Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-19


You will live to see a reunited country
Hang this sword back beside the OLD nag
of our fathers when the end has come, ana
always remember that 1t was never Drawn
from it's scabbard by your father or your
grandfather. who fought with jackson al
Nsw orleans. or your reat-grandfather
an the revolution. save In the cause OF JUS
tice and right. I am not fighting 70 nolo
slaves in bondage. I am fighting Tor the
inalienable rights of my people unoer the
constitution our fathers created. IL may
be we have outgrown this constitution.
But calmly leave to God and history the
question as to who is right in its interpre-
tation Whatever you do in life, FIRST iast
and always do what you believe to De
right. Everything else is of little import
ance. With a heart full Of love,
your father,
CHARLES CASTOR" -
This letter she must have held open Tor
hours. for it was 2 o'clock in the morn
ing when a wild peal of laughter rang
from her feverish lips and brought Aunt
Eve and Nelse hurrying into the room.
1t took but a moment for them to dis
cover that their mistress was SUFFERING
from a violent deliriun. They soothed her
as best they could. The noise and coniu-
sion had awakened the boy. Running TO
the door leading into his mothers room he
found it bolted, and with his little heart
huttering in terror he pressed his ear
close to the keyhole and heard her wild
rawlings. How strange her voice seemed!
Her voice had always been so soft ana
low and full of soothing music! Now 1t
was sharp and hoarse and seemed to rasp
his flesh with needles. What could 1t all
mean? Perhaps the end Of the world,
about which he had heard the preacher
talk on Sunday. At last unable to bear the
terrible suspense longer he cried through
the keyhole:
the door quick"
mo. honey, you mustn't come IN. 70
mas awful sick You run out ter de barn,
ketch de mare, en- fly for de doctor, while
me en- Nelse stay wild her. Run, honey,
days muffin ter hurt YER"
His little bare feet were soon pattering
over the long stretch OF the back porch to-
ward the barn. The night was clear and
sky studded with stars. There was no
moon. He was a brave little fellow, but
fear greater than all the terrors Of
ghosts and the white sheeted dead with
which negro superstition had filed his
imagination, now nerved his child's soul.
His mother was about to diel His very
heart ceased to beat at the thought. He
must bring the doctor. and bring him
quickly.
He few to the stable, not looking to the
right or the left. The mare whinnied as
he opened the door to get the bride.
ITS me, Bessiel Mama's sick! We
must go for the doctor quick!"
The mare thrust her head obediently
down to the child's short arm for the bril-
die. She seemed to know by some instinct
his quivering voice had reused that the
home was in distress and her hour had
come to bear part.
In a moment he led her out through the
gate. climbed on the fence, and sprang on
her back.
Nov Bess, fly for me!' he half whis-
pered, half cried through the tears he
could no longer keep back. The mare
bounded forward in a swift gallop as she
felt his trembling bare legs clasp her side
and the clatter Of her hoofs echoed in
the boys ears through the silent streets
like the thunder of charging cavalry. How
still the night! He saw shadows under
! the trees, shut his eyes and leaning low
on the mares neck patted her shoulders
with his hands and cried:
Faster, Bessie! Faster!' And then he
tried to pray. Lord, don't let her die!
Please, dear God, and I will always be
good. I am sorry robbed the birds nests
| last summer-I'll never do it again. Please,
Lord. I'm such wee boy and I'm so lone
ly. 1 can't lose my mammal and the
voice choked and became a great sob.
He looked across the square as he passed
| the courthouse in a gallop and saw a
| light in the window of the parsonage and
4
to his prayer.
He reached the doctors house on the
| further side Of the town, sprang from the
mares back, bounded up the steps and
knocked at the door. No one answered.
| He knocked again. How loud 1t rang
] through the hall! Maybe the doctor was
gone! He had not thought of such pos
| sibility before. He choked at the thought.
! Springing quickly from the steps to the
ground he felt for a stone, bounded back
and began to pound on the door with all
his might.
The window was raised, and the old doc
| tor thrust his head out, calling:
What on earth's the matter? Who is
] that?"
TITS me, Charlie Gaston-my mammals
sick-she's awful sick, I'm afraid she's dy-
| ing-you must come quick!'
The boy waited and waited. It seemed
/ to him hours, days, weeks, years! To
| swer:
I'm a minute, sonny in a minute!'
At last he emerged with his lantern to
catch his horse. The doctor seemed so
| slow. He fumbled over the harness.
"Oh! doctor, you're so slow! tell you
my mammals sick!-"
| well. well, my boy Wen soon be
there" the old man kindly replied.
When the boy saw the doctors horse
| jogging quickly toward his home he turned
the mares head aside as he reached the
/ courthouse square, reused the preacher
| and between his sobs told the story Of his