The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-05

sers were a world too long and they Tell to the shoes in many wrinkles. The face was shrewd and kindly. The brow was broad for negro and the lines of the black face told of a certain
 He looked cautiously and intently at the Prpdigal. He came nearer and half circled the figure at a respectful distance. Then he ran forward and eagerly caught the hand of the white man.
 Little Ross. is dis your Is dis you. sho huff" he exclaimed, his voice trem- bling with excitement An you done .ccme back. sto is glad to see you. I sho is."
 The man. holding the hand of the ne- gro, pulled him back and forth, his lace lit up with smile of affection Why. Caesar. Caesar, you onery scoundrel,s he said slowly, and this is you. Oh, knew you'd be in town on saturday. You never would work on Saturday--not if he'll froze over"
 "Des lissen at dat. Des lissen at him talk, the negro chuckled. Little Boss, you know I wuz de smartest nigger dat Marse Rutledge ever owned. You know sho could stan up and tell a big lie wid straight face whenever you put me Tn one of dem scrapes :"
 "1hat,you could said the other heart- AS. ,yOu nave neiped me out Of many q tight hole. You remember the night l made you help me brcak down the stable door and take out tho nigger hearse to drive to the dance? I tell you, Caesar, we made a sensation that night when we drove up to old man Baldwins gate. both of us on top of that rickety old hearse. in the midst of all the fine turnouts of the country. And you remember how we stopped the hearse at the watermelon patch and then drove Into Chewacla with the body Of the hearse packed with water melons out of the old mans patch. And then some of the long faced hypocrites walked around here and talked about the 'saerilege of making a joke on death. as if the niggers about hero didn't really think we had sanctffied the hearse by filling it with water melons. You always were a brick, Caesar. I've missed you out wonder in Texas and If l had ever amounted to damn l would have sent for you. How you getting on, anyhow?"
 I'm. des doln' fine,'' said the negro earnestly. Disshere is my mules and waggin. I got four mo mules des lack 'em"
 And then he said slowly Had you heard I done bought de old Atkinson placer Yessir, I owns ds ole home place now. Bought it four years ago. when cotton was so low and land went down to almost nothin'."
 The ProdigaPs jaw dropped and he iooked at the black face before him in blank wonder
 You've bought the old place. You own it.. We'll. I'll swear. But you were always the best lnigger ! ever saw, and I'm glad you've got it. I'm glad of it. I'm glad you have done so we'll"
 There was a strange and solemn note in the Prodigals voice. The last opportunities suddenly showed them selves In new light The memory of them struck him with keen sudden pain--for of all ghosts, the ghosts of lost opportunities are most persistent. They walked across the street together Tine white man was silent and thoughtfuI.
 Late In the evening when the shadow or the court house fell quite across the square Caesar found his Little Boss again. The ProdigRf had again been meeting old friends and renewing old friendships He showed in his un- steady lurching walk the way in which the old friendships had been renewed. HIS hat was on the back of his head and he was talking loudly of the glo- rtes and prosperity of Texas. His friends were edging away from him. He was becoming too conspicuous.
 I hS HeBEO lOOk nun DY the arm and steered him down the street. The Prodigal was wordy and efrusive ''ole Caesar" he was saying, "Ole Caesar. Best nigger ever lived Eat more. work more, do more for you, tell more lies for you, than any nigger that ever lived. Ole Caesar. going to take you back to Texas. Got a fine place Scoun- drels trying to take 1t way from me. See 'em dead first"
 Cauaar er0t fn village hotel and then having signal. cd to the proprietor, tried to step out, but the Prodigal caught him in the act.
 No you don't" he exclaimed in drunken flerceness. No you / don't. Come back here. You black scoundrel. Think I'm going to let you go? You stay right here with me. Just come from Texas and want you to talk to me. Gointer stay right here with me-"
 Little Boss, disshere Is white folks hotel" the negro said cajoiing- ly. 'T ain't got no business here. Side got to tend my mules' He deftly lodged outside the door.
 He waited for the proprietor on the steps
 ''Marse Bill" he said, you know who dat is? Oats Marse Jack Atkinson. He's Cap'n Rutledge Atkinsons boy. l be- longed to de family and dey sho was quality white folks. Dey was de finest white folks God ever let live.
 ''Marse Jack in dar, he done had bad luck. I don't think he got much money. think he lost all he had. Now how much you gwinter charge him for board?"
 Well, I'll take him for $1O week." said the hotel proprietor. after deliber- ation. The negro, from an inside pocket, drew out a worn pocket book and opened it, showing several bills closely and thinly packed. He drew out three of the bills and handed them to the hotel keeper.
 Oars a weeks board for him and dis other bill Is fer spendin' money. When he gifts all right he gwinter need some mo money. Des hand him dis $5 bill. And if he wants somethin' he oFter have. give it to him and femme know about It."
 The following Friday afternoon the Prodigal sat in the shade of the hotel veranda weary and with a headache. His old friends were dropping away from him. The newness of his return had worn away. They had only hur- ried word of greeting and so many of them were busy when he came near. He would go back to Texas. Failure that he was. the old town was no place for him. The place stified him.
 In shining new buggy Caesar drove up to the hotel. He had come to get the Little Boss"
 Mandy des wouldn't femme rest" he explained; said des had to come an get you. We done fixed up room for you in de old house-de same room you used to sleep In. Fixed up and all ready for you. Mandy is layin up to cook you some of de old-time wal fies and we gwinter kill some of de fr,ir,, sizn chickens we got.'