The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-12-31
THE STAGE.
20 6. EieId,s MfnstreIa.

One touch of nature makes the
Whole world kin and 1t is due to that
TACT That there is touching little
story told of Al G.. Field. the grea.
king of mtnstrelsy. who will be seen
al the local theater Tuesday. January
fifth, with his magnificent minstrel
production.
One day years ago, when the al c.
Field Greater Minstrels appeared hero
Mr.. Field was sitting on the stage
watching the force get the drops
swung and the setting for his magnia-
cent first part arranged properly.
Just then eOlored man employed
about the theater approached and re-
moving his battered old hat, address,
ed Mr.. Field, his face covered by a
broad grin, disclosing two rows OF
snow white teeth:
"Marse Fiel,'' he calculated. yves
dun had a s'prise up t. oush house. !"
well, what have 1 to do with 1t,
zeke?" asked Mr. Field.
Oats ies hit, -whut youse got
TO do VIII hit" was the reply. "Yoq
see wese ned a leetle I'll Teller cum dis
:nawnin' t mex he nome wifi us n we
DIN name him Al G. Fier n he ben ii
laftn eber since. l clar TO gracious,
Marse Fiel, he de brlghtes' Ill codg.
Gr; yo jes ought t. see i'm"
Handing him a dollar, Mr.. Field
!eughingly dismissed the darkey and.
forgot all about it-that is as much
as AL G. Field ever forgets anything
AMI that is never. Three years after.
ward Mr.. Field returned to GarRsburg
with mis- show and one OF the first
things he did upon reaching the tho.
ater was to ask about Zeke and little
black "Al c. He was told that tho
child was mighty close to the other
shore with pneumonia and that zekei
was at home with him looping aui
praying for the little boys recovery.
laqairing his way. aEr. Field drove
oIt to Zeke's poor little home on the
eage Of the city and leaving his coach
man in charge of his team of Arabian
horses, which he always carried with
him in those days, walked into tho
dreary looking little cottage over
~hlch the angel OF death was hover:
ing, He found Zeke and his old wife
there moaning and chanting as Is the
habit of the superstitious darkey.
The physician who was attending lit
tie Al G. told him that the CHILD was
rapidly sinking and could not recover.
Mr.. Field spoke few comforting
words to the heart-broken parents
who had always looked forward to
their little pickanniny becoming a
great minstrel man somt day, and re
turned to the theater.
That evening, just before the per-
torrance, Mr.. Field was told that the
lille boy named after him with such
pride by the. two simple colored folks
mad died. Mr.. Fields heart went out
to the broken-hearted parents and that
night he went again to the stricken
nome, taking with him a great bunch
of lilies OF the valley which he laid
on the little form, all dressed in white
in the tiny casket. ATTACHED to the
flowers was a card bearing these sim
Ile but tender words:
With sympathy for the parents OF
the little boy at resshrdiuppupupup
the little boy who is at rest. All q
Field.
Each year when Mr.. Field came back
10 Fairmont afterward. old 4Zeke never
failed TO call on him and often he
was accompa nted by hiA wife. thtst two
being among the warmest admirers
o. The great minstrel man In tits city.