Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-09-19
How Big Darkey Jake was cured ofButtin

DY THE LITTLE 'UN IN THE SPIRIT OF THE TIMES
Some years since | was employed as ware house
clerk in large shipping house in New Orleans,
and while in that capacity, the following funny
scene occurred
One day a vessel came in, consigned to the
house, having on board large lot of cheese from
New York; during the voyage some Of them had
become damaged by bilge water, (the ship having
proved leaky,) consequently the owners refused to
receive them; they were, therefore, sent to the
consgnees of the ship, to be slowed until the case
could be adjusted. | discovered few days after
wards that as to perfume, they were decidedly too
fragrant to remain in the warehouse in the middle
ofJune, and reported the same to my employees !;
from whom received orders to have them over
hauled, and send all that were passable to Beard &
Calhouns auction mart then in the old Camp street
Theatre) to be disposed of for the benefit OF the
underwriters, and the rest to the swamp. Igot a
gang of black boys to work on them, and when
they stirred 'em up !" Be the bones Of Moll Kel-
ley's quart pct! but the smell was Elegant in
tirely," | kept respectable distance, believe me-
for strong niggers and strong cheese, on hot
June day. just bangs all common essences, includ-
ing certain "varmnt' we read about
Presently the boys turned out an immense fel.
low, about three foot six inches "across the stump
from which the box had rotted off; in the centre
space about ten inches was very much decayed
an appeared to be about the consistency of mush
OF blush tint, which was caused by the bilge
water. The boys had just set it up on its edge on
bale OF gunnybags, when noticed over the way
a big darkey (then on sale) from Charleston, South
Carolina, who was notorious for his butting pro-
pensities, having given most Of the niggers in that
vicinity taste OF his quality in that line had
seen him and another fellow, the night previous,
practising they wouli stand, one on each side
of hydrant some ten yards distant, and run at
each other with their heads lowered, and clapping
their hands on the hydrant, they would butt like
veteran rams. thought struck me that might
cure him Of his Dragging and butting, and have
some sport also, so told the boys TO keep dark,
and called "0ld Jake" over
"They tell me you are great fellow for butting,
jake
81 is some, Massa, das fac-I done butt de
wool 'trey orf OBJ old Pcte's head last night, and
Massa Nichols was gwine to glib me gossl kin
jiss bang de head orr any nigger in desc parts