The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-06-19
miscellaneous.
CALLINE'S CHIL'EN.

The train ran into little station in the
| heart of the pine woods, and the conductor
sprang to the platform.
Hurry up there" he called, running
forward to tho negro coach.
The steps were OVERLOOKING with picka-
ninnies so black that at first sight their
small features would have been indistin-
guishablc but for the wide crease on each
face filled with even rows Of teeth startling
~ white in contrast with their sooty en-
vironment.
A fat, good looking negress holding an
oval bundle wrapped in an old shawl close
to her breast seemed to be the center of the
crowd, and an old, old negro man, grizzlcd
and wrinkled, was lowering around its
margin.
as you got UNI all, Sister Callines" he
asked anxiously.
"'Clare eff knows" said the woman,
running her eye over the company. Pears
lax dereS one on um missin."
"All aboardP' shouted the conductor,
and tho train moved.
"Hyar, nistah, shrieked Sister Calline.
"You'se cain off one O. my chill en-"
The conductor laughed good naturedly
and was gone.
"Oh, Lawdr' moancd the woman.
Hes done ca'cd off one on UNI suah.''
The station agent sauntered near. He
wore that intensely bored expression only
possible to man who spends his life in a
piny woods clearing, seeing four trains q
day go in and out and playing checkers on
barrel head in the intervals.
One wonders if the lunatic asylums are
not largely recruited from this class
"Orter have tied 'em along rope SOS
they couldn't get away" he said.
Sister Callino turned her black velvet
orbs in his direction.
You call dat train back, say" she
cried Hes done ca'ed off one O. my
chill Zen"
"S'pose can call the train back" said
the man contcmptuously. "lf you're sure
one of 'em is missln, you'll have to set
down and wait hero till the train comes
back. They'll bring it, reckon"
"Oh, my pore lii chilol'
Tears began to stream down the black
face.
The wrinklcd old uncle looked deeply
distressed.
"Is you pint blank suah one on UNI g
missin, Sister Callinc?" he asked sympa-
thetically.
Her eyes wandered, vague and troubled
over the dusky, shifting crowd of faces
"IZc mos puffickly suah, she said.
Better count 'em, " suggested the agent
"How many are there anyhow"
"Dere's Lu Roxy, Adline, Lucyalier
"IZe here, nanny" interrupted q long
limbcd girl Of II.
II told you to count 'em," said the agent
impatiently.
II cayn't coun', mas'r. I'zc bawn afore
do wah. But anyhow dey say deres lcben
| OBJ um."
"Sister Calline," said the. old man ten
derly, lies we set right down hyar, an III
coun' um fer ye. 1'ze a scholar"
You sholy is kind, lnistah," said Sister
Calline gratefully, sitting down on the edge
! of tho platform. The agent laughed short
ly and turned away. The grizzled old IN
Gle took red and yellow handkerchief
| from his pocket and carefully busted the
| end of tho planks before he took his seat
He wore n thrcadbarc black suit which had
undoubtedly once moved in high society.
Sister Calline looked at him with inter
est.
II reckon dat you mus be u preacher,
sab" she said deferentially.
Madam, ID. 1'zo been preachin de
| word desc nine year, cher sence my pore
Olu lhuy uleu was d powerful slnner
| aforc dat
Sister Callino looked awcd.
II was suah," said the old man retro
| spectively But I'zc come inter dc king
dom now suah huff, Dress dc Lord Is you
| got husban, Sister Callinc?'
"TZc pore wilder, mistah, wild oil desc
| chil'cn ter scufflc fer, an do Lawd knows
what I'ze gwine ter do"
| JTt,nlp rrInncn1 Int hp kl1niln in bar ring
| 1t had begun to move and whimpcr.
dat your baby, chilc?' asked uncle in
| noccntly.
| IBIS my baby" replied Calline, looking
down at the sooty mite in her arms with
maternal pride.
| my pore ole man ncbcr see dis baby. He
was blowed up by dc biler Dustin In dc mill
where he wuked. He was done killed when
| dey brung him home. De doctors tried an
| tried to pump some life inter him, but he
| never spore no mo-"
| Ger dc lan's sakeW calculated the old
| man.
Compassion was written all over his
kind old face He had been n good darby
from his youth up, and his sinful past was
purely fictitious.
"What de mattah wild you ole lady you
done los'Y" asked Sister Callinc.
"Consumpshun," replied the old man
| solemnly. ut runs in our family. Ole
| Cunnel Kcnt's ma died OBJ it, an dc cum
nel's first wife died OBJ it, an iii mistis died
too. An den my ole lady took it an she
died It's turrible dccease."
dat sholy is So, conceded Sister Cal
line. "Scusc my insurance akin you,
mistah. Does you git you libin preaching"
"Dc folks pays mo some, an den 1'ze got
q nice piece o. Ian an n lii house. My ole
masr give UNI ter me" said the old man,
with modest pride.
! "Sho. Amt you too old ter wukl"
81 wuks some, an de nrs helps me. 1'Ze
dc onliest one oh dc ole sarvcns lef'. Tze
95 year ole"
"Sho, now" said Sister Calline, much
| impressed.
"How ole you Is, Sister Callinc, hopin
| you'll scuse me fer AKIN"
| 81 dunno zactly," said Calline, study
ing a little 81 s'pect Izc go, gwine on
| 90"
They had become so interested in their
,umble annals that the pickaninnies had
pcen lost sight of. They were scattered
nlong the railroad line gamboling like a
menagcrio turned loose.
"Does YOU wan me ter coun' you chill EN-,
Sister Callinc?"
"Co'se 1 does. Hyar you all. Come
hyar.
The children paid no attention.
| "Dev needs disserplainin, Sister Cal
line"
He rose. "Chil'en, chil'rn," he called
IN q voice of authority. ..-.
The black cloud drew JogeUner nnu pur'
down on the station house.