Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-01-22
BESSIES BIRTHDAY PRESENT.
How Old "Daddy Abe" Expressed His Affection for
ELL Missey" Turner.
WRITTEN FOR THE DrsPArcu.

degree of perfect lhltn was the Trend
ship existing between Bessie Turner and
old Daddy kbe-the lifelong. faithful
servant Of the Turner household. The
war and the striking changes It had
wrought. had not In the least altered
Daddy Abc's relationship TO the family
with which his fortunes had been cast
and as much OF slave as he had bee
before the fiat of equality had gone forth
SO ne continucd-a slave only through I.
power Of that dutious zeal which MAD
him happicst when best serving the 600
people who had always cared Tor h'i'.
The old Virginia homestead. where gene
rstious OF Turner'S had been reared was
the dearest spot on earth TO Dadny N"e'
ami since the coming OF little less theIe
had seemed to the aged negro greater
charm about the old place. About her
face was The halo ~ loneliness That re-
ncctcA its glory upon every attribute OF
the old home. and from the earliest days
Of Ecssic's todIling childhood. her guide
her guardian. ana entertainer had been
the whitc-halred servant. whose youth
had seemed 10 find renewal In this sweet
Compan,onsh'H.
Before Eessics advent It had been her
fathers within TO accuse Daddy Abe Of
ceut,ilns his affections upon very
Lamely ami a very antique mule that
hn4 long been the most valuable appur-
tcuance Of the old ncSros estate, but.
far from annoying Daddy Abe, this re-
uogu.tion Of his fondness for the beast
that haa long shared wing Of ms cabin,
aroused his pride, and illumined his lace
with au expression which was very
eloquent confession Of the truth 81 the
indictment. nor did II appear, even when
little Bcss had made her nest in Daddy's
heart that cor Han some" "a he called
the mule. had been required To DO any
thing more than crowd up bit 20 make
room fot the newcomer.
MARS Turner Daddy would say
when assailcd by his masters pleasant
~. MARS Turner. da ar mule hain't
'zacily shar'd bed and bod wild me scnce
4 or CONAN done die. bat hem de ony
lafe.oom Gc good crittcr Ter me. an
,bbyti,ne ] done look ia dat AT mules
Lvouut,neanDc hit kyars M way back
g. a., days when paddys cabin warn't
80 lonesome like IL ar at de presen' day,
au hits cause no udier pusson sees de
Same rcters In dem Nnerm,nts or hiS'n
dat dcy laf- whcne ] calls I'm DER
Han's0mr' Hem Oncr dez" sOOterneeTS
oh d. DIN DAYS. Mars Turner. an ef d"
81 man sort0r reushes i'm. it's mo De
fault tr circumstances dan II am de
fault .r ~. mule"
Whether or MT Mir. Turner sympa-
thiz.I with Daddy In his affection for
his "hareloom." there was little doubt
about n.esle's responding thoroughly 10
an 81 th. old d1Iky's Kindly expressions
about his loug-,ar,d friend. His praises
In a ON
from ears. eyes. tail. and general outline
every suggestion Of LONELINESS and ridi-
cub. aud as gradually caused her 10
SO the four-foottd relic through the
same lens Of alteration that Daddy Abe
hal used 90 magnify Han som's worth.
Daddy" She said 10 him one day.
"how old IS Han some"
"l,at russl,s mcr memhrance. little
darlin'" wat the reply. "'Pears like h.
muster ben dc fust mule made Gaze
hits way 'you' Go wah scnce De OF mars
tor hrung i'm frm Georgy. an he look
den 1ls like Do do uOW-dc same rmples
in lis fond. an dc same 'sp0nsible sea-
son cas- er kyouut-nancc."
"Iiut hasn't he got birthday
"Somewhar I'm de heginnin'. sugar, I /
speck be- hah. but De- OF critter haint /
h,l mo- use f. zee same in SIGH long /
spell dat ] guess hit done got rubbed /
OUT
COB. isn't that too BAD" and Bcssie's I
eyes cmphasiz \ the pathos with which .
sh" continued. II always feel 50 sorry for /.
