The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-07-11

fertile in expedients and perfectly obedient
to orders. These two unusual attributes
We're what had recommended him to me
In the first place, for my experience with
negroes had taught mo 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
scientiffc 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 hoy himself. Nearly
every day he brought me a 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, Dis dc 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 tho
rear man to come forward. AS took out
my field book to make some notes l was
conscious of slight touch on my shoulder.
What, not gone yctf'' l asked.
mo boss; I cayn't go dis away. Ell
aln't come back no mo-, l don wan yo'
t'ink OBJ me as no count nigger. jes'
'bleeged ter go.''
''Oh, that's all right" answered, a
little ashamed of my Ill temper You
mood =, ~ mind what I suid nbnut mot cnn,
ing back. / WAS out of sorts. If l have q
place, shall be glad to take you on any
time -
The black face cleared instantly.
"T'ank yo', boss! Tank yo', sahl
like yo' all's wuk. Yose de bes' boss I'ze
had, 'cet'n do DOCTOR"
glanced 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. l slipped the field
book into my pocket and sat down upon
a stump.
who is this doctor you are forever
talking about, jock" l asked. II am
getting curious about him."
jocks face became grave once more.
fancied could see tears glistening in his
eyes
He's dc bes' man dat cher lib, sab; de
his body sarbcnt for 10 year, an wuk for
him, an watch ober him, an nuss him. I
watch him SO almos' know wat he t'ink
bout. He didn't hab no folks, nowhars,
an he uster say dat l war his'n' 5 family.
He TUX mo in de woods wen 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'ing he do
How came you to leave himf'
II didn't lcabe him, sab; he done lcf'
me. DE good Gawd TUX him. Wen de yal-
Ter fever bruk out he wuk night an day,
lax ho alters do. Mos eberybody git outen
dc city, but de pore folks halter stay, an
de doctors an nusses hntter stay ter look
arter 'em. DR.. Hatton stan hit for seben
week, den he TUX dc fever an die.
"Dr Hattoni' ] exclaimed. 'That
maine sounds familiar. -
Goose hit do, sab. De papers war full
OBJ hit. DE doctor war rich man, an he
done glib bofe his life an money to de
cause. l reckon de whole worl done hear
boutn him. He wuk night an day, all do
time an ncbber fought OBJ res'.'
"And you remained with him through
1t ALI" asked.
ssOb co'se!" Jock answered simply.
"De doctor lowed war good hep. war
big an strong an could wuk roun an ltf'
de sick folks, y
And you didn't get tho fevcrp"
No, sah!" showing his teeth little.
II reckon dis nigger's skin too tick for
fever git frou, Wen do doctor die, hab
no wuk, SO / nuss roun till de winter
come an brek de fever. Den pick up all
dc Doctors things. Yo' scc," his voice
growing low and tremulous, sdc doctor
doncstole me sell eberyt'ing he hab lef'
sn luy mo a li'l home somewhar. git
fo' hundred dollar an come isaway. Yo'
knowP"
,Ddded had often seon and admired
Jocks little vine covered cottage and
wondered at his exquisite taste In shrubs
and flowers On ono occasion had met
him walking back and forth, grooming
sone strange Africa melody to pitiful
mite OF humanity In his arms. Perhaps
this was tho ''lil' boy he was so fond of.
SHOW old is your little boy?" asked.
..IDunne, sab. Reckon hes a heap OIL or
IN his size, on count o. bein twisted an
disj intad. Yo' sec, boss, hit didn' pear
les, right for mo ter use dc doctors money
for mysp'f Seemed lax hit ortcr go to
do rore fo'Fa, lax de res OBJ his forchune.
But dar war de orders. So l buy dc
house an den hunts roun an fms de
sgimpines' pickanlnny l kin one dat
ain dc leastes able ter keer for himself
an sets out ter raise him. My ole nanny
come lib wild me an hep look out for
t,ings Den ebery summer / goes down
to der city an brings up whole passel o.
chiilms uuten dc street an gibs EN-
good timo. Dar's plenty OBJ melyuns an
sweet tatcrs an gyarden truck roun my
place, an offn / takes 'em out huntin an
iishin. low dey done enjy hit from dc.
-E1..H fha,ENz
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
mo sometimes, lax as IL de Lawd's han
war In hit. Dat pore li'l' pickaninny,
wat l low ter be dc runtics one in do
whole worl, is tu'nin out ter be sompin
,stroncry Hem scrape de fiddle lax born
musicianer, an for dc banjo an flute-lorsl
hit brings out do tears ies' ter lisn. Does
yo' know, sab, :" abruptly, wat I'ze
wukin up hyer fers'
"To carn some money, I suppose"
answered.
'Dot's hit, prezac1y, sab. But I al
need no money for houselscepin. l raises
gyatten truck an chickens an t'ings, an
gees flshin nm huntin. No. sah Itc
gitfin Ileney for eat III boys musician
in. Hes plumb 'stracted bout n an origin
I'se been totin him up ter Mis- Hun 'er,
ford's lately, so t he mout lis'n ter her
playin. An, ter fac, sah dat III boyd
jes' cock his koad on one ride whilst she
played chure, den he d clomb up on dat
stool an piay the same chuno right smack
frou, ebcry dot an skiyer prezae'. Mis-
Hun'erford low t war truly 'stonishin,
Yes, sehl dat boy gwyne hab nn origin, ar
ESQ gw.ho bab him learn play ies' lak
white folks, ofFn paper
AT this meiaaient the rear man came VI
and stood waiting for orders. Jock duoked
his head and was turning away, when
called him back. Unclasping the glitterinf