The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-05-19
SELECTED STORY.
Sister Calline's Chil'en.

The train ran into little station /
the heart of the pine woods, and tn
conductor sprang to the platform.
"Hurry up therel" he called, runnin
forward to the negro coach.
The steps were OVERLOOKING wit
pickaninnies, 80 black that at first sigh
their small features would have bee
indistinguishable but for the wild
crease on each face, filled with evel
rows of teeth, startlingly white in con
trast with their sooty environment.
A fat, good-looking negress, holding
an oval bundle, wrapped in an oil
shawl, close to her breast, seemed to b.
the center of the crowd, and an old
old, negro man, grizzled and wrinkled
was hanging around its margin.
sis you got UNI all, Sister Calline?'
he asked anxiously. "'Clare eff
knowsl" said the woman, running hel
eye over the company. "'Pears lal
dere's one on UNI missin'p
"a aboardl" shouted the conductor
and the train moved.
"Hyar, mistahl" shrieked Sister Cal
line, "you'se CAIN off one O. my chil'
enl"
The conductor laughed good natured-
ly, and was gone.
"Ohl" moaned the woman. "He's
done ca'ed off one on UNI suah!"
The station agent sauntered near.
He wore that intensely bored express
sion only possible to man who spends
his life in a piney woods clearing, see
ing four trains day go in and out, and
playing on barrel head in the inter-
walls.
"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, say" she
cried. "He's done ca'ed off one o. my
chilen."
dispose / can call the train back?"
said the man CONTEMPORARY. elf
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, 1
reckon"
ooh, my pore ILL chilel"
Tears began to stream down the
black face.
The wrinkled old uncle looked deeply
distressed.
els you pint plank suah one on um's
missin', Sister Calline?" he asked,
alphabetically.
Her eyes wandered, vague and troub-
led, over the dusky, shifting crowd of
faces.
"I'se mos puf1ickly suah," she said.
"Better count 'em," suggested the
agent. elbow many are there, any
how?"
"Der's Lu Roxy Adline, Lucy
alier y
else here, mammyl" interrupted
long.limbed girl of fourteen.
81 told you to count em!" said the
agent, impatiently.
81 cayn't coun', Mas'rl I's bawn
afore de wah. But, anyhow, dey say
dere's leben OBJ um."
Sister Calline," said the old man,
tepderly, 1" les we set right down hyar
an III coun' UNI fer ye. Use a scholar"
"You sholy is kind, Mistah," said
Sister Calline, gratefully, sitting down
on the edge of the platform.
The agent laughed shortly and turned
away.
The grizzled old uncle took red and
yellow handkerchief from his pocket
and carefully busted the end of the
planks before be took his seat.
He wore threadbare black suit,
which undoubtedly once moved in high
society.
Sister Calline looked at him with in
terest.
81 reckon dat you mus be
sah," she said, deferentially.
Madam, is. Use been preachin'
de Word desc nine years, eber since my
pore old lady died. I was a powerful
sinner afore dat"
Sister Calline looked awed.
81 was, suah!" said the old man,
retrospectively. "But I'se come inter
the kingdom now, suah, suah huff,
Dress de Lord. Is you got husban',
Sister Calline?"
"I'se pore wilder, Mistah, with all
desc chilen to scuffle fer, an de Lawd
knows what rs gwine ter do"
Uncle glanced at the bundle in her
arms. 1t had begun to move and
whimper.
"Dat your baby, chile?" asked I'm
Gle, innocently.
"Dis my baby" replied Sister Cal
line, looking down at the sooty mite in
her arms with maternal pride.
"My POI ole man neber see dis baby.
He was bowed mp by the biler Dustin
in de mill where he wurked. He was
done killed when dey brung him home.
De doctors tried an tried to pump
some life into him, but he never spoke
no mo-"
For de lan's sake!" calculated the
old man.
Compassion was written all over his
kind old face. He had been a good
darkey from his youth up, and his sim
full past was purely fictitious.
What's de mattah wild you ole lady
you done los'?"
"Consumpshun" replied the old
man, solemnly. 1t runs in our family.
Ole Cunnel Kent's ma died OBJ it, an
lil' mistis died, too. An den my ole
lady took it an she died It's turrible
decease."