Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-11-28
THAT LITTLE MOUND
Meant All Life Had Held for Old
.. Darky.
True Story Of the Flood That Has
Infinite Pathos-tils Little Girl
Had Not Been Among Those
saved.

Good morning. uncle! Sit on that
chair. What can we do for you to-
day?" "-
An old negro. who had waited for
some time. stood before the desk. He
took the seat and entered quickly up
on the business of his visit.
Il wants ter know If you'se seen
my little gal. She's lost. and Use been
huntin' fur her fur nigh to a week an
can't fin' 'er. De people all say dis
Is de place to cum to fur to I'm cherry
ting, an SO cum. She's bright lit
tie gal, eight years ole dis comm
June. Has you seen 'er. Boss" And
he looked into my face as II life itself
depended upon the answer. .
Uncle, I've seen 80 many people
since this food came that I am not
sure whether I saw your little girl or
not. Did you say 1t 10 your little
girl?"
"Yas. sir. Boss! No-i's dis way.
Boss. My daughter had dis chil,; and
she died when de chill was little bit
thing. an I tuck 1t an cared fur 1t
an raise it, an is my gran chill. Does
you tink my chil's in dis city, Boss?"
1T might be here. Uncle. Tell me
how you came to be separated from
the child"
IFS dis way. sab. We had dun
waited on de levee all day fur de boat.
an wen de boat cum we put de vim.
mems an de chillens on de boat an
de men dey hep to load de stock. An
VILE we was a-loadin' de stock on do
barge de steamboat 1t went of, an
haint seen de chill sence dat time till
now. Use been to Wilhelm an to
Port Hudson, an now Use here a-look-
in fur my chill. Some people say dey
seed de chill, but dey don know whar
she at now. just knows dar's some
ting bad happened dat chill. Every
night since her ma died dat chill has
gone to sleep in desc berry arms. Boss;
an I knows II she's livin' she Is cryin'
fur me now. Docs you t'ink she's In
dis town."
''She might be here. am not sure
Of that We can find. out. however.
will give you note to the captains OF
our camps, and they will permit you
to talk to the people in the camps. In
that way you can ind whether your
little girl is in camp. will ask the
colored citizens committee to search
among the refugees who are being
cared for in private families. It may
be that your child Is with some of our
colored families Give me your name"
Joshua Clay"
what was the girls name?'
"Angeline Clay" e.'s
Here is the note. = Visit the camps,
and let me know the result of your
search" ..' ~ .-.
TANK you, Boss" ~>%@@ y
The old man went away. recalled
the death of an orphan child few
days before, and concluded, after some
inquiry, that this was the child the old
man was looking for. The child had
come in on a rainy night among many
other people. and wasn't noticed until
she was a very sick patient. The
shock, the grief OF loneliness In the
midst Of many strangers, the faron
Cdll " lCdNc tIOuOACu
turned upon her hard bed and feebly
cried for her grandfather. Then ST.
lence fell upon the child. The woman
who waited on her thought she slept.
She slept, but not to wake again q
charge of ours.
We buried her In the potter's field.
The old man found the little mound
Of earth, and, sitting by it. gave ex-
pressions to his grief.
AS long as he lives that little mound
OF earth will loom large in the life
OF old Uncle Josh. The object of eight
years devotion lies beneath 1t; life's
current seems to have lost itself In
1t.
Those little mounds of earth-R. l.
Hines in Red Cross Magazine.