Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-06-04

Music and liquor! The Major loved
them both: was something of a con-
noiSseur in both; and was keenly sus-
ceptble to the influence of both. So
when he actually resolved to adopt &
small coiored boy, his friends were
outraged, but not surprised they only
felt unable to decide whether the
proceeding was to be attributed to the
Majors pockettlask or to the boys
banjo, while the Major cursed the
whole neighborhood in good, set terms,
and went after his protege
Whats the boys name?" he de-
manded when all other particulars had
been settled to the mutual satisfaction
of himself and the child's father
We'll, Majah," was the somewhat
astonishing response, Il don jes
'2ackly know"
The Majors temper uncertain, and
his vocabulary ready.
Then you're q durn fool" he replied
with promptness and irritation.
We'll, Majah, you see, 'twuz is way.
Wen dat chile wuz bawn, me n M'rier
lowed We wuz gwine TO call him fo'
you; an We wuz gwine to hab a great
big crussenin', soon's it got SOS he
cud war a frock 'dout emmy naik er
sleeves, dat yo' ma gin him. But
vile we wuz a-waitin', M'rier, she up
an jine de Baptis, an one day, wen
l 5ez, 'M'rier, ain it mos warm huff
fo' de crussenin'?' M'rier, she say,
sorter short-lak, dat dee ain gwine be
no crussenin. Dat crussenins infum
ho,,
ez infum baptizZum.' Dee AIM sez [;
'how'n the name O. Cord dat chile
gwine to get named, den?' An M'rier
say, We jess gwine call him Moses
right erong. Dat beins how he'd bin
kinder drawed out'n de water by bein'
KEEP fun infum babtizsum, de preacher
lowed he mus be call Moses. Well,
sub, jess pintedly rahd'n pitched. I
sutney skeered M'rier lowed dat
boy wuznt gwine to be named no sech
Ting; an he ain, nun, he aim M'rier,
she call him Nose, jess fo' pure owda-
ciousness; but me an de res jess call
him sonny. An dat's huccome | don
jess 'zackly know his name"
At the termination of this remark
able narrative the man stolidly await
ed the usual string of expletives. But
the Major stood silent, deep in medi-
tation. A happy conceit had occurred
to him and he was lost in admiration
of its neatness and his cleverness.
"The boys name shall be Mozart
Mendelssohn," he said, with an unc-
tuous relish of his own good thing;
Mozart Mendels-sohn," he repeated,
adapting the pronunciation to the slow
mind of his hearer; then Maria can
keep on calling him Nose, and you
can keep on calling him sonny, and by
the Lord Harry! Adam himself couldn't
do better than that"
So Mozart Mendelssohn it was; and
If ever a small boy deserved great
name, this one did. Pitiably crippled
and misshapen the little follow was;
but genius looked out of his dark,
bright eyes, and spoke through his
slender, ebony fingers. After a few
preliminary trials he could handle any
instrument with skill and expression
rarely attained by months of practice:
and, along this line, the limit OF the
Majors generosity was the limit of his
purse.
Seated on the wide stone step OF the
west veranda, while the Major rocked
to and fro above him, with mint
julep or a toddy at his side, Mozart
would fill the air with soothing melo-
dy, until his watchful eye took note
that the last drop had disappeared
down the Majors capacious throat.
Then, and not till then, with clasped
hands around his crooked knee, and
eyes fixed firmly on the distant land
scape, would Mozart say, Il b'leve
cud play fiddle"
well, blank my eyes!" the Major
would roar, "a fiddle and it's just like
your derned impudence to think
ought to get you one. A fiddle Get
up off that rock and go to the kitchen
before l break every bone in your
body" And the Major would stalk in
the house, raging; while Mozart would