The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-04
Alters in de kitchen stuffin'-
III -. lInr. crn1I

For hours they woul sing together anC
talk and play and the child learned Il
| love and reverence "Unk' Dim" and hL
| violin. 1t was small wonder the boy drawl
| ed out lisplng words in the torres of his
! friend, and when he grew older for ter
| months in a child's life is ten years to q
man's-that the boy should try to steE
| in the bent manner of Uncle Jim. When
he wanted bread he called it 'dat air
bread" in true negro language, like any
little pickaninnie, the pet of loving block
mammie.
The perfect picture of outraged infan-
tile feelings, coupled with the true words
of the darky, appealed to the humorous
part of the woman's nature, and laugh
ingly she turned away from the young
champion of his own rights.
Taking Gerry on his knee one day Uncle
Jim asked him if he had ever learned TO
pray As Gerry was too young to know
anything Of religious life when he left
home, il fell to Jim to instruct him. baby
that he was. And the child murmered
softly with clasped hands and upturned
eyes the words of prayer Jim had often
repeated in the little pine chapel on the
old Cole plantation in South Carolina.
L brough tears to the old mans eyes
and called up deep-rooted emotions and
tender "reminiscences to listen to the sweet
childish voice as he Isped in baby words
Now 'ay me down to seep. I pay God
my so to keep. Eff L sood die fore 1 wake
pay God so take, and asked INK Dim
and How might be blessed.
Side by side they knelt. The tiny white
child, scarce reaching to the mans knee.
his little soft hand in the large, dark one,
his sweet face upturned, and the black
man at his side, old, worn, and i'll clad,
yet with the faith and trust and sympa-
thetic nature Of his race. Their hymns
were sung together, the baby sitting on
the old mans knee.
And as winter came on and the child
had no clothes, nothing but the little suit
of underwear, Jim's heart smote him; for
Ohio winters are very cold. Still, there
was nothing he could do but keep the fires
up bright during the day and hug the
little fellow tightly to his breast at night,
letting the warmth of his body effuse that
of the child.
Summer or winter. Gerry arose with I'm
Gle Jim at 3 o'clock, and going out into
the yard would throw open the gate and
let the chickens and ducks flock out, and
the boy you'd clap his tiny hands and
laugh gleefully TO see them spring about
for the corn which Jim gave him to feed
them.
ut there came a day when Gerry and
his black friend parted. The day Mrs.
Louise Lapiner, the boys mother, went 70
the Painsville farm and found her child
tied TO the leg of table. Uncle Jim was
not at home and when ne came and saw
the mother with the boy clasped to her
breast he was glad that the child had
been rescued, but tears coursed down his
face, for he realized that his little white
friend, Gerry, was his no more. And the
boy loved him and went 10 his arms and
patted his cheek and told MS mother
INK Dim so dood."
The mother, in her thankfulness OF
heart that her child bad enjoyed az least
one friend during his captivity, offered
jim money. But with pride Of ali noble
natures Uncle Jim Cruxton refused 70
accept gold for the services Of his heart,
The baby. happy in his mothers love,
came on 10 Chicago and to the comfort
able home OF his father. Uncle jim. hav-
ing loved and lost, remained alone behind
in desolation. Before they parted-the
waite child and his black friend pho-
tographer was called n and picture TAX
en- Of the boy and the darky n the mouse
Just as they had lived together for 50
many months.
4 friendship that s7rgets when prosper