Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-03-05

mund Parker had become as much "A part
of the history of Neunt N.rnn, as any of
the yalgab!" relies there. Ar. Dodge
learned 10 his sorrnw That IN. old man had
passed away on The last night Of thc Old
year.
The ladies Of the Mount Vernon Asso-
citation wanted to bury him at the foo, of
the tomb, where he HAD stood faithful
guard for 50 many years, but his family
claimed the body.
The old man who has taken Parkcr's
place is a regular old down South plan
taion darky. dis black wool has long
the turned TO snow on his head. and
,ssorhe top. where tho wool ought to
G~@." IL has melted away. leaving his
skull slick and shining ns an ebony ball.
lie talks to You i'll that soft, droning plan
ration voice which M white tongue ca.
initiate, twisting his phrases into Il dialect
which even the zen of Il Thomas Nelson
Page would despair of initiating.
He describes semi-circlos with his old hat
tn a grand sweep from his head 10 his
double In saluting the ladies.
Put ON your hat, Tnm." say the kind
hearted ones. You will catch cold"
THANK you, l-h-d-y. but IL hut my
feclin's 10 wear my hat in de presence
oh de l-a-dies." Il you must go there
yourself and hear Tom say that word
'l-a-dics.' for it doesn't spell.
'L-a-di"s." says Tom, "th" body Of Gen'l
Washington is undoubtedly there, a restin'
right there hchin' thom has of ron. in that
y-e-s'm. right there lv his side, in that
other white ma'bic coffin. An them is all
his TtlillttifS. 10 II hummer nj lillIN-1NN
persons. i'm tn" vault: benin m" ION do
IN the rea'. An the key 10 that do Is
done thr"w"d in the river. ia The i"tomack,
what you see a shiuin' thro tn" trees
down Nnnd. I. Yes, I-a-di"s. they thr"wcd
II AWAY moi I'm tn aiipe. whcr" some un
could pick IL up, hut way out'n the middle
o. dc current. An ! spects i,s I'm the mid
de oh de sea long afore now"
4 Matter Of Dntcr.
The only thing which gives Tom any
y H. l.. t.I a,r asl ls,,, Coz
| too many dates-and people do ask ques-
ations TO sta;,ser an OK at such places.
think il is only a poor old colOr"d
- nan. and are not ashamed Ia Outrage their
y. ~Nountrs's history. For instance, one of the
uesiious oftcnest asked Tom is If he was
ashington's servant. and whether he re-
~, oI,sherS S.ring HIM.
~ "a lady, l-a-dy." Tom says. rs only
. 49, ole slave man. I kin neither read nor
write. Now } Was BON In the year rs.
SnoW wasn't |? An NIX NCarll 10" l"".
Swon't il: an how oidll 'hat maE" me?
SG;o ahead am help mo count. maybe You
Sau' me can do it together. L-:l-'iy. Gcnl
Swashingtonll be dead Il hund'cd Yeas
fnex' year. wont he? Yes: lady. ] rec
San', yes. l-a-dy. l hopes to Ice here still.
q Thus old Tom goes kindly and gently
Von, perhaps having forgotten the ques-
Stion. or leaving the l-a-1y-which. by the
oway. is often a manic arrange the dates
A4nd disc"vcrior ihomsrlNrS th,t N Father
III tiltlI bsii iA'sH '''h ''a' i''''''s '''''
eyears.
No. lady, j never belonged Ia the
INNashinGtors. Edmund Parker. who was
0Lera h.io' me. h. belonged u tn" NASH
ronrtons. But ne. lady. ! belonged 10 the
ritzhuEhs and the Lees"
Ard when Tom makes this statement he
W raig!tens his old body nj and takes off
'eiis hat. and there is = ring in his voice
(which suggests 70 you there may lac a GER
sain majesty in having ben even the slave
,,Sf a proud ard great people
Nv You wants Z" know, lady. why ] amt
SEQ Md FitzhGrh. NOW. now. lady. my ole
itw> had mon three huni'cl slaves. an
7; hsuS3on he could n. nam" '"m all Ft'z-
g Then Tom stands of. and. raising him
l.Slf almost on tiptoe. lac says, with a
.Ssyignty emphasis, "I-a-dy, lady. lid vou
Ner hear Of Gcn1 H"b't T.. Iec""-Tom
. Flakes of his hat 10 the name. 'W.ll, l
! belonged Ia camm"do' Andrew Fftzhueh,
sbn' the FtIZhurhs au' the Lees was all re-
.1atiOns. An nm ole NarSe Andrew FitZ-
'5huch. he was a c"mmodo', cause he fought
I'm the Mexican war.