Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-07-13

les 1lBlI lOf luf Ter use ut upCVOf ) money
for my-c'f. Seemed lax hit orter go to
de pore folks, lax de res oh his forchune
But dar war de orders So / buy de
house an den hunts roun an fins de
skimpines' pickaninny / kin - one dat
ain dc lcastes 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 / goes down
to der city an brings up a whole passed. O.
chilluns outcn de street an GIBBS 'em
good time. Oars plenty oh meyuns an
sweet taters an gyarden truck roun my
place, an off n takes em out huntin an
flshin. low dey done enj'y hit from de
way dcy project roun,' and Jock threw
back his head and laughed heartily Mt
some of their projecting" Then he sud
denly became grave.
Does yo' know, boss" he continued,
solcmnly, "hit pears mighty strange ter
me sometimes. lax as if de Lawd's han
war in hit Dat pore li'l pickaninny,
wat l low ter be de runties' one in de
whole worl, is tu'nin out ter be sompin
stronery. Hen scrape de fiddle lax n born
musicianer an for de banjo an lute-lorsl
hit brings out dc tears ies' ter lisn Does
yo' know, sah," abruptly, wat I'ze
wukin up hyer for?"
ITO earn some money, l suppose" 1
answered
Oats hit, prezac'ly, sab But al
need no money for housekeepin l raises
gyardcn truck an chickens an things, an
l goes flshin an huntin. No. sab! 1 Sc
gittin money for dat lii boys musician
in. Ho's plumb 'stractcd bout an origin
Use been totin him up ter Mis- Hun 'er-
ford 5 lately, so t he mout lis'n ter her
playin. An, fer fac sab, dat liz boyd
ies' cock his head on one side whilst she
played a chime, 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 t 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 glittering
chain from my watch, handed it to him.
Give it to the little boy =" l said, and
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.
tions for me to repair to Terrebonne and
survey some swamp lands. l had been
there before and knew the place well. In
the winter it would not have been so had,
but now | 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
AS we stood on the platform of the little
way station, waiting for the train, l saw
the big, well known figure of Jock hurry
ing up the track In few moments he
stood beside me.
Clar' for hit boss, J war feared
wouldn't cotch upn' ne painted. Use
moi 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 1 asked him
about the little boy.
! duilH5 for shore yet, sab, " he said
gravcly "De doctor low he war in bad
fix an better be sont up norf to a gran
hospital He low de boy cayn't nebbcr be
raised lax he is, but dat maybe de big
doctors mout unwin de twstes an fix him
lax udder boys Eff dey do dat" with
rare smile, IN shorely tank de good
Lawd all dc res oh my life"
at will be very expensive, " ventured.
''Yes, sah so de doctor tole me- He
lowed he'd AK Jedge Hun erford ter hep
some, but | done stop dat, " throwing his
head back proudly. Il don't ak no hep
longs l kin hep myself. De liz boys
mine, an I'ze de one ter take car oh him. I"
Then, with slight quaver in his voice,
he added abruptly, 81 done sol de house
an pigs an t'ings."
"Why, that's too bad!' exclaimed in
voluntarily. Wasn't there any other
way"
mo, sah an de house an things didn't
fotch quite enuf. De LIP boy'll halter be
thar mos a year, an doctors stuff an nus
sin cos's heap. I done hire a 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"
so you have already sent the boy?"
YES, sab. 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 IS and set out for the scene of our
laboIs Three months later l 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.
He's 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 ter
de Lam' But scuse me, boss" lowering
his voice suddenly "Ize tickled clean
frou. l reckon yo'll halter femme off few
days. / mus see dat li'l boy"
"Of course. But will you come beckT'
"Suttin'ly, sahl I mus work right
peart now an mex heaps o. money. Oars
dat boys origin, an dars dat home I'm
a gwyne ter buy back. Yes, sab, I'll mos
shorely come back Frank ii. Sweet in
Short Stories