The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1939-10-14

Webster smiled You'll see I'm
right after while"
Allan made no reply but turned
his gaze back 10 the window. Fin
ally. he rubbed his hands across
his eyes and shook bis head
i've been seeing a picture. web
s,er.' he said.
"A picture" his friend echoed.
What kind OF pic,ure.'
a picture OF long ago. I've been
Femlncscirg- dwelling on the past"
past"
Educated si4n, sh." webster
sroried
Allen did not reply Immediately.
,hen he spoke ais voice had far
away sound
i've been seeing picture. Web
s'er. III Try 70 describe Il 20 you
listen
It's a picture 0, bunch of kids
erouped around an old swimming
hole The kind they write about
IN books. A clear cool spot with
a weeping willow tree leaning down.
rs branches sweeping be water.
4 warm SUE Is shining Several
boys. quite without clothing are
swimming around II the water.
They duck a and ou; throwing
WAFER IN each others faces, their
happy shouts can ne heard for a
nile hear The voice OK one Of the
boys say BE careful slim. look
oa' Co. The sink hole rs pretty
deep
I.sa hssu,.su. day. tas HE day
,o- SIMMER tin. on me bark /
can see ore to-lorr 'l,'ie figure
lo5Sirs sadly ou' over he water.
Il caa hear the Roy called sim.
saw
Il wish Tsckv could swim with |
us Jus, because hes Slack - no
-easo- f7r rot Icing him have
sore I'm
You're ra7v sim Who wants
~ 70 swimming wi;h nigger.'
Ire negro boy called Tscky by |
as pay mates because his clothes
usually hung askew on his sturdy |
LILLE. body can he seen smiling
wis,fuly as Bis white friends play |
aige-srd seek Il TIE water. Some |
q, hem are diving and swimming |
under water. coming ND quickly
rear Tacky throwing water on
him Tackv giggles as Re tries %
duck toe shower.
Don le, awning happen 70
our clothes. Tackr. che OF the
boys called 20 him
Use waich;n'em he answered /
and sinks his brown feet into The Z
red clay mud He wigrles his oes
IS The mud slips slowly between
his toes and covers bis bare fee'
There j. sad broodlng look In
Tackv's eyes
Alan paused
wei" webs'er said !mparenav
Then there's scream con-
'iaued Allan. followed BY shouts
o. terror from the bathers
Sims drowning lie went 100
rear The sink hole"
shouts OF, Help, Help" echo
and re-echo ihrougout the green
wood. A Few minutes before hap
by sp9'-now tragedy. There is
mad gash for TIE river bank.
Whose gong after Slim. ,hev
scream as 'hey cast Mortified eyes
at The sisuggllrg sim
Il car see the dark head OF the
drowniaS slim as he comes 10 The !
surface h's face chslkv white. his /
eyes filed v-h error he makes
a choking sound and again dis
appears
Suddenly a voice cries out.
"i'ss comm slim. III save yor." (
ard Tscky ne Negro boy dives in
70 'ne vater.
Allan inrasd back 70 the coun-
ter 'sared hls arms on the cold
'op-
~Ifs an Old picture. webster.
but I can remember g as 9, had
happened only yesterday for 7 was
Slim The negro boy Tacky saw
cd my he"
Webster nodded and asked. What
happened 10 Tacky-did he swim
AFTER that"
80 Webster. "Tsckey saved
me, held me up AMIN me frighten-
90 boys could drag me 70 shore.
hen his strength failed and he
slipped away into the sink hole.
Never once came 10 the surface.
Tackv always wanted 70 swim IN
our swimming hole he got his
chance 7Allan'S hand brushed his
eyes swiftly Il guess Tacky Just
naturally wanted 10 stay there.
Iie loved thar beautiful spot The
weeping willow tree s'ill guards
The place waefe Tackys body
resfs
The door % the cafe opened and
man walked up 10 The counter.
= cup % coffee. please"
'cer,ainly. cir" answered Allan
a' he placed BE cup OF golden
brown coffee before the man
Anything else. sirg'
THAT Will be all thank you"
The man drank his coffee and
left The cafe
Webster nodded toward the door
as IL closed behind their patron.
a FIRE looking fellow even ~
he Is Negro said Webster.
THE END.