Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-21
A Pickaninny and a Box.
BY HELEN COFFIN.

Little George Washington Dewey Brown
is black. He lives with five or six brothers
and sisters and his nanny and his daddy
In plantation cabin the Sugar Bowl of
Louisiana. The rest OF his family work out
In the fields cutting down the sugar cane
and taking 1t to the mill. but George Wash
ington Dewey has regular occupa ton.
he rolls around on the warm black earth
and goes to sleep when the hot sun falls on
him; sometimes he plays game of tag
with Lily Rose jackson, his neighbor, and
sometimes he plays hide-and-seek with the
dozen or two other little pickaninnies who
are too small to go in the field. And al
ways whenever the spirit moves HIM, he
has nice sweet juicy piece of the cane to
chew on. But sometimes all of these things
pail upon George Washington Dewey and
time hangs heavy upon his wee black
hands. Those are the times when he goes
wished he hadn't.
He slipped up to the gallery of the big
house" where the white folks live, one
day. and he found that the long French
windows opening from the drawing room
were open. Sticking his curly black head
through the window, he made another dis
covery. Nobody was in the roomi Now
the big house and all pertaining to 1t was
forbidden ground and George Washington
knew 1t. But this was too good chance
to lose-and he didn't happen to have any
thing else to do just them-so presently his
fat and pudgy body rolled In after his
head His two round eyes nearly popped
out of his head in surprise at what he saw.
He had thought the room was empty,
but 1t wasn't 1t was full of little picka-
ninnies just like HIM. They danced out of
pictures on the walls; when he showed his
white teeth In friendly smile. they showed
theirs; when he, grown bolder dared to
make faces at them. they made faces at
him, and such gruesome faces that he
backed off suddenly toward the window.
He wished he had his mammy's old blue
and white checked apron to hide his head
In But after awhile, as none Of the other
pickaninnies seemed to be following him,
he grew brave again and stepped back into
the room. Before him he spied a table and
on the table was a beautiful little round
box. George Washington Dewey's eyes
danced. Never had he seen such box be-
fore. 1t was red-a bright red-and all
over 1t were ying birds. The boy drew
he ventured to put forth a finger and
touch the box. Nothing happened. Then
he put two fingers, three fingers his whole
hand on 1t. Still nothing happened Then
with wild dash and a daring chuckle
George Washington Dewey took the won
derful box up In his arms and darted out
through the window with 1t.
AS he reached the top step from the gal
lery to the ground, something happened
IT wish I was in the land Of cotton
Cinnamon seed and sandy bottom,
Look away
sang the box.
Look away No need to tell this little
boy to do that. he was not content with
just looking away either He dropped the
box as II 1t had been something hot; and
he began to cry and scream at the top OF
his voice
Way down South in Dixler
Look awayi' sang the box from a cor
ner of the graveled walk where 1t had
rolled. And the more it sang the louder
somebody cried.
In just two seconds his nanny came
running up and with her Miss Jennie and
Miss Marie. Little George Washington
Dewey hid his head in his mammys apron
and cried and cried; and while he cried the
box went on singing 1t was Miss Jennie
who heard IL first and picked 1t up from
the walk. Now, how under the canopy
did this music box get here?" she asked,
of nobody In particular. And nobody an
swered. George Washington was the only
one who knew and he was busy with his
mammy's apron.
Presently light dawned upon Miss Marie.
Why you poor little babyp' she cooed.
Were you afraid of this?r and she drew A
little round head out from under It's calico
tent. This is just for fun-something little
Miss Nellie had given her for a birthday
pl esent. Come here and let me show IL to
you"
Before she had finished talking two black
legs were carrying George WASHINGTON
Dewey down to his cabin In the quarters
and away from danger. He had seen all
that he cared to see of that pretty red boy.
And he said he would never, never go up
again on the gallery to the big house; and
No never Will, unless he forgets.