc yurs, it's him. "
"Roxie," came the plaintive cry.
"Oh, Roxie!'
She staggered to her feet, then sank
down again.
dat somebody what Iuster KNOW"
she whispered, cautiously, "bac' in
Tenn see long go. Dat's all, honey"
"Perhaps it is not him." we said,
thinking she would rather be brought
to believe herself mistaken.
"Dis ole woman's sutten en- sho', -
she returned; "Ain't done toted dem
luks in my head all desc yurs? Every
day 1 says ter myself, 'Dere's gray
hair, en- dere's wrinkle, en- dere's
crooked laig, en- dere's stopped bac'
en- it's all 80. OATS de same old mig
ger rs, been totin' 'roul' in my head
en- studyin' over all desc yurs."
She went to the window again, then
came back and sat down.
"Tell US about it," We said, land
perhaps we can hep you"
"Yuse done itall," she announ-
ced, '.you brung him hyur, | know"
That was startling; we wanted an
explanation.
"Hit wuz dem pieces ter de papers.
Dat wuz de reasin wrote 'em, so he'd
see 'em, en- know l wuz livin' en- doin
we'll. En- dat's whur Scales kems in,
whut you argiied SO much over. was
Scales, emil isa Scales-Friday is
a ole med up name. But 1 didn't
recken he'd KEN trackin' down hyar
when had de paper sont ther to him.
why don't you 60 and speak to him
He has come long distance to you.
Go, Rnxie."
Il wudu't speak ter him fer dis yeth
she cried" ''DaL's a ole married mig
ger!''
Roxie was rigid moralist, but here
was something we could not under
stond.
"Kem sit down." she said at last.
81 see 1 have to set my own karrickter
street. Long go l wuz young, en- be-
longed ter a gemman in Tenn'see, so
did Jabe. Dat's him out dere. We
co'ted and married, en- wuz SO happy;
en- bom-by baby KEN. Bout dat
time we tux Tumpy, whut didn't have
no nanny, ter raise. She wuz den
ten yurs ole. 1 kin hear dat lump
singin' yit, rockin' de crib wild de baby
a-squallin' en- her pattin' ter drown
de yells; en- me wurkin' in de fel'
close by long de row, side O. o'Jabe's.
Den lump wud bring US water in de
long han'le gourd, en- I'd drink fust
en- Jabe mex den lump wud skeet bac'
wild basket on her head to keep the
br'ilin hot sun off, en- dancin' Juba
un'er de shade. We sorter kept 'er
ourselves, kase Jabe wuz counted
lakly; en- we wuked de patchers Of
COOLERS en- watermilluns by de branch
en- de gyardens, en- de ticklish wuk dat
ole mjstis wudn't let nobody else fetch.
But one day ole mawster went en- died
en- Jabe fell tr de son, Mawse Aleck,
en- fell to Miss Sallie. En- Miss Sallie
got married, en- her man nuver b 'lieved
in ownin' niggers, but he b'lieved in
sellin' 'em en- putin de money fer 'em
ohu5 III hio POShOtos LIZ nUl Gil L
wuz kerried way off ter Mis'sippi. 1
begged him, en- Miss Sallia beg him,
but she wuz little, en- he wuz big en-
med her pass her cawnsent.
$50 goln' went ter de crib en- TUX
long LUX at dat POI leetle sleepin'
baby, whut wudn't soon hev' no man.
my; en' Jabe wuz 'cryin' Git ter die, en-
lump wuz yellin' on de do step. 1t
wuzz'n dyin stiff dead, but whut KEN
way after dat wuz wuzz yit. l looked
hac' long ez cud see sign of de cabin
or de smoke, en- 'brot de time I wuz
gittin' outer site I heard de baby cry;
en- day cry rung in my head fer yurs
en- yurs. en- hear it yit. 1t wuz lax
it say, KEN bac', nanny, en- cried
en- cried, too; en- when de s'render
KEN, dat cry med me plod bac' ter ole