The commonwealth., 1897-09-23
'GWINE BACK HOME"
AN OLD MAN ROBBED.
De- Ole Woman's Grave.
Ribhcal Recorder.

]
/ Riblic0l Recorder.
AS we waited In the depot at Nash
vile for the train, some one began cry
ing, and an excitement was raised
among the passengers. A brief in
vestigation proved that it was an old
colored man who was giving way to his
grief. Three or four people remarked
on the stfangefiess Of II II, bat fer 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 if you make
any more disturbance I'll lock you up !"
"Deed and I hain't drunk" replied
the old man, as he removed his tear
stained handkerchief. "I'ze losted my
ticket an money /; an dat's whut's the
matter"
"Bosh! You never had any money
to lose! You dry up or away you go !"
whats the matter here?" querled a
man as he came forward.
The old man recognized the dialect
of the Southerner in an instant, and
represslng his emotion with great,
effort he answered
"Say, Mas'r Jack, I'ze been robbed J"
"My name is White"
"Well, then, Mas'r White, somebody
has done robbed me of my ticket and
money"
"Where were you going?"
"Gwine down into Kentuck whar /
was bon an raised"
"Where's that?"
"Nigh to Bowlin' Green, sab, an
when the war dun sot me free I cum
up this way. Haln't been home, sence,
sah." "
"You had a ticket?"
Eyes, sab, an ober 500 in cash. Bin
savln' up fur ten Vars, sab.
"What do you want to go back for?"
"To see de hills an de fields, de to-
bacco an de con, Mas'r Preston an de
good old missus. Why. Mas'r White,
I'ze dun bin praying for it fo' twenty
years. Sometimes de longing has
come till couldn't hardly hold my
SELF"
"It's too bad"
''Do ole woman is buried down dar,
Masr White-de ole woman an free |
chillen. I kin member the spot same
as if seed it yesterday. You go out
halfway to de fust tobacco house, an
den you turn to de left an go down to
de branch whar the women used to
wash. Oars TO- trees on de odder bank,
an right under 'em is whar dey is all
buried. I kin see 1t! I kin lead you
right to de spot !"
"What will you do when you get
there 2" asked the stranger.
"Go up to de big house an ak Mas'r
Preston to let me lib out all the rest OF
my days right dar. I'ze ole an all
alone, an want to be nigh my dead.
Sorter company for me when my heart
aches."
"Where we're you robbed?"
= ron1>nv, in, do
crowd. See De pocket is all cut out.
I'ze dreamed an pondered-I'ze had
dis journey in my mind fur vars, an
now I'ze dun bin robbed an can't go !"
He fell to crying and the policeman
came forward in an oficious manner.
ssStand back, sir !" commanded the
stranger. "Now, gentleman, you have
heard the story. I'm going to help the
old man back to die on the old planta-
ton and be buried alongside his dead.
$50 am / !" 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 snow-halred
black fell upon his knees in that crowd
and prayed:
"Lord, I'ze been believer in you all
my days, am now l dun axes you to
watch ober desc yere white folks dat
has believed in me and helped me to
go back to de ole home."
If the poultry are to be fed economic
q Iu during the winfer- cara Yn1af he