The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-07-29
ADAMS PICKANINNY.
concluded From saturday,

he met the smile Of the radiant little child
he suddenly stopped. Then into the dog
like, weary eyes Of the old man came bit
ter sweet tears.
"Ob, pickaninny, little ANGEL" he cried,
and then no fell on his knees.
"Get up, you stupid old Adamp' COM
manded Mimi, running toward her friend
and putting her arms round his neck.
"Oh, lilley missey, ye makes ole Adam
feol SO good"
mind and throw that bunch of lilac
whom 1 leave the ring, Adam" continued
tho child. "And isn't my dress pretty
real spangles, Adam, and openwork stock
ings"
eye bet, lilley missey, Adams got a
bunch OBJ lubley white lilac. He bought it
all hisself Will missey be too proud to
come to him after all the shoutin and clap
pin and glib him q kissfor true lub's sake"
"I'll come to you, Adam. You may kiss
me now, Adam"
And he kissed her.
When the time came for his little pioka-
ninny to appear, he grew horribly nervous.
He had been forbidden from going near
the ring, but what cared he for all the or
ders In Christendom9
In the distance he could see Mimi
mounting her little white steed, and then
Beppo, the riding master, sprang on his
own brown horse, and, taking the long
silken reins suspended from Floss mouth,
prepared to ride behind the excited child.
The music was beginning to play an old
plantation song, and Mimi, blowing
kisses, rode in front of Beppo into the ring.
Tho old mans heart swelled ut the round
Of applause that greeted her. Adoringly
he watched the little figure in its diapha-
nous drapery, and he could have wept for
joy when the first turn was successfully
accomplished. Presently the time arrived
when Signorina Dingo and Beppo were to
jump through four gaily decorated hoops.
This part Of the performance filed
Adam with nervous apprehension, and he
did not like the look of the great brown
horse in tho wake Of the white pony. He
crept forward into an opening of the ring
unheeding the blows and curses leveled at
him. In his hand he held a great bunch
Of lilac, the perfume Of which contrasted
with the close, unpleasant air.
What a pretty waltz tune they were
playing, and that darling pickaninnyt how
well she jumped One ring was SUCCESS
fully accomplished-two rings-when she
slipped and fell in front of Beppo's horse,
just as his master was preparing to jump.
A shrili cry rang through the CIRCUS.
The multitude turned their faces shudder-
ingly aside, and women tainted. But, in
htedu VI u Hbtle Cnllu WenulnB ner way 10
the kingdom of God, Jesus saw flt to call
to him an old, old mani
For Adam, seeing the terrible danger of
his darling, had, with marvellous agility
bounded forward and rescued the child
from beneath the trampling hoofs, receiv-
ing the death wound that might have been
the fate of his little pickaninny.
And then for the first time, and, alasl
too late, they who had ever used rough
words to the old man spoke to him gently.
Gently, too, they lifted him and laid him
on heap of old soaking outside the stable
Of Floss They did not heed the bunch Of
lilac.
He lay there moaning family as the cool
water was dashed across his face, and then
he by and by opened his dim eyes.
"Piokaninny," he sighed.
"Here Adaml' cried the voice he loved
80 we'll. Here" And Mimi In her white
wings and white robe came and knelt by
his side.
"Not hurt nowhere honey dearp''
Nowhere, Adam"
"Ain't got no bunch of lilac, dearie''
The child hung tenderly above him.
ooh, Adami Are you very Zip Does it
hurt very muchP"
Don't cry, dear honey pickaninny. Ole
Adam, he used to pain. Ebber since he
was black boy baby he not had much
luck. But nebber mind, missy; all ober
now.'
"Are you going to de- Adam, dearP"
"T'ink SO, pickaninny; ole Adam, he no
more good-ole 'orses, ole dogs, ole Mig
gers, who wants emf Very weary, too,
missey, lub.''
Poor old ADAM Shall pickaninny sing
to himp"
The sufferer feebly nodded.
And then from among those squalid
surroundings there arose the sound Of a
child's pure voice.
do not think that Adam was aware of
the hymn his darling was singing. He
only knew that it was exceeding sweet
and that burden seemed to be slipping
away from his aching shoulders. The
brave old mouth smiled quietly, he
stretched forth his trembling hands, and
two tears triokled from his dying eyes.
In the ecstasy Of the moment he forgot
even piekaninny-forgot all save that he
was no longer sore distressed.
Our Fader which art in 'ebben'-is
that right pickaninny2 Our Fader, the
only Fader Adam ebber knowed. Dying
amt SO bad, pickaninny."
And Jesus knew 1t, too, for surely death
was never kinder than to that poor, lonely
old man. For he touched his eyes and gave
him beauteous visions, he passed his hand
down the aged form, and rest most ex-
quisite stole into the aching limbs "Come
to me, o my servant" whispered the kind
eyed God and with sigh of perfect trust
Adam meekly folded his hands and went.
All, you weep, little pickaninny for the
loyal friend who, like the Great Example,
gave his life in exchange for yours. Sure
ly you would not have him back, pickanin-
nyP He suffered greatly. The world has
no room for such rs he. Go back to the
ring and find his bunch of lilac. Kiss him,
dear, and say goodby.-Mrs Alfred Hart
in Sketch.