The Portland daily press., 1894-07-13
this was the ,.n,i' boy'' he was SO tona Of

"DuDuO. sab. Reckon hes a heap oil er
IN his size, on count O. bein twisted an
dist 'inted. Yo' zee, boss, hit didn' pear
jes' right for mo ter use de DOCTORS money
for myself. Sec med LAX hit orter go to
de pore folks, lax de res OBJ his forchune.
But dar war dc orders. So 1 buy de
house an den hunts roun an fms de
skimpines' pickaninny l kin - one dat
aim de leastcs able ter keer for himself
an sets out ter raise him. My ole NANNY
come lib wild me an hep look out for
things. Den cherry summer I goes down
to der city an brings up whole passel O.
Ghilluns outen dc street an GIBBS 'em
good time. Oars plenty OBJ melyuns an
sweet taters an gyarden truck roun my
place, an Off / takes EN- out huntin an
fshin. low dey done emily hit from de
way dey project roun," and Jock threw
back his head and laughed heartily at
some of their projecting" Then he sud
denly became grave.
'tDoes yo' know, boss" he continued,
solemnly, shit pears mighty strange ter
me sometimes, LAX as If dc Lawd's han
war in hit. Dat pore lip pickaninny,
wat I low ter be de runties one in de
whole worl, is tn min out ter be sompin
'stronery. Hen scrape de fiddle lax born
musicianer, an for de banjo an fute-lorsl
hit brings out de tears jes' ter lis'n. Does
yo' know, sah," abruptly, 'swat TIE
wukin up hyer fer?'
''To earn some money, suppose"
answered
3 ''Dat's hit, prezac'ly, sab. But I al
need no money for housekeepin. l raises
gyarden truck an chickens an things, an
I goes fishin an huntin. No, sab! Use
gittin money for dat lip boys musician
in. Hes plumb 'stracted bout n an origin.
Use been totin him up ter Mis- Hun er-
fords lately, SO It he mout lis'n ter her
playin. An, fer fac, sab, dat LIP boyd
jes' cock his head ON one side whilst she
played chune, den he'd clomb up on dat
stool an play the same chune right smack
frou, cherry dot an skiver prezac'. Mis-
Hun erford low It war truly 'stonishin.
Yes, sab! dat boy gwyne hab an origin, an
Use gwyne hab him learn play jes' lax
white folks, off'n paper. !"
At this moment the rear man came up
and stood waiting for orders. Jock ducked
his head and was turning away, when
called him back. Unclasping the giittering
chain from my watch, handed it to him.
''Give it to the little boy" / said, land
tell him it is from one of his daddy's
friends"
Jocks face grew radiant. A present for
himself would not have given him half
the pleasure.
The next week my chief sent instruc-
tions for me to repair to Terrebonne and
survey some swamp lands. I had been
there before and knew the place well. In
the winter it would not have been SO bad,
but now! I crushed the brief note i'm
patiently in my hand.
But there was no help for it, SO we set
about breaking camp. The next day we
were ready for departure.
Aswe stood on the platform of the little
way station, waiting for the train, saw
the big, well known figure of Jock hurry
ing up the track. In few moments he
stood beside me.
'Clar' for hit, boss, war feared I
wouldn't cotch up!" ne painted. Use
mof' run de bref outen me-"
welcomed him heartily. His broad
shoulders and knowledge of woodcraft
would be invaluable in that out of the way
place. The terms of his service were
quickly arranged, and then I asked him
about the little boy.
81 dunno for shore yet, sab, =" he said
gravely. "De doctor low he war in bad
Ala all pCUuOI NO oO14G 0P AOll W q 81 OLA
hospital He low de boy cayn't nebber be
raised lax he is, but dat maybe de big
doctors mout unwin de twistes an fix him
LAX udder boys. Eff dey do dat" with
a rare smile, s'I'll shorely tank de good
Lawd all de res OBJ my life
st will be very expensive ventuIed.
eyes, sab, so de doctor tole me. He
flowed he'd ak ledge Hun 'erford ter hep
some, but done stop dat, throwing his
head back proudly. 81 don't ak no hep
longs kin hep myself. De li'r boys
mine, an I'ze de one ter take car OBJ him. "
Then, with slight quaver in his voice,
he added abruptly, IT done sol de house
an pigs an things"
''Why, that's too had!" exclaimed in
voluntarily. wasn't there any other
way?"
mo, sab, an de house an things didn't
fotch quite enuf. De li'l' boy'll halter be
thar mos year, an doctors stuff an nus
sin coss heap I done hire room for
my ole NANNY an will send her sompin
cherry mont All de rest mus go ter de
hospital. splained hit ter de doctor, an
he lowed he'd fix hit all right
$50 you have already sent the boy?'
eyes, sah De doctor done sont nuss
wild him yes'day."
A faint whistle in the distance an
nounced the approaching train. hastily
gathered up MY kit and stood waiting.
1t was night when we reached Thibo-
| deaux. The next day we purchased pro-
visi and set out for the scene of our
labers Three months later received in
structions to cross over into Texas. 1t
was spring before we returned to Florida.
One. day Jock burst into my tent with
| an open letter in his hand.
Hes done cured!" he cried radiantly,
"all de twistes an disj 'ints TUX outen
| him. He's comm home now, walkin
from de kyars lax udder boys. Glory tel
de Lam! But scuse me, boss lowering
his voice suddenly. ''I'ze tickled clean
frou. 1 reckon yo'll halter femme off few
days. I mus see dat lip boy.''
"Of course But will you come back?''
'Suttin'ly, sab! l mus work right
peart now an mex heaps o. money Oars
dat boys origin, an dars dat home I'm
| gwyne ter buy back. Yes, sab, I'll mos
shorely come back. Frank II. Sweet in
| Short Stories.
| Why We Are Thirsty.