New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-10
SISTER CALLINE'S CH1LEN.

The steps were overlooking with pickaninnies'
40 black that at first sight their small FEATURES
would have been indistngushable but for the
wide crease on each face filled with even rows OF
teeth startlingly white In contrast with their
sooty environment
A fat. good-looking negress. holding an oval
bundle. wrapped In an old shawl, close to her
breast. seemed to be the centre OF the crowd, and
an old. old negro man. grizzled and wrinkled,
was lowering around Its margin.
"Is Won got um ALL Sister Calline?" he asked
anxiously.
.rCIer ef Knows said the woman running
her eve over the company. "'Pears lax dere's
one on UNI missn!
IAN aboard" shouted the conductor and the
train moved.
"Hyar. mistahr ehrieked Sister Calline. ''youse
lin off one o. my chiren!
The conductor laughed good-naturcdiy' ana
was gone
"Oh, Lawd. moaned the woman He's zone
ca ed off one on UNI. suah!'
The station agent sauntered near he wore
that intensely bored expression only possible 10
a man who spends his lite In piney woooS
clearing seeing four trains day go IN ana out
and playing checkers on a barrel head In the IN
tervals.
One wonders IL the lunatic asyums are not
largely recruited from this class.
"Orter have tied EN- along rope, sos tney
couldn't get away" he said.
Sister Calline turned her black velvet orps IN
his direction.
You call dat train back, / say, she crieo'
Hes done ca ed off one O. my chile
"S'pose can call the train back"' said the
man contemptuously III you're sure one OF EN-
is missin' you'll have to set down and walt mere
I'll the train comes back. They'll bring It, l
reckon"
"Oh. my pore III chile!
Tears began TO stream down the black face
The wrinkled old uncle looked deeply distressed.
us you pint blank suah one on um's missin'
Sister Calline?" he asked sympathetically
Her eyes wandered. vague and troubled over
the dusky, shifting crowd Of faces
Use mos pufIickly suah" she said.
Better count EN-" suggested the agent. How
many are there anyhow"
''Dcre's Lu Roxy Adline. Lucyalier-
Use here. nanny interrupted long-limbed
girl OF fourteen.
81 told you to count 'emr' said the agent i'm
patiently.
II CAN'T coun' Mas'r. Use bawn afore de
wah. But anyhow dey say deres leben 90 UNI
Sister Callln@." said the old man. tendery.
.Ie's we set right down hyar an I'll coun um
fer ye Tse a scholar"
You sholy Is kind. Mistah," said Sister Cal
line. gratefully. sitting down on the edge Of the
platform.
The agent laughed shortly and turned away.
The grizzled old uncle took a red and yellow
handkerchief from his pocket and carefully
busted the end Of the planks before he took his
seat
lie wore threadbare black suit which had I'M
douhicdy once moved in high society
Sister Caine looked at him with interest.
II reckon dat you mus be preacher, sah." she
said deferentally
Madam. | IS Use been preachin' de Word
desc nine year eber sence my pore old lady died
was powerful sinner afore dat"
Sister Calline looked awed.
II was suahr' said the old man. retrospect
lively But Use come inter de kingdom now
suah nun. bress de Lord. Is you got husban',
Sister CaIlIneY
Use pore wilder. Mlstah. wild all desc chiren
ter scufe fer. an de Lawd knows what Use
gwne ter do
Uncle glanced at the bundle in her arms 1t
had begun TO move and whimper.
Dat your baby. chile?' asked Uncle. inno-
Gently.
"Dis my baby" replied Sister Calline, look
down nj the sooty mite In her arms with ma
ternai pride
MY 70 ole man neber see dis baby. He was
bowed up by de biler Dustin in de mill where
ne wuked He was done killed when dey brung
him home. De doctors tried an tried to pump
some ufe inter him. but he never spoke no
mo-
For de lan's sake" calculated the old man.
bIc 70 ind old
face He had been a good darby from his youth
up. and his sinful past was purely fictitious.
What de mattah wild you ole lady you done
LOSE" asked Sister Calline.
'Consumpshrn. replied the old man solemnly.
1T runs in our family: ole Cunnel kents
ma died OBJ IT, an de Cunnel's first wife died
ob II an III mistis died. too. An den my ole
lady took IT an she died It's a turrbe de-
cease"
"Scuse my insurance akin you. Mistah Does
YOU git you libin' preachn?
DE folks pays me some an den Use got
nice piece o. Ian an Ill house. My ole Masr
give UNI ter me-" said the old man. with modest
pride.
'Sho, Amt you too old ter wuk?"
II wuks some. an de airs helps me. Use de
onliest one oh de ole sarven's lef. Use ninety
five year ole!'
.'sho. now" said Sister Calline. much i'm
pressed
How ole you Is. Sister Calllne?-hopin' you'll
'scuse fer akin"
Il dunno 'zackly." said Calline. studying
little II 'spect Use sixty-gwine on nifty.
They had become SO interested In their hum
bic annals that the pickaninnies had been lost
sight OF. They were scattered along the rail-
road line gambolllng Ike nenagerie turned
loose
Does you wan me tn coun' you chil'en. Iis-
ter Calline?"
Goose does Hyar! You-all Come hyar."
The children paid no attention
"Dey needs disserplainin, Sister Calline."
He rose. 'Chiren chiren." he called In voice
OF authority.
The black cloud drew together and bore down
on the station house
Now you-al stan still ontwell dis genelman
couns' YOU" commanded the mother. "Lu Roxy.
min yersef. Abe Linkum, stan up Don
scrouge SOL How he gwine coun You. ef you
lodges roun dat away"
mild degree Of order at last prevailed and