Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1897-05-25
.awINE BACK HOME !"
AnAet otKindnes. to an Old Uncle in Distress
TFrom Our Dumb Animals.l

IFrom Our Dumb Animals.l
Aswewaited in theL &N depot atNash-
vile for the train. some one began crying
and an excitement was raised among the
passengers. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. proved
that it was an old colored man who was
giving way to his grief. Three or four
people remarked on the strangeness of it,
but for some time no one said anything
to him. Then depot policeman came
forward and took him by the arm, and
shook him roughly and said:
''See here, old man, you want to quit
that You are drunk, and if you make any
more disturbance I'll lock you up!"
"'Deed, but 1 hain't drunk" replied
the old man, as he removed his tear
stained handkerchief ''I'ze losted my
ticket an money, an dat's what's the
matter
"Bosh You never had any money to
lose You dry up, or away you go!"
What's the matter yere?" queried a
man, as he came forward.
The old man recognized the dialect of
the southerner in an instant, and repress-
ing his emotions with great effort he
answered:
Say, Mars Jack. Ize bin robbed
My name is White.
well, then. Mars White, somebody
has done robbed me ofticketan' money" +"
Where were you going?"
"Gwine down into Kaintuck, whar
was BON an raised
Where's that?"
Nigh to Bowlin' Green, sab, an when
the wah dun sot me free cum up this
way. Hain't bin home sence, sah."
And you had ticket?"
Yes, sab, an ober $40 in cash. Bin
savin' up fur ten vars, sab"
What do you want to go back fer?"
"To see de hills an de fields, de tobacco
an de CON, Mars Preston an de good old
missus. Why, Mars White, 1'ze dun bin
prayin' fur TO twenty ars. Sometimes
de longin' has cum till 1 couldn't hardly
hold myself"
"It's too bad"
DE ole woman is buried down dar.
Mars White-de ole woman an free
chillen. 1 kin member the spot same as
if 1 seed it yesterday. You go out half
way to de fust tobacker house. an den
you turn turn to de left an go down to
de branch whar de wimmen used to wash.
Oars TO trees on de odder bank, an
right under EN- is whar dey is all buried.
kin see it kin lead you right to dc spot -
And what will you do when you get
there ?" asked the stranger.
Go up to de big house an AK Mars
Preston to let me lib out all de rest of my
days right dor. I'ze ole an all alone, an
I want to be nigh my dead. Sorter COM
pany fur me when my heart aches"
Where were you robbed?"
"Out doahs, dar, l reckon, in de crowd.
See? De pocket is all cut out- Fze
dreamed an pondered-Tze had dis
journey in my mind fur vars, an now
Ize dun bin robbed an can't gol"
He fell to crying and the policeman
came forward in an officious manner.
STAND back, sirl" commanded the
stranger. Now, gentlemen, you have
heard the story. I'm going to help
the old man back to die on the old
plantation and be buried alongside OF his
dead"
80 am l." called twenty men in
chorus. and within FIVE minutes we had
raised enough to buy him ticket and
leave $50 to spare And when he real
lied his good luck, the old znow-haired
black fell upon his knees in that crowd
and prayed;
Lord, Pze been a believer in You all
my days. an now 1 dun axes You to
watch ober desc yere white folks dat has
believed in me an helped me to go back
to de ole home"
And do believe that nine-tenths of
that crowd had tears in their eyes as the
gateman called out the Louisville train.