Sharp County record., 1908-10-30
fiUNCLE
y q ETHEN>'
Ey Alice Lucinda Wynn


he told me that he was in existence
before the hills just in sight beyond
the fields. The small boys of the
neighborhood looked upon him with
kind of superstitious awe, and as they
bathed in the cool stream or shled
pebbles at the frolicsome little perch
that could be seen in its clear water
they told each other in low tones that
Uncle Stephen" long, long years be-
fore, had dug out Sandy creek and
piled up the hills on the other side"
Like most of the old negroes,
Uncle Stephen" did not know his
age, but always reckoned time from
some event that greatly impressed
his simple, superstitious mind. When
asked the number of his years he
would say: 81 dunno zactly, but |
was IL de same year dat de stars
fell"
He was a comical figure on Sun
days and holidays, when dressed in
his best clothes. He wore an DID,
brown, battered beaver hat, and, on
warm days, linen coat that had once
been white. When my mischievous
young brother remarked upon the
superannuated appearance of this
coat, he said, half playfully Go way,
chile, dis coat was in circulation befo'
you was bon"
He prided himself on his fine man.
ners, and whenever a lady addressed
him, took off his hat, and. bowling
soemnly and profoundly, held it in
his hand until she had passed on.
He was in a constant state Of thank,
fulness, and would say: Il thank you.
sir' for a scolding as we'll as for a
favor
Passing through the yard one day
saw him sitting motionless with his.
head bent on his hand. He had been
saving wood, but, having become
weary, was resting upon large
hickory log, A crepe myrtle cast it's
shadow over the gray figure, and
showed Its pink petals slowly down
until they rested upon the brim of
his old brown hat He had enter
tanned us often with stories Of his
life "befo' de war; and / wondered
If he were living over, in dreams, the
years when he was young and strong,
when he was spoken Of as the best
hand on the place." the moonlit eve
nings, when he sat In the door Of his
little cabin ''in the quarters" singing
the favorite plantation songs to the
accompaniment of his banjo, while
his wife sat nearby rocking q little
one to sleep keeping time to the
fathers music those days when his
voice swelled strongest and sweetest
in the church gatherings, the bap'
things and the camp meetings.
Now the limbs were stiff and mac
tive, the voice weak and treble, and
the wife Of his youth had lain for
many years in the graveyard on the
hill-slope.
/ went up to him and said, softly
Are you well today, Uncle stephen"
He looked up, smiled, shook his
head and said mo, Miss Alice;
rs got de misery in dis old back
agin, and was settin' here restin'
and wondern' II dc Lord would for
give a poor old niger like me at de
last"
In surprise said; why, Uncle
stephen, are you not Christian?"
He replied mo, miss; Use a
backslder. used to be 'zorter,' but
| done let my ligon drap. De church
went too deep In my pocket would
q bin willln to GLIB Is cents q month,
but dey wanted me to glib a dollar.
No, slrI"
Uncle stephen was faithfulness
Itself to the family he served.
Though too old to work in the field,
he was Invaluable In the yard and
garden. He knew how to raise the
very finest of sweet potatoes and
watermeons. Proud was he when
they were praised as the largest
| Vnu OthI III NV NbhhNpi i''hNc',
truthful, Trustworthy, we never felt
uneaeIness about the home If left
In Uncle Stephens care one sum.
mer all the family were away for
two weeks, Tho nights were spent
In sleopless vigils by Uncle stephen
for fear some midnight marouder
might visit the fowlhouse or the
barn,
| had been attending school and
, when | went home last summer for
I tho vacation missed the old, bent
figure and eheery e0lut0tion. one day
the .winter before he failed to appear
at the usual time, but as he sometimes
went away to spend several days
with his married daughter, tho family
did not wonder ut his absence, After
> three days had passed, however and
he had sent no word, some one went
9 TO seek him In his little house, where
ho lived all alone,
They were groved and conscience
stricken 10 hnd that the poor old
, man had lain aiek for three dAya