Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1902-03-20

| them both; was something OF a con-
noisseur in both; and was keenly sus-
ceptible to the influence Of both. So,
when he actually resolved to adopt a
small colored boy. his friends were
outraged, but not surprised; they only
felt unable to decide whether the
proceeding was to be attributed to the
Majors pocketfask 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 childs father.
well, Majah," was the somewhat
astonishing response. 81 dom jes
zackly know"
The Majors temper uncertain, and
his vocabulary ready.
"Then you're durn fool" he replied
with promptness and irritation.
well, Majah, you see, 'twuZ is way.
Wen dat chile wuz bawn, me n M'rier
lowed we wuz gwine to cal him TO-
you; an we wuz gwine to hab 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
1 SEE, 'M'rier, ain it mos warm huff
TO de crussenin'?' M'rier, she say,
sorter short-lak, dat dee ain gwine be
no crussenin'. Dat crussenin's infum
baptizzum, n dee ain no sech ting
ez infum baptizzum.' Dee AIM SEE l.
'how'n the name o. Cord dat chile
gwine to get named, den?' An M'rier
say, We jess gwine call him Moses
right erlong. Dat bein's how he'd bin
kinder drawed out'n de water by bein'
KEEP fun infum babtizzum, de preacher
lowed he mus be call Moses Well,
sub, jess pintedly rah'd'n pitched. l
sutney skeered M'rier. l lowed dat
boy wuzn't gwine to be named no sech
ting; an he ain, nun, he ain. M'rier,
she call him Nose, jess TO pure owda-
ciousness; but me an de res jess call
him sonny. An OATS huccome 1 dom
jess 'zackly know his name"
At the termination of this remark
able narrative, the man stolidly await
ed the usual string of explosives. 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.
1.-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 a 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 a 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, 81 b1eve I
cud play a fiddle"
well, blank my eyes!" the Major
would roar, "a fiddle! and it's just like
your derned impudence to think 1
ought to get you one. A fiddlel Get
up off that rock and go to the kitchen
before 1 break every bone in your
body" And the Major would stalk in
the house, raging; while Mozart would
walk off around the corner. 81 b1eve
1 cud play it," he would say as he
disappeared. And, in less than a
month, he would be playing thereon,
to the Majors intense delight and the
) neighborhood's intense disapproval.
There was but one drawback to the
Majors enjoyment; Mozart could not
play before strangers. In vain was he
brought before expectant guests; flute
violin, cornet or banjo, it was all the
same; his trembling fingers refused
: their office, and his frightened appeal
ct cyarn't play, Majah; Use skeered,' :
, never failed to bring speedy release
9 But he could always play for the
!. Major. And, as the years went by, the
bond of protection and of loyalty, OF
care and fidelity, of mutual love and
2 tenderness, cemented these hearts IL
a friendshin that WAS unalterahla And
, when, at last, the shadow of disgrace,
/ full poverty fell across the Majors life;
when, leaving home and friends, he
wandered. a degraded man, from place
~