The Advocate and news., 1899-03-01
..Wash.''
iner, in Forward.

Walter Palmer, In Forward.
Wash no count? Don say dat slr,"
Uncle Nose was wont to plead. Hes jes'
prOiectin'. Boys will projec', yo know,
sab. Dey's TO all de worl lax calves an
colts an kittens; wen dey's young dey
kicks up dere heels den dey steadies
down an chews dere cuds an pulls dere
loads an ketches dere mice, ies, lax
sponsible t'ings mus. Wash he ain
nary bad spot in him, sab; he don tink,
dat's all. Wen his heels git plumb steady
on de groun', he'll pull his load shore
'nOugh. Yo'll see, sab"
But in spite Of the expectations Of Uncle
Mose-whO was not Wash's uncle, at all,
but his grandfather--th boy had con-
tinued to "projec'." Now, at fourteen,
his chief labor seemed to consist in de-
vising ways Of eluding his chores, his
school, and his just punishments. His
movements were skulking; and though
his eyes danced fearlessly, and his mouth
broadened in merriment, signs Of social
nature, he sought the solitary paths Of
the pine woods and Suwanee banks rather
than the lanes and roads OF his native
Ellaville. In the village he would be re-
minded of stolen melons, decorated doors
and fences, which he preferred to forget.
OF his own family, Uncle Nose was the
only one with whom he condescended to
fraternize; and this was chiefly because
the old man excelled him In his chosen
pursuits OF trapping and fishing.
There were few spots inside radius OF
ten miles where Uncle Nose was not at
home He knew especially well the Ash
Ing holes Of the SuWanee. Fifty years
before, as slave boy he had stolen on
to the river on every possible occasion;
and since, except for score Of years fol-
lowing his emancipation, during which
time he was working hard to provide
himself with home, and to fit his chill
dren for q career which should be worthy
Of them as free citizens, 1t had been his
favorite haunt.
After his children had grown up and
begun to take care Of themselves, he had
found more and more time for the plea
sures Of his childhood, until now there
was scarcely an afternoon which was not
spent upon the Suwanee banks. But with
accumulating years and stiifening joints,
he had given up his early wanderings up
and down, and was satisfied to sit be-
meath a wlde-spreading tree on the mossy
bank, from which he could cast line
into the water, and be always sure OF a
bite. Here, after the sun had begun to
throw shadows TO the east, he could gen
orally be found, alone or with Wash.
His son Link, the father OF Wash, said
he spoiled the boy; and In the secret re-
cesses Of his soul the old man sometimes
felt that 1t was true, and would resolve
ON an admonitory lecture the next time he
should be alone with his grandson. But
when that time came, and he realized
how much the boy was like himself, he
never could bring himself to say the
words.
Link was OF different nature. Born at
q mOmentous crisis in the life Of hlsrace,
he seemed to realize something Of Its pos
sibilIties. He was hard-working, shrewd,
more tolerant Of faults than Of frivollty
or idleness; he could read little, and
took an interest In the politics Of the day,
proud to cast his ballot as an American
citizen. He was an example Of strong,