Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-11-02
this was the "li'l' boy" he was so fond Of


s'How old is your little boy'" / asked.
Dunno, sab. Reckon hes heap ol'er
n his size, on count O. bein twisted an
disj'inted. Yo' see boss, hit didn' pear
jes' right for me ter use de DOCTORS money
for myself. Seemed lax hit orter go to
de pore folks, lax de res OBJ his forchune
But dar war de orders. So I buy de
house an den hunts roun an fms dc
skimpines' pickaninny I kin - one dat
aim de leastes 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 ebery summer goes down
to der city an brings up whole passel O.
chilluns outen de street an GIBBS 'em
good time Oars plenty OBJ ,melyuns an
sweet taters an gyarden truck roun my
place, an Off takes 'em out huntin an
flshin. I 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
"Does yo know, boss" he continued,
solemnly, "hit 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 do
whole worl, Is tu'nin out ter be sompin
'stronery Hem scrape de fiddle lax born
musicianer, an for de banjo an flute-lorsl
lit brings out de tears jes' ter lis'n. Does
70 know, sah," abruptly, wat I'ze
wukin up hyer fer?'
"To earn some money, suppose" I
answered.
''Dat's hit, prezac'ly, sab. But 1 al
need no money for housekeepin. raises
garden truck an chickens an things, an
goes fshin an huntin. No, sab! Use
gittin money for dat li'l' boys musician
in. He's plumb 'stracted bout n an origin
Use been totin him up ter Mis- Hume
ford's lately, SO It he mout lis'n ter her
playin. An, fer a fac, sab, dat li'l' 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 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 I
called him back. Unclasping the glittering
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
jock face grew radiant. A present for
himself would not have given him half
the pleasure.
The next week my chief sent instruc-
lions for me to repair to Terrebonne and
survey some swamp lands had been
there before and knew the place we'll In
tho winter 1t would not have been so had,
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, we'll known figure Of Jock hurry
stood beside me.
'Clar' for hit, boss, war feared
wouldn't cotch up!" he painted. "Tse
moi run de BRET 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 Cne nCule boy.
II dunno for shore yet sab, I" he said
gravely. "De doctor low he war in bad
fix an better be sont up norf to gran
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, "I'll shorely tank de good
Lawd all de res oh my life"
1T will he very expensive" ventured.
Eyes, sab, so de doctor tole me. He
lowed he'd ak ledge Hun erford ter hep
some, but done stop dat" throwing his
head back proudly II don't ak no hep
longs kin hep myself. De LIP boys
mine, an I'ze de one ter take car oh him."
Then, with slight quaver in his voice,
he added abruptly, IT done sol de house
an pigs an things"
why, that's too bad!" exclaimed in
voluntarily. wasn't there any other
way?"
mo, sab, an de house an things didn't
fotch quite enuf. De lip boy'll halter be
thar mos year, an doctors stuff an nus
sin cos's heap. I done hire room for
my ole nanny an will send her sompin
cherry mont All de rest mus go ter do
hospital. splained hit ter dc doctor, an
he lowed he'd fix hit all right"
$50 you have already sent the boy?"
eyes, sab. De doctor done sont nuss
wild him yes'day."
A faint whistle in the distance an.
pounced 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-
visions and set out for the scene of our
labors. 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 ter
de Lam! But scuse me- boss" lowering
his voice suddenly. ''I'ze tickled clean
frou. reckon yo'll halter femme off few
days. mus SEQ dat li' boy"
''Of course. But will you come backs"
''Suttin'ly, sahl mus work right
peart now an mex heaps O. money Oars
dat boys origin, an dar's dat home I'm
gwyne ter buy back. Yes, sab, I'll mos
shorely come back. Prank Fl. Sweet in