The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-12-30
PLUNKETT'S LETTER
The Old Nan Thinks Of the Time
When He Was Young.
RECALLS THE TIME LONG AGO
When He Played in the Sand and
Called tho Doodle-Bug From
His Hole-A Christmas
al, Story

and give them time to study over the
years that are past and gone forever.
Just for a change 1 sauntered down 10
the ginhouse through the rain ana as
could do nothing else ! threw myseiI uo"i.
on pile of cotton seed and lay there anu
listened TO the rain as it battered on the
| boards of the old roof Somehow II sounu-
ed Just as il used to sound-JuSt as II oiu
when as a little boy they tucked me away
to sleep in the upstairs of the ola nome
None but the older generation can kho"
how sweet il was to sleep upstairs IL me
old-time houses and have the rain all the
night TO pattcr on tho boards. but old folks
| live in the past. The young may laugh
! at this but | can tell them that every
age has its vigor and strength ana hBhS
heartedness, but it Just as surely mas us
| infirm step and bending age and a living
| over again the years that are past IL
will come your time to be old some day
you that live long enough-and then you
will not wonder at my cherisnlhS tneSo
memories. Each generation takes us turn
once young light of heart and quick OF
step; then old, with measured tread ana
solemn Thought. you will find the sweetest
delights in living over again the years
that gone
As lay there upon the seed and count
ed the drops from the small leak ana hS'-
eued 10 the patter of the rain upon the
roof I found myself taking up handtuiS
stream from my fist. AS old as / am
would be glad to get out in the SAND ana
make froghouses IS we used 20 make thelh
and PLAY miller and have tine Sand
pour as il used TO pour, but II could not
be now as il used to be, for the little
p'Symates would not be there, the most
OF them have passed over the river. ana
those who yet larry could not stoop 10
pat the sand On their feet and form tire
uoghouses. nor could they get down over
the doodle holes as they used TO and
call doodle, doodle, doodle till the htlle
bug would come and be caught with pleas
ure. They are too stiff IN the joints for
anything like this now, and they are too
dim of sight to see the little bug If It lay
in the hollow of their hands, but they are
not too old 10 think OF those happy times
and VIII never be-never, never.
But 1 know the young people want to
hear something about Christmas, and
am just in the humor, for from where l
lay upon the cotton seed l could see the
top OF an old leg house just over the field
10 the south, ana the cid negro that yet
lives in this Old moss covered house has
figured in things that might be woyc into
u pretty story and only the truth. pure
and simple truth. need be used to make
the story IS pleasing as a. could BE- mace.
To tell the story OF this OLD negro-old
Tom, as ne is famiUarly known must
30 back % Christmas OF the long ago.
~ serves me righJ when / first met q
young man by the name OF Peter simpson.
ON taie ulsht there was q party at the
house of Uncle Jimmie Lawrence, and Pc
tor simpson then stranger lin rre set
tiemeut. was there, ana upon this night
Peter got acquainted with Lucy Goats, aa
good girl ever lived in Geor-
ga and she aftcrTva rds became the
VIE of Peter. and they settled
close to me and lived by mo for long
while. and / never found Il truer friend or
better neigabcr.
So much as an Introduction Of Peter Sinp-
SON and his wife. Lucy. Ola Tom, the
negro iu the story, was the first negro that
Peter and Lucy owned Peter and rom
We're brought up together on the old SlEnp-
son plantation and there was more OF q
hrotnerly feeling between the two than any
OF the young generation could ever under
stand existing between master and
slave. Peter rolled up his sleeves ana
worked just as hard, if not harder. than
Tom was required 10 do, and conse-
quence he soon began to lay up money.
IT was not long till Peter bought another
negro or two. ana everything about MIN
seemed TO point TO prosperity, and there
was no happier couple than Peter and Luz
cy TO be found in all OF Georgia 1t is not
strange that such q coupe should grow
ambitious TO get rich So it was. Peter and
old Tom, as he is now called, decided that
he must marry one OF Squire Crawford's
negro girls. Peter and Lucy were perfectly
willing for Tom to marry the girl that ne
loved, but old Squire Crawford, before
anybody thought OF il. had sold his lana
and was or FOR Texas Folks were crazy
on Texas in those days. and It did not
take long for a fellow to get or when tho
fever struck him
After Squire Crawford went or TO Tex
rs and carried Toms girl he was never the
same negro. lie didn't sing and dance any
more, Le seemed 10 prefer solitude after
that. and would sit around BY himselT
whenever ne was not at work. Peter and
Lucy noticed the change in their slave
and did all trey could to cure his melan-
choly and 10 have him forget the girl that
was away in Texas. II was no USE old
Tom grew worse and worse, and began 10
mouth around among the other negroes
that slavery was wrong and that he had
rather be DEAD than submit to It. Things
went along this way till one night when
the other negroes had gathered IN their
YARD TO play and sing OLD Tom was seen
TO draw of from tho others, and taking
his seat away out on the horse block,
went to whiting with his knife and muir
muring to himself something that no one
could ever hear. SO old Tom sat till the
negroes in their yard began TO sing
sI took her hand within my own.
A tear was in her eve;
I asked her If she would be nine
Her answer was q sigh
Q Emma; dear. dear Emma,
From the Mississippi vale;
In all this wide world over
There's none like Emma Dale"
As old Tom listened his heart seemed 20
grow in sympathy with the plaintive strain
sand pref soon he arose from his seat ana
walked toward the woods. When the other
negroes were through with their frolic old
Tom was gone. The next morning suu
found old Tom away, and il was soon IN
derstood that he was a runaway
A runaway negro was nothing strange in
those days, bur it did seem strange that
Ten should be runaway. Peter and
Lucy would not hear to putting hounds
after Tom, and he not heard from
any more and he had ceased to be talked
or on the place Thus ii went
for year. Old Tom was gone
+he crops were a failure, and Peter
failed TO pay anything on his thousand
dollar note to old man Smith, but had TO
renew that note and borrow a little more.
Dot arA IYraV