Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-05-01
DIiTtl's Pilgrim
BY GRACE MAceowAN COOKE

Copyright. The Frank A. Munsey Company
II wish you'd come over to our
house and laugh"
The small boy made his request
mildly, his little hands crossed behind
his white pique back, his serious eyes
nxed upon the other.
The old black man broke Off sud-
denly In the midst of the harangue
he was addressing to a fat, morose
poodle, which he had brought out
for exercise. He rounded eyes of
astonishment upon the intruder, and
then burst into one of the inimitable
outlaws of his race.
yah-h'yah ah-h'yah-h'yah!" he
shouted, with the characteristic. unc-
tuous, liquid click between each syl-
liable. AS the ululations of his ioy,
frankly, richly barbaric, but sweet
and kind, smote upon the prim quiet
OF that New England village street,
the boy listened appreciately with the
air OF a music lover at a concert.
THAT was a good one," he said
sooerly, as Uncle Zeke came to the
last gap. MY name is Junius Brutus
Brandon. But it's fathers name,
too, and he needs it, SO they call me
June. l. don't much care for being
Just named a month that way; but
It's very nice month, of course"
he added with the quick Difference of
a well-trained child for those in al-
thority. Are you going to laugh some
more?"
The query brought its own reply.
Uncle Zeke looked at his young Wis
itor, and uttered a series of mellow.
deep-throated chuckles which never
quite sufficiently merged into one
another to make complete laugh, yet
which expressed intense enjoyment.
The great bass voice, playing thus in
the dooryard of mirth, sporting and
dancing in joys corridors and ante
chambers, yet never going through the
rosy portals into the great carousing
nall OF real laughter, held a thousand
hints and suggestions of delight.
That's a good kind, too" said
.Junius Brutus Brandon. 81 most be-
Ilieve l could do that kind myself 1
tried the other once, but" He
shook his head
"Whar is you-alrs house?" inquired
the negro. Has you got a job o.
,som'n mother at you wants done?"
Right over there" said the child,
pointing to where an old colonial man
sion cleaned stately behind its elms.
1t was only me. l don't know if you'd
call it a job-a real job: II Just
wanted some laughing done Our
house is SO quiet, and nobody makes
any noise; and thought if you'd come
over and-and laugh it up little bit
-
He broke off, and reviewed his SEN
tence with discouragement. He felt
that he had put the case badly. Yet
his halting presentation of it had
again convulsed the hearer Once
more little Junius listened to sounds
which were as music to him-sounds
which, in their bold abandon Of glee
brought to his thinly nurtured young
fancy visions of unbelted, unafraid
Joyance; warmth, color, confidence,
that his short life had lacked
You maxim game o. de old man. 4"
said Uncle Zeke finally, when he could
get his breath. "Chillen amt never
need to be Earned how to laugh. nor
amt never need no hep a-laughin'
leastways not in Faginny an | low
hits bound to be de same in Mas
satusicks. When you gifts in school
an de teacher tell you Hush, an mind
yo' book | bet you laughs"
He chuckled richly ance more And
the boy was SO engrossed by the
coveted sound that he almost forgot
to reply to the text of the observa-
ton. Then he sat down on the curb
which framed in the prim plot before
the old-fashioned red-brick house, and
nursed his knee thoughtfully.
Il don't go to school," he said finally.
"a lady comes. Father teaches me
Latin. | study music. too. Kinder.
garten Method, Suitable for Children
From Four to Seven Years of Age /"
He was evidently quoting from pros.
pectus. Il found some keys on the
piano that sounded like Laughing, and
! tried to practice them; but Ann said
1t made bad noise. l guess 1t did
Pounds howled."
"Who mought dis hyer Ann be ?'
inquired the negro, seating himself
beside the child, and letting the i'll
tempered poodle run to the length OF
its chain. "Is dat Pounds what you
name a humane"
Ann used to be my nurse. She
keeps the house. She's very kind
She reads to me. But she's not such
a cheerful person as you are. She
reads me Black Beauty and | cry
Pounds is dog. They called him
that because he weighed a pound
when father got him; but he's grown
a good deal since then. He's older'r
/ am. He's so old he hasn't got much
teeth. | call him Rounds because he
weighs more than one; but nobody
notices the difference"
He sat daintily on the curb, doing
no damage to his immaculate pidue