The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-05-04
UNCLE BOB'S
SOUL
By LAURA FITZHUGH PRESTON
ICopyHgbt, ist, BY Joseph B sO"lssJ

Confronted for the first time In his life
with a psychological problem.
Uncle Bob" the boy had said, wind
ing up a discussion the " had held re-
garding the delights Of Paradise and q
future life. when you die and go to
Heaven, will you have a white soul or a
black soul2"
is l gwiue"-the old man almost
gasped-"ter be er white soul, aw er
black soul when | dies? Is dat de
ouecshun you done ak, leetle MossF
(his name for the child. fo'gibs YOU
leetle Moss; but you oughtah had hettah
sense dan ter ak hit in de fus' place.
Why, of co'se | gwine be er white soul.
Is you eber heah oh air black pusson in
de naix wohl sides de debil?"
"But, Uncle Bob"-doubtfully-'it
you are going to be white how shall
ever know you up there? Cause. Uncle
Bob"-caiolingly-'you are such a
beautiful black, and | am 50 used to
you with your lovely white woo~-hair,
and all, that | don't see how | can ever
tell you from other common white peo-
pie if you are going to change all that
But Uncle Bob had misunderstood the
comparison, and considered that the
boy had reference to the social grade he
would eventually occupy above; conse-
uuently the glamour of the compliment
on his beautiful color faded away in n
fresh burst of indignation.
what you meanln' by common peo-
pie leetle Moss?" he grunted, irrttably.
Does you spec, toh err moment, datl
gwine be pc white trash up dar?'
Then what will you be, Uncle Bob?'
uleried the little fellow, feeling himself,
now, very much bewildered by all these
complications. Are you going to be a
white gentleman" and the bare idea
brought him very near the verge OF tears,
so loath did he feel to part forever from
| the Uncle Bob Of his lifelong associa-
ton, even if supplanted by the celestial
creation Of Uncle Bob's ambitious an
~ticipations.
The old man was fairly staggered by
this last question.
al 'clar' ter gracious!" he said, cover
ing his discontinue with an air or
superiority and raticent foreknowledge,
hit ain no use my tellin' you what
gwine be when | gifts up dar, chile; leetla
igna'yent boys ain spec ter hab dc
knowledge OBJ ole haids lex mine, and
dey des got ter wait twell dey gifts shet
OBJ dey baby teef 70 dey pu2zlin' dey
haids on pints what's well on'ersiood by
de faithful froo revelation and wTasiin
an pra'r. Des mex yo' min easy! "Unc'
Bob gwine be fix up some way, so dat
YOU sho gwine know him up dar, chen
eff he had ter be a cullud white soul tweil
he git use ter de change. Good-Dy'
Gawd bless you twell dc naix time
That night, in his devotions, Uncle
Bob prayed in much feryor and unrest
of spirit. The state Of his mind Will best
be revealed by his petitions,
"Marse Jesus" he prayed, in the
child-like faith OF being very nearly ap'
preached and comprehended by the
Power he addressed, 81 gwine brins
I'D a subjec' ter 'scuss wild you dat BIZ
ak me terday by de chile Tub. He say
TJnc' Bob Che mos cry when he AK hit
den Is you gwine be er white gem'mal
Nd In Heaben?' Dat ar Quecshun de
pintally bin ha'ntin' me all day!
de idee of me bein' a white gem'man'
soul UP in Heaben neber Is for one mo
ment entah my min. | hopes you vii
beliebe dat, an 'scuse de on-politenes
of de sugges'shun. But den buhn al
M bridges down benin me, by telltn
dc chile dat | ain gwine be no whit
trash up dar, an dat ausso spec shol,
ter hab err white soul! No wOn'er de pc
chile des er spec'latin' ober dat problem
what inc Bob gwine tuhn into, In d
naix wohl, and done gone home in
uuandehy. So dat lebes me face ter fac
wild err vehy se'yous state oh fairs dat
gettin' tangle' up in, Ter begin wild, d
chile say he ain gwine know me up da
wild err white soul Lawd, Lawd, dat a
SCUM mon'sous ter ole INC Bob! d
idee OBJ not bein' knowed by the chill
dat | nuss' f'0m de time he er leetl
teenty weenty infunt an dat des de prid
of my ole age lex Miss Lucy and Mars
Tom"
81 des yeahnin', Marse Jesus" weep
ing unrestrainedly, ter hab er face e
well es err robe wash white by de bloc.
of de Lam so dat | could scribe de Law
in spotless peo'ty of soul; but, oh! bless
Lawd, | ausso yeahnin' fob de time te
come when de greet Eenl meetin' wild al
the family ban gwine TEX place, an de
all gwine say: Why eff heah ain Unt
Bob. des 'zac'ly lex ole times, 'deah oil
inc Bob Lawd, Lawd," in an ecstas
OF emotion, what err mcetin' dat gwin
be! Oh, bless Mahster! look down 'po,
po' inc Bob, an fix up de fairs of hi
soul SO dat he res se-kueh in de fail da
all gwine be well wild him in de happ
lam, an all things possible onto de Crea
tor OBJ de Heabens an de yearth, Ia
mussy on Unc' Bob, an bring light Oh
OBJ darkness an glib him de power to res
saty'fed wild de final session OBJ de Al
mighty"
The bell from the Angelus rang out II
summons to the faithful, and dow
among the lily beds the vested thron.
stood in shining rows, waiting their In
cense on the scented air.