Douglas Island news., 1908-12-23
"Gwine Back Home"

1WlllS bd(h 4 4Ol11O
 As we waited in the l.. & N. depot at Nashville for the train, some one began crying and an excitement was raised among the passengers. A brIef iuvesti- pation proved that it was an old colored man who was giving away to his grief. I'm ee or four people remarked on the strangeness of it, but for some time no one said anything to him. Then de pot policeman came forward and took him by the arm, and shook him roughly and said:
 "See here, old man, you want to quit that! You are drunk, and if you make any more disturbance I'll lock you up!'
 "Deed, but l hain't drunk" replied the old man, aa he removed his tear stained handkerchief. "Ise losted my ticket an money, an' dat's what's de matter"
 "Bosh! You never had any money to lose! You dry up or away you go!"
 "What's the matter over yere?" uueried man aS he came forward.
 The old man recognized the dialect Of the Southerner in an instant, and re- pressing bis emotions with great eff fort he answered:
 Say, Mars Jack, l'ze bin robbed"
 "My name is White"
 "Well, then, Mars White, somebody has done robbed me of ticket an money"
 "Where were you going?"
 "Gwine down into Raintnck, whar l was bon an raised"
 "Where's that?"
 "Nigh to Bowlin' Green, sah, an' when de wah dun sot me free l cum up this way. Hain't bin home sence, sah."
 "And you had ticket?"
 "Yes, sah, an ober $20 in cash, Bin savin' up fur ten y'ars, sab."
 "What doyou want to go back for?"
 "To see de hills ar' de fields, de to- bacco an the con, Mars Preston and de good ole missus Why, Mars White, I'ze dun bin prayin' fur it fo' twenty y'ars. Sometimes de longin' has cum till couldn't hardly hold myself"
 "It's too bad"
 "De ole woman is buried down dar, Mars White-de ole woman an free chillen. 1 kin member the spot same as if 1 seed it yisterday. You go out balf. way to de fast tobaoker house, an den you turn to de left au' go down to de branch whar the wimmeD used to wash. Oars fo trees on de odder bank, au' right under lem is whar dey IS all | buried. l kin see it! kin lead you right to the sbot!
 "And what will you do when you get ] there?" asked She stranger. ] "Go up 10 de big house an aX Mars ! Preston to let me lib out all de rest of my days right dar rZe ole an all alone. an want to be nigh my dead. Sorter company for me when my heart aches"
 "Where were you robbed?"
 "Out doahs, dar, 1 reckon, in de crowd. See? De pocket is all cut out. I'ze dreamed an pondered-Ize had dis tourney in my mind for yars and wars an DOW I'ze dun bin robbed an can't gop'
 He fell to crying, and the policeman came forward in an oftiGions manner"
 stand back, sir!" commanded the stranger. "Now, gentlemen, you have heard the story, I'm going to help the old man back to die on the old planta- ton and be buried alongside or hls dead"
 ''So am II" called twenty men ID chorus, and withiurfiVe minutes we had raised enough to buy him ticket and leave $50 to spare. And when he real. ized bis good luck, the old haired black fell upon his knees in that crowd and prayed
 "Lord, Pze bin believer in You all my days, an now 1 dun axes You to watch over desc yere white folks dat has believed in me an helped me to go back to de ole home."
 And do believe that nine-tenths of that crowd had tears in their eyes as tho gateman called out the train for Louisville.-Dumb Animals.