The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-21
GABRIEL TOLLIVER

only resources of the children. There
were seasons when Uncle Plato. who was
Meriweather clopton's carriage-driver,
came to town with the big wagon to haul
home the supplies necessary for the
plantation. The appearance of the Clop-
ton wagon on the public square was
hailed by these youngsters with delight
They always made a rush for II, and in
riding back and forth with Uncle Plato,
they spent some Of the most delightful
moments Of their lives.
These children had their critics, es-
pecially Nan, who did not always con-
form to the rules and theories which
have been set up for the guidance Of
girls; but Uncle Plato, along with Ca
briel and Cephas, accepted her as she
was, with all her faults. She and her
companions furnished Uncle Plato with
what all story~telers have most desired
since hairy man began to shave. and
squat around a common hearth-a faith
full and believing audience, and the elu-
siyeness OF his methods was a perpetual
delight to Nan, as hers was to Uncle
Plato
Once when we were all riding back
and forth from the Clopton place to
Shady Dale, Nan asked Uncle Plato IL
he could spell.
lobby sho I kin, honey. What you
reckon I been doin' all deze iong-come.
shorts eff l dunner how ter spell? Why,
l could spell long 70 1 know'd my own
name"
Lets hear you spell then" said Nan.
| Deco egg, dog" was the prompt re-
| Spouse. Nan looked at Uncle Plato to see
/ If he was joking, but he was selcmnity
, itself. 'E-double-egg, eggl9 he con-
tinued.
/ Now spell John A. Murreil," said Man.
s NTurrei1 ho MI s, ,,F 1,on
favorite heroes at this time.
Uncle Plato pretended to be very much
shocked. why, honey, dat man wuz
rank pizen. En- spozen he want, how
you speck me ter spell sumpn er some
body which ] amt never laid eyes on ;
well, spell goose then" said Nan,
seeing flock of geese marching stiffly
in single file across a field near the road.
Uncle Plato looked at them carefully
enough to take their measure. and then
shook his head solemnly. "Deyer so
many un am honey, dey'd be monstus
hard fer ter SPELL"
well, just spell one of them then"
Nan suggested.
(Which I'm, honey?"
Any one you choose"
Uncle Plator studied over the matter
moment and again shook his head 9TH
uh, honey; eff you speck me fer ter spell
goose, you got ter pick out de one you
want me ter spell"
rest"
Again, Uncle Plato shook his head.
Dat ar goose got half-grown goslins.
an amt never larnt how ter spell
goose wild half-grown goslins.-
Then, spell the one next to head''
Nan was memorable.
DAT ar amt no GOOSE replied Uncle
Plato with an air of triumph; she's
gander."
Il don't believe you know how to spell
goose" said Nan with something like
scorn.
Don't you fool yose'f, honey" re-
marked Uncle Plato in tone of conf
dence. You sit me great big fat un,
not too OF, and not too young an fill
er full er stuffin, and bake err brown
in de big oven, an save all de drippin's,
an put er on de table not fur FUN
whar l mought be settin at, and gi' me
pone 'er corn bread. an don't have no
talkin' an laughin' in de game-an' ef
| don't spell dat goose. I'll come mighty
nigh it, I sholy will Eff don't spell 'er,
de won't be huff lef' fer de mex man ter
spell. You kin pen on DAT. money!
Nan suddenly called Uncle Platos at
tcntionHto the carriage horses, which
were hitehed to the wagon. She said she
knew their names well enough when they
We're pulling the carriage, bu1 now
Haven't you changed the horses. I'm
Gle Plato?' she asked
How l gwine change um money!"
Il mean, haven't you changed their
places?'
mo, ma'am!' he answered with con-
siderable emphasis mo, ma'am; eff L
wuz ter put dat off horse in de lead,
you'd see some mighty high ldcl1in; you
sho would"
"oh, let's t,y it," cried Nan with real
eagerness.
The old negro had just given his head
preliminary shake, when the rattle of
q kettledrum was heard and above the
rattle a fife was shrilllng
The shrilling fife and the roll and rat
tie of the drumsl These were sounds
somewhat new to Shady Dale in 1860; but
presently they We're to be heard all over
the land
The drums were beating the signal for
calling together the men of the Shady
Dale Scouts, and the meeting was for the
purpose of organizing and electing Off
GERS. All this was accomplished and in
due time the company was rugged out
in the finest uniforms the children had
ever seen. At least twice a week they
marched through the streets, and out
into the Bermuda fields. whore they had
their drilling grounds. These. were glori-
Gus days for the youngsters. Nan was
so enthusiastic that she organized a COM
pany of little negroes. and insisted on be-
ing the captain. Gabriel was the first
lieutenant, and Cephas was the second.
She wore a paper hat Of the trNe Napole-
onic cut, and carried In one nand her ia
nous sword-gun. and the colors in the
other. The oldest private in Mans COM
pany was nine the youngest four. The
uniforms of these sun-seasoned troops
was the regulation plantation fatigue
dress--a shirt coming to the knees Two
or three of the smaller priyates had evi-
IDENTIFY fallen victims to the pot.Hqunr
and buttermilk habits, for their bellies
stuck out black and glistening from
rents in their shirts.
One afternoon as Nan was drilling her
troops, she CHANGED to glance down the
road, and saw wagon coming along.
Deploying her company across the high
way, she went forward in person to re-
connoitre. She soon discovered that the
wagon was driven by Uncle Plato. Rum
ming back to her veterans, she placed her
self in front of them, and calmly await
ed events. Slowly the fat horses dragged