Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-05-23
Swine Back Home"

- <&&& ~. n ~ 0E
pot q Nashville for the train, som,
one began crying, and an excite.
mene was raised among the passen
gers. A brief Investigation proved
that it vas 90 old colored man y hs
vas giving way to his grief. Thres
Or four people remarked on thu
atrangeness Of il. but for come tim,
no one said anything to him. Their
. depot policeman came forward
aud took him By the arm. and shool
him roughly and said
See here. old man. you want te
omit that ! You are drunk, and Il
you make any more disturbance /
will lock you upi'
Deed but ] haint drunk, /" re-
piled the old man, az he removed
ms tear stained handkerchief. sI'ze
Iosted my ticket and money, aud
dat's what's de matter
'Bosh ! You never had any mon
ey to lose J You dry up or the wav
you 60 =
Whats the matter yere p queried
man as he came forward.
The old man recognized the dia.
lect OF the Southerner in an instant,
and depressing his emotions with a
great effort he answered
Say, Mars Jack, I'zs been rob-
bed.'
My name 10 White
Well, then, Mars White, some.
body has done robbed me of money
aud ticket
Where were you going?'
'Gwine down into Kaiptuck, whar
| was bon and rAised.'
where's that p
Nigh to Bowlin' Green, sab, and
when the wah done sot me free |
cum mp this way. Hain't bin home
sence, sah.'
sAnd you had a ticket p
Yes, sab, and oher sso in cash.
Bin saving up for ten Vars. sab. >
What do you want to 60 back
for? p
TO see de hills and de fields, de
tobacco aud de con, Mars Preston
and de good old missus. Why,
Mars White, I'xe done bin prayin'
fur it To- twenty vars. Some times
de longing has cum till l couldn't
hardly hold myself.
It's too bad
DE ole woman is buried down
der, Mars White-de ole woman
and free chillen. kin member de
spot same as / seed it yesterday.
You 60 out halfway to de fust to-
backer house, and den you turn to
de left and 60 down to de branch
whar de wimmin used to wash.
Dar's TO- trees on de odder bank,
and right under 'em is whar dey is
all buried. kin see it! kin
lead You right to de spot 2
And what will you do when you
get there p asked the stranger.
go mp to de big house and az
Mars Preston to let me lib out all
de rest oh my days right dar. I'ze
ole and all alone. and I want to be
nigh my dead. Sorter company
fur me when my heart aches
where we're you robbed p
'Out doahs, dar, l reckon, in dc
crowd. See? ? DE pocket is all cut
ont. I'ze dreamed and pondered
-I'ze had dis journey in my mind
fur years, and now I'ze don bin
robbed and can't GO!
He fell to crying, and the police.
man came forwt rd in an officious
manner.
Stand back, sir y commanded
the stranger. Nov, gentlemen,
you have heard the story. I'm 90.
ing to help the old man back to die
on the old plantation and be buried
alongside of his dead
$50 am 7 called twenty men in
chorus, and within Eve minutes w
had raised enough to buy him 8
ticket and leave $50 to spare. And
when he realized his good luck, the
old snow-haired black man fell Dor
his knees in that crowd and prayed
Lord. Tze bin believer in You
all my days, and now / dun axel
You to watch ober desc yere white
folks dat has believed in me and
helped me to 60 back to de oil.
home
And | do believe that nine -tenthl
Of that crowd had tears in their eyel
as the gateman called ont the trair
for Louisville.