Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1909-01-22
f'UNCLE
STEPHEN''
BY Aloe Lucinda WYNN

When | first saw Uncle stepben"
ne was so gray, bent and tootblesa
mat ! could almost believe him when
ne told me that he was in existence
before the hils Just in sight bevond
me helds, The small boys of the
helshborhood loobed upon him with
KIND OF superstitious awe. and as they
oathed in the cool stream or SHE'D
PEOPLES at the frolcsome little percb
'lat could be seen in its clear water
1ney told each other in low tones that
uncle stephen" long, long years be.
iore, had dug out Sandy creek and
pied 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
MS simple, supersttious mind. When
asked the number of his years he
would say: Il dunno 'zactly. but
was II de same year dat de stars
fell"
lie was comical figure on Sun.
days and holidays, when dressed In
MS best clothes. He wore an old.
brown, battered beaver hat, and. on
warm days, linen coat that had once
Deen 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"
lie pr.ded himself on his fine man
ners, and whenever a lady addressed
him. took off his hat. and. bowling
solemnly and profoundly held 1t 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 well as for
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 a large
hickory log A crepe myrtle cast its
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 fayorite plantation songs to the
accompaniment of his banjo, while
his wife sat nearby rocking a 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
l 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:
Is got de misery in dis old back
agin, and was settin' here restin'
and wonderin' if de Lord would for
give a poor old niger like me at de
last"
In surprise | said: why, Uncle
Stephen, are you not a Christian"
He replied: mo, miss; Use
backslider used to be 'zorter,' but
| done let my ligion drap. De church
went too deep in my pocket. would
a bin willin' to glib Is cents a month,
but dey wanted me to glib dollar.
No, sir"
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
watermelons. Proud was he when
they were praised as the largest
and best in the country. Honest,
truthful, trustworthy, we never felt
uneasiness about the home If left
in Uncle Stephens care. One sum-
mer all the family were away for
two weeks. The nights were spent
in sleepless yigils by Uncle Stephen
for fear some midnight marauder
might visit the fowlhouse or the
barn.
had been attending school and
when | went home last summer for
the vacation l missed the old, bent
figure and CHEEKY salutation 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, the family
did not wonder at his absence. After
three days had passed, however and
he had sent no word, some one went
TO seek him in his little house, where
he lived all alone.
They were grieved and conscience
stricken to find that the poor old
man had lain sick for three days
with no medicine or food. He was
made as comfortable as possible, a
physician was at once sent for and
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