Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-11-02
jocks LII BOY.

jocks LI'L' BOY.
~ can't lot you off now, jock" ex-
postulated impatiently. ''Theso lines
must be run by Saturday, and you are the
best chopper have. Can't you wait till
next week."
Jock looked down at me little re-
proachfully I thought
"I'ze bleeged ter go, boss, (" he said de-
cisively. II done tolo yo' my li'l' boys
wuss. Marg'ets lobe jes' fetched me do
news. I'd like pow full ter hep yo' all,
but I jes' cayn't, dom yo' seer"
Every WE'LL" I answered irritably as
I opened my pocketbook and counted out
the money due him. "Only don't come
whining around after moro work. can't
be forever taking on new hands and learn
ing them the ropes. want men who will
stand by me-"
spoke rather moro vehemently than !
meant to, but liked Jock and was very
unwilling to have him 60. He had only
been with mo few weeks, but was al
ready worth any two men had. Consid-
erably over feet in height and strong
and massive in proportion, he was at once
fertile in expedients and perfectly obedient
to orders. These two unusual attributes
were what had recommended him to me
in the first place, for my experience with
negroes had taught me that they were
usually dull and shiftless. But Jock was
different from any man had ever met,
white or black. He was an indefatigable
hunter and fisherman, and there was not a
bird or beast or phase of wood life with
which he did not seem to be familiar. And
his familiarity was not that of ignorance.
was often astonished at the stray bits of
scientific information which came uncon-
sciously from his lips. He never seemed
to get weary, and out of work hours was
usually off in the woods or busy about
the campfire. Most of our game was
caught by him during the night, and in
deed most Of it was prepared by him also,
for he seemed to know more about cook
ing than our camp boy himself. Nearly
every day he brought me delicious stew
or roast which he had prepared himself,
and always presented 1t with some such
remark as, "De doctor show me bout
dis" or, Ibis de way dc doctor done hit.
Twas thinking regretfully of these extra
dishes as turned my instrument around
and sighted back over the line. Every
thing was all right, and signaled the
rear man to come forward. AS took out
my field book to make some notes was
conscious of slight touch on my shoulder
what, not gone yet''' asked
t'N0 hOsS. I Cnv1,'t dis axpav Ef
alnt come back no mo-, dom wan yo'
t'ink OBJ me as no count niger. I jes'
'bleeged ter CO."
little ashamed of my ill temper. You
needn't mind what said about not COM
ing back. was out of sorts. If have
place, shall be glad to take you on any
time"
The black face cleared instantly.
"T'ank yo', boss! Tank yo', sab! l
like yo' all wuk. Yo'se dc bes' boss TIE
had, 'cet'n de doctor"
Iglanced down the line. Tho rear man
was fully one-fourth Of mile away and
walking slowly. 1t would be 10 minutes
before he would arrive. slipped the field
book into my pocket and sat down upon
a stump.
"Who is this doctor you are forever
talking about, Jock?" asked. II am
getting curious about him."
Jocks face became grave once more.> /
fancied could see tears glistening in his
eyes,
!. He's de bes' man dat cher lib, sab; de
bes' man dc good Gawd eber made. l been
his body sarbent for 10 year, an wuk for
him, an watch Ober him, an nuss him. I
watch him SO I almos' know W. at he t'ink
bout. He didn't hab no To- ks, nowhars,
an he ulster say dat war his'n's family.
He TUX me in de woods W on he hunt
bugs an things, an he TUX me in de city
wen he wuk for de pore folks. He done
Let me hep in mos eberyt'in he do"
"How came you to leave him?'
II didn't leabe him, sab; he done lef'
me. De good Gawd TUX him. Wen de yal-
Ter fever bruk out he wuk night an day,
lax he alters do. Mos eberybody git outen
de city, but de pore folks halter stay, an
de doctors an muses. halter stay ter look
alter 'em. DR.. Hatton stan hit for seben
week, den he TUX de fever an die"
'.Dr, Hatton!' I exclaimed. s'That
name sounds familiar
"Co'se hit do, sab. De papers war full
OU uAV OO uOCbOr WhT rlCn man, an ne
done glib bofe his life an money to dc
cause reckon de whole worl done hear
bout'n him. He wuk night an day, all de
time, an nebber fought oh RESI-"
''And you remained with him through
1t alls" I asked.
lob co'se' Jock answered simply
"De doctor lowed war good hep, war
big an strong an could wuk roun an lif'
de sick folks"
"And you didn't get the fever'"
mo, sah!" showing his teeth little
~ reckon dis nigger's skin too tick for
fever git frou. Wen de doctor die, I hab
no wuk, 60 nuss roun till de winter
come an brek de fever. Dem pick up all
do doctors things. Yo' see, his voice
growing low and trcmulous, ''de doctor
done tole me sell eberyt'ing he hab lef'
an buy me LII home somewhat I cit
TO- hundred dollar an come isaway. 70
knowi"
nodded. had often wan and admired
Jocks littls vine covered cottage and
wondered at his exquisite taste III shrpbs
and flowers. On one occaaion had met |
him walking back and forth, grooming |
some strange Africa melody to pitiful |
mite Of humanity In his arms, Perhapa