Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-07-03
CALLINE'S CHIL'EN.

AlNtll VI illc BA4it N''Ni1 anu AllS
sprang to the platform
Hurry up there, he called, running
forward to the negro coach
The steps were oycrliowing with picka-
ninnics 50 black that at first sight their
small features would have been indistin
guiahahlc bat for the wide crease on each
face filled with even rows Of teeth startling
~ white in contrast with their sooty en-
vironmcnt
A fat. good looking ncrrcss holding an
oval bundle wrapped in an old shawl close
to her breast seemed to be the center of the
crowd, and h' old, old negro man, grizzled
and wrinkicd, was lowering around its
margin.
rs you got um all, Sister Calline?" he
asked anXiOusly.
"Claro eff l knows" said the woman,
running her eye over the company " Pears
lax dcrcs one on um missin."
IAN aboard" shouted the conductor,
and the train moved
"Hyar, mistah, " shrckcd Sister Calline.
"You Sc cain off one o. my chill en-. "
The conductor laughed good naturally
and was gone.
"Oh, LAwdW moancd the woman.
"He's done ca ed off one on UNI suah.
The station agent sauntcrCd near He
wore that intensely bored expression only
possible to Il man who SPENDS his life in
piny woods clearing, seeing four trains
day go in and out and playing checkers on
a barrel head in the intervals
One wonders if the lunatic asylums are
not largely recruited from this class.
"Orter have tied 'cm along Il rope SOS
they couldn't get away" he said.
Sister Calline turned her black velvet
orbs in his direction
You call dat train back, say" she
cried Hes done caed off one O. my
chill "
"S'posc l can call the train back?'' said
the man contcmptuously. "If you're sure
one of 'cln is missin, you'n have to set
down and wait here till the train comes
back They'll bring it, 1 reckon"
"Oh, my pore Ill chile"
Tears began to stream down the black
face
The wrinllled old uncle looked deeply
distressed.
"Is you pint blank suah one on um's
missin, Sister Calline?" he asked sympa-
thetically.
Her eyes wandered, vague and troubled
over the dusly, shifting crowd of faces
"I'ze mos putlickly suah she said.
"Bcttcr count EN-, " suggested the agent
"How many are there anyhow"
"Dcre : Lu Roxy, Adlinc, Lucyalier
"I'zc here, nanny" interrupted IL long
limbcd girl of II.
Il told you to count em, " said the agent
impatiently
Il cayn't coun', mas'r, Ize Dawn afore
de wah But anyhow dey say dere's leben
OBJ UNI.
"Sister Calline said the old man ten
derby, les we set right down hyar, an III
coun' UNI fer We. 1'Zc scholar. A"
"You sholy is kind, mistah, " said Sister
Calline gratefully, sitting down on the edge
of the platform. The agent laughed short
ly and turned away The grizzled old UNI
Gle took red and yellow handkerchief
from his pocket and carefully busted the
end of the plnnks before he took his seat.
He worc Il thIcadbarc black suit which had
undoubtedly once moved in high society.
Sister Calline looked at him with inter
est.
II reckon dat you mus be a preacher,
sab, she said defcrentially.
Madam, I is. I'ze been preachin dc
word desc nine year, cher sence my pore
old lady died was Il powerful sinner
aforc dat.
Sister Cullinc looked awed.
Il was suuh, S;idOthe old man retro
spectiNcy But I'ze come inter dc king
dom now suah huff, Dress Gc Lord. Is you
got Il hushan Sister Callinc:"
"Izc "a pore wilder, mstah, wild all desc
chil'cn ter scullc fer an dc Lawd knows
what I'zc gwiuc ter do. "
Uncle glanced at the bundle in her arms
1t had Begun to move and whimpcr.
DAT your baby, chile asked uncle in
hocently
dis my baby, " replied Calline, looking
down at the sooty mite in her arms Will
maternal pride.
"My pore ole man neber see dis baby. II,
was bowed up by de biler Dustin in de mil
where he wuscd. He was done killed whe1
dey brung him home. De doctors tried al
tried to pump some life inter him, but h,
never spOre no mo-"
Fer de lan's sakel" calculated the ole
man.
Compassion was written all over hi
kind old face. He had been good dark,
from his youth up and his sinful past wa
purely fictitious
"What dc mattah wild you ole lady yol
done los'?" asked Sister Calline.
"Consumpshun, replied the old mai
solcmnly. 1T runs in our family. Oh
Cunnel Kent's ma died oh it, an de Gun
nel's first wife died oh it, an Ill mistis die
TOO. An den my ole lady took it an sh
died. It's tuwible decease"
dat shoiy is so, conceded Sister Cal
line. "Scu,e my insurance akin you
Inistah. Does you git you libin preaching
Ode folks pays me some, an den I'ze 60
nice piece o Ian an a Ill house. My ol
masr give UNI ter me, " said the old man
with modest pride.
"Sho. Amt you too old ter wuk?"
81 wuks some, an dc airs helps me. IL
de onliest one oh de ole saryens lef Ia
90 year ole. "
"Sho now" said Sister Calline, niue
impressed.
youll scuse me fer akin"
II dunno zactly," said Calline, stud.
ing little Il s'pect Ize go, gwine O
co."
They had become so interested in the