The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1895-07-27
ADAMS PICKANINNY.

him, and certainly he was the very ugliest
niggor ever scent He had Joined the troop
when quito lad and because Of his age
and grayness all saw fit to make his hard
life harder than it need have been.
Every one except Mimi tho s-year-old
child of the circus proprietor, and she,
with the unerring instinct of the young,
knew that most loyal and loving heart
beat beneath that hideous exterior and
that the brown, patient eyes of the poor
old man were the kindost ever seen. Con-
sequently, and in defiance of all orders, she
would seek out the much abused Adam,
and with her innocent questions and ador-
ablo ways food his barren existence with
such sweetness that he sometimes forgot
the smart of his bruises and, ut night, his
extreme wearlness.
"Why are you so black, Adam? Why is
your hair like wool and why have you
mouth like frogf" one day asked the lit
tie damscl, pressing, nevertheless, to the
old parched lips her own rosebud mouth.
"I dunno, honey missey," answered the
old man, looking us though an angel had
refreshed and sanctihed him. aspects
God made ole Adam ugly jes' to show
what a sweet wee missey ye Isl Niggers
doan' have golden hairs and white skins,
dearie-n iggers is made to be kicked and
do all the work that no ono else will do.
Can't spect niggers to. be treated like
white folks, dearie. But ole Adam no do
wish his mouth was like hummin birds
instead of u frogs"
birds have beaks, you silly old Adamw
laughed Mimi.
$50 thoy hey, We blissed, clever lamb
kin. Did ye ever see such n tiny hand -
taking tho child's fingers and laying them
across his horny paln-''dcy jes' like lilley
spihes; dey allus makes ole Adams head
better"
"Adam got headachef' queried Mimi
"Why, what big lump ON your eye How
did 1t come thereY"
"Carlo he'd an acciden' with his whip,
honey-hit me, instead OBJ oss. Kissin it
to make 1t well, are yer God bless lilley
honey baby. Now tell ole Adam how ye
gettin on wild yer ridin. Only anubber
week, and then we shall see pickaninny on
lilley white pony, and won't folks jes'
olapl She'll hev bowkets and flowers, and
and sweeties and when she gets dem
wings on her shoulders Adam'll be 'fraid
honey 'ull fly straight away to do blue,
blue sky. Whatll Adam do den?'
"Come too.'
"Dat he would; couldn't do widout ILL.,
ley missy; she just keep i'm live"
"Do you say prayers every night, Adam,
and do you put clean clothes on every
week."
Eyes, Adam snys his prayers cbhery
night-prays to the big kind Jesus what
honey told him about, and when ADAM
very sore with kicks he thinks of the dear
Lord on his wooden cross of his bleedin
sides and ans and den he feels comforted,
an prays for lilloy missey too. As for dem
clean clos, washes dem nysel COS gran
nj, n1n No
couldn't DO dirty when he has white
missey wot comes to him. Adam feels
'shamed Pickaninny come and see the
| monkeys?"
"Drop that kid, nigger!' broke in a loud
| voice upon them I'm tell the boss how
1 you neglocks yer duties, and he fog yer
for slobbcrin over his child. She amt
brought up like lady to have u Niger al
ways artcr herl'
A brutal, coarse faced man, dressed In n
! greasy check suit, came forward and flour
ished whip before the old man, but Mimi,
the color loaping to her soft cheeks, sprang
off Adams knee, and, fronting the bully,
said; IF you hits Adam, III kick you'll
Adams goin to show me the monkey-so,
there, you nasty, ugly, fat mani Come
along, AdHml" turning to her colored
friend. "Giye me your hand Adam-I'll
tuke care Of you - and tho little creature,
with ridiculous air Of dignity, marched
past the ustonished stableman, who could
only rub his nose and mutter, well, I'm
blowedl"
Thus, hand In hand, Mimi and Adam
made the round Of the animals comprising
the bulk of Signor Dingo sin othel
words, plain Jim Brown s--circus. These
We're not-Rlas for the success of SiEnol
Dingn!-of particularly uncommon breed
nor many Ia number Tho lion, their piec,
de resistance, was growing almost too ole
TO ronr; the two elephants We're also some
what huary, having passed their prime il
circus very different to the one They now
adorned. A cage of juckuls "a chimpan2et
and a fow wizenUd monkeys were the othe
features of attraction, and Of course Their
were performing horses, bad or indifferent
But one beautiful little animal Signo
Dingo did possess, and that was tho whit
pony on which Mimi was to mako he
debut. 1t WAS like u tiny dainty lad,
with Its satin coat and pink nosoand Owet
much of its elegance 10 the constant an,
loving grooming of Adam. How gentl,
tile old man tended the little brute onl,
Mimi knew, gad it was a beautiful sigh