The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-17
AGED NEGRO GOES
TO LAST REWARD
Everybody Familiar With Green
Collins Laugh
AMONG OLDEST CITIZENS
Served In Families of Old EIyton Long
Before Birmingham Was Dreamed
of-The Old Negro Was
Full of Anecdotes.

has lost one of her oil
ldmarks. A strong and sturdy one,
INK cut out of her very hills, blacl
the coal in her furnaces, and will
heart that would burn without kind
G.
ireen Collins died yesterday. Everybod.
W Green. Everybody knew his cherr!
laugh, the roll in his gait, and hi
uekle over a sparkling glass Of pur'
e. Further than this. most everybod.
ed the old negro, for such he was
black as the oldest crow and as OLE
the sun, whose rays will no NOR
lnee off of his smooth crown. He him
f had lost count of the summers tina
d rolled over that time-worn frame.
'body MISSY, chile, dis niger kin mos
member de flood, en- de looks oh oil
Dah. Ise done passed thu more years
n Ise got hairs on ma head, en- don
body know dat I wus born 70 70 grand
ddy; how long ago wus dat?"
Lines of Honesty.
lie was a medium sized negro, gra,
d simple looking. but with a twitch il
ose black eyes which betokened hid
n sense. The lines in that countenanct
d no end. They encircfed his features
d made each one stand out in it's plail
nesty.
t was impossible to pass Green with
t noticing him, nor did anyone wan
but woe to him who failed to speak
e old negro would turn around oil
heel, cock that knowing head OF
e side, roll the whites of his eyes few
mes, and then give out a loud "haw
W" that made the blood run to you
ad, and you would rush back to say
Iello, Green; how's your health; here
re drink on me-"
Drinking was GREEN'S great fort. "Whis
proof" he is said to have been, TO
yer was he known to totter or become
unk in the slightest. He was the &C
owledged king of the bar. During TIN
1t twenty years he has drunk NOR
Risky than any other four men, and ha
own old and healthy on 1t. A keg I
Y would not have ditched him, nor coult
be fooled with mere beer. That wa
r below him.
Merely Loosened Tongue.
\ number of glasses merely loosene'
5 tongue, and helped him on with joll,
ecdotes, and long forgotten stories, tina
ould burst his sides as he told them
i'd keep the listeners eonvulsed wit
lighter in merely watching his expires
ons. AS long as one would stand b
ID giggle with him he would continu
pour out an endless stream.
rhe negro watched Birmingham fror
birth He had lived here since befor
yone, not excepting himself, could re
ember. Beginning as a man of all trade
r the few families at Elyton, he ha
odded around the back doors of tn
ointment citizens ever since. He took tn
st drink from the first saloon in BIZ
and has taken drinks froI
cry asoloon that was ever in Birmlne
I'M.
Green was not one of those who becam
allowed by the growth of the city. BIT
Their rose to the situation, and broad
led out to take in the whole situation
fN oil nd ~, oil
g past twenty years he has been MOI
less connected with the saloons, clear
g up after closing and getting tips froi
e generous hearted.
He was never known to steal, or I
ow dishonesty in the slightest. III
lend of the policemen, he always helpe
EN- to make arrests. One of the Officer
zee gave him a policeman's coat, and f
any months Green strutted around wit
e mean of a formal guardian of til
W. He made his racial compatriot
and around and opey the Captain" q
called himself.
Victim of Practical Jokes.
The officers, however, often enjoye
actical jokes which they played on tn
4 man. But a few weeks ago he wa
leep IN a Greeks store, and when h
yoke found himself handcuffed. Insult
pride Immediately vented itself upo
e innocent storekeeper, and in a me
emit he had almost torn the store I
Gees when two policemen entered. The
cused him of being an escape from som
putty Sheriff, and marched him off
hole block toward the Jail, amid hi
-iful pleadings, then to reveal the joke.
There Is Il tender remembrance for tn
/ negro in the heart of many a person
cd and bad, in Birmingham, and hi
ace is one in the life of the city whic
mot be filled. That favorite song Of hi
II still reverberate in the minds of HI
any "ole massars.
1y nanny loves shortened bread,
Y pappy loves shortened bread.
y sister loves shortened bread,
Y brother loves shortened bread,
cen. he shows loves shortened bread,
he whole dam family loves shortene
cad
4, ha, ha. ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"
JEWELERS. AUCTION SAIL