ANYTHING that hasn't got birthday" /
"par yo' 20. honey. Dat III heart a .
Yo.n em alters psek.n' out de winder ter /
s"e q Gar hain't someb body or somohn I
t.y he sorry erhout. but bless yo'. chile
hits % clar vase ar svmperty IN a case
like dis'n Gaze OF handsome haiu't wor-
rNin' 10 mo- crhout not habin no hufIday |
dan vo' is crhout not habin' no roomeruz
am ! r,ckous yo' hain't posterin' go min /
oher DAT ter ~ gIe't eNtents."
BESSIE huehed-a laugh that tossed lit /
ue pillows of Undecided joyousness away |
of upon the sea Of distanCe-anl again /
81 oke-
"Uut. Daddy Abe. even IL old Hand |
some isn't worrying about g. can't | be /
sorry for him II want to? Even II he Is. |
as you SAY just perfectly satisfied with /
life, that doesn't prevent my wishing that /
Do might have a birthday coming around /
every year 90 let him soc how much more |
satisfied no could D." than he is
In co'se not, III missy" said the
Oh negro. taking per pinktpped fingers
i'm his tawuy hands. "in co'se not. Yo'm /
got dr right ter DO all De wishn' dat de /
lar pints yo' TO. but dat hain't ter say
cat an dem wishes gwinter fotch DER !
fruits. Hits kin or yO' ter wish dat /
o. Han some war mo- satsheder dan /
b. am. but an dc same dars on'y one |
KIN or satisfaction TO- er mule. an dat |
am De- Kin dat couldn' be mo- satisfeder. |
Hem content wild de fac dat he's yer. |
an he don kyar ter know how he come /
nor when he come. an e yo' go Ger wu'k !
am toaCh I'm de notion erbout buffdays. /
an crbout his bein' title ter one eby /
Var dat foxes mus reCkonlze an nitrate /
olrr hen eit So dat he won be salts
tt1 vii one buniay In de notched time /
fI't bat he'll fret an schew 'twell yo' /
ieVlr3e I'm wid de same eTbout ehy |
tn or fo'teen days. Tell yO' what II ar. !
honey, M Spiles er mule ter git too much /
human natur IN I'm"
bessie looked FOR while into the OLD |
mans eyes as II either trying to fathom |
d., wisdom or wondering where # came /
fun ana then renewed the colloquy:
81 guess you're right. Daddy" she said: |
"Uat is. as far as mules are concerned /
You are better acquainted with them than /
] am. and you know whether they'd Ike
birthdays or not. but as far as | am |
Concerned l think it just splendid to have
u birthday"
"Now 80 talkin'. honey" returned the
Oh negro. the glow Of his eyes empha-
sizing the arGor Of his speech. ives
all unamlcus in jnherlatin' trbout yo
- kinder Providence dat coaldn' erford
one hr day In dc hull roun' year ter
horniu' SIGH or blossom er lub an kin
hess as yo'scf &c."
Tut tut. Daddy" exclaimed Eess.
putting her hand over the big
lips that were Vet trembling with the
1tI.or of their expression. you'd make
me- think that / was an angel II ia let
You keep on. Bat you mustn't STAMP
ine her little foot and looking menacIngly
toward tho Ola servant as he evidenced
au impulse 80 continue) you mustn't
say another word until tell YOU some
th.le that Will let you know how l
came 90 TAX about birthdays. But be
fore , teu YOU must promise that when
J naNc told you. you viii do exactly a.
j vi.h. Do YOU rromise?'
Ihc .ll man smiled. Il haint nuver
sev ic AWe when j Kin fuse yo'," he
bali
"lut that's only q halfway promise.
You must say Yes OF no Daddy" came
from rc gd with a manner half au-
th.f'HuNr. hrf pleading
go i'ns wij ye. l'r Missy, Yo' knows
= N do ffnu in !