The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1896-07-09

Wy h6 ~.
forward, to the negro coach.
The steps were overlooking will
pickaninnles, so black that at frs
sight their small features would hav,
been indistinguishabl but for the wild,
crease on each face, filed with ever
rows of teeth, startllngIy white in con
trast with their sooty environment.
A fat, good-looking negress, holding
an oval bundle, wrapped in an ole
shawl, close to her breast, seemed to b.
the center of the crowd, and an old, ole
negro man, grizzled and wrinkled, wa
lowering around It's margin.
is you got UNI all, Sister Calline?
be asked anxiously.
Glare eff knowsr' said the woman
running her eye over the company
Pears lax dere's one on UNI missin'p
"All aboard" shouted the conductor
and the train moved.
"Hyar, mistah!' shrieked Sister Cal
line, ''you'se cain off one o. my
chill'enr'
The conductor laughed good-natured
ly, and was gone.
"Oh, Lawdw moaned the woman
Hes done ca'ed off one Of UNI, suahp'
The station agent sauntered near
He wore that intensely bored express
sion only possible to a man who spends
his life in piney woods clearing, see-
Ing four trains day go in and playing
checkers on a barrel head in the in
tervals.
One wonders If the lunatlc asylums
are not largely recruited from this
class.
"Orter have tied 'em along a rope,
SOS they couldn't get away" he said.
Sister Calline turned her black vel
vet orbs in his direction.
you call dat train back, 1 say" she
cried. Hes done ca'ed off one o. my
chiren."
"S'pose l can call the train back"
said the man, contemptuously. IF
you're sure one of 'em is missin' you'll
have to set down and wait here till the
train comes back. They'll bring it, l
reckon"
''Oh. my pore Ill chilew
Tears began to stream down the
black face.
The wrinkled old uncle looked deep
ly distressed.
rs you pint blank suah one on um's
mlssln', Sister CallineI" be asked, SYM
pathetically.
Her eyes wandered, vague and trou-
bled, over the dusky, shifting crowd of
faces.
Use mos puffickly suah," she said.
Better count 'em," suggested the
agent. How many are there, any
how?"
'Dere's Lu Roxy Adline, Lucy
alier-'
'Fs here, mammyw interrupted a
long-llmbed girl of II.
Il told you to count 'emw said the
agent, impatiently.
Il cayn't coun, mas'r! Use bawn
lfore de wah. But anyhow dey say
{ res leben on um."
"Sister Calline," said the old man,
lies we set right down hyar
an I'll coun um fer We. Use scholar
"You sholy is kind, mlstah," said Sis
ter Calline, gratefully, sitting down
on the edge of the platform.
The agent laughed shortly and turned
away.
Thu Ppiy1IA al oil
yellow handkerchief from his pocket
and carefully busted the end of the
blanks before he took his seat.
He wore threadbare black suit
which had undoubtedly once moved in
high society.
Sister Calline looked at him with
Il reckon dat you mus be preacher,
'ah," she said, defentlally.
Madam, Is. Use been preachin' de
word desc nine years, eber sence my
,ore old lady died. l was a powerful
inner afore dat"
Sister Calline looked awed.
Il was, suahp' said the old man, re-
But Use come inter de
lingdom now suah huff, Dress de Lord.
s you got husban', Sister Calline?"
Use pore wilder, mistah, wild all
lese chiren ter scutlie fer, an de Lawd
Knows what Use gwine ter do"
Uncle glanced at the bundle in her
rms. 1t had begun to move and
yhimper.
Dat your baby, chileg asked uncle,
nnocently.
IBIS my baby" replied Sister Cal
inc, looking down at the sooty mite in
Ter arms with maternal pride.
My po' ole man neber see dis baby.
lie was blowed up de biler Dustin in
lie mill where he wuked. He was lone
killed when dey brung him home. De
ioctors tried an tried to pump some
life inter him, but he never spoke no
no."
For de lan's sakew calculated the
Id man.
Compassion was written all over his
lind old face. He had been a good
larky from his youth up, and his past
vas purely fictitious.
What de mattah wild you ole lady
'ou done lost?" asked Sister Calline.
"Consumpshun," replied the old man,
olemnly. 1T runs in our family. Ole
Junnel Kent's ma died OBJ it. an de
unners first wife died OBJ it an lii
nistis died, too. An den my ole lady
ook 1t an she died. It's turrible de-
ease
Dat sholy Is sou conceded Sister
Jalllne. "'Scuse my insurance AKIN
'ou, mlstah. Does you git you libin'
,reachin'p
de folks pay me some, an den Use |
.ot nice piece o Ian an Ill house. /
dy ole mas'r give um ter me-" said the
Id man, with modest pride.
"Sho! Amt you too old ter wuk?"
sAV