The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-01-23
"GWINE BACK HOME"

AS we waited in the L. & N. depot at
| Nashville for the traip, some one began
crying, and an excitement was raised
among the passengers. A brief investi-
| CATION 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 a 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 il you make
any more disturbance I'll lock you up!'
"'Deed, but hain't drunk" replied
the old man, as he removed his tear
stained handkerchief "I'ze losted my
ticket an money, an OATS what's the
matter"
"Bosh! You never had any money to
lose! You dry up or away you go"
whats the matter yere?" queried
man, as he came forward.
The old man recognized the dialect of
the Southerner in an instant and re
pressing his emotions with great effort
he answered:
Say. Mars Jack, I'ze bin robbed"
MY name is White
"Well, then, Mars White, somebody has
done robbed me of my ticket an 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?"
Eyes. sab, an ober $40 10 cash. Bin
savin' up fur ten Vars, sah."
what do you want to go back for?"
"To see de hills an de fields, de tobacco
an de con, Mars Preston an de good old
missus. Why, Mars White, I'ze dun bin
prayin' fur it TO twentyy'rs. Sometimes
de longin' has cum till l couldn't hardly
hold myself"
Its too bad"
de ole woman is buried down dar,
Mars White-de ole woman an free
chillen. kin member the spot same
as if l seed it Yesterday. You go out
halfway to de fust tobacker house. an
den you 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 'em is whar dey is all buried.
kin see it! | kin lead you right to de
spotr
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 dar. I'ze ole an all alone,
an l want to be nigh my dead. Sorter
company fur me when my heart aches"
where were you robbed?"
"Out doahs, dar, reckon, in de crowd.
See? De pocket is all cut out. Tze
dreamed an pondered-I'ze had dis
journey in my mind fur Vars, an now
Pze dun bin robbed an can't go!'
He fell to crying and the policeman
came forward in an officious manner,
Stand back sir!' commanded the
stranger. Nov. gentlemen, you have
heard the story. I'm going to help the
old man back to die on the old plenta-
ton and be buried alongside his dead"
$50 am l." called twenty men in cho-
rus. and within five minutes we had
raised enough to buy him a ticket and
leave $50 to spare. And when he real
lied his good luck, the old haired
black fell upon his knees in that crowd
and prayed;
Lord, Ize been believer in You all
my days, an now l dun axes You to
watch ober desc yere white folks dat has
believed 10 me and helped me to go
back to de ole home"
And | do believe that nine-tenths of
that crowd bad tears in their eyes as the
gateman called out the train for Louis
vile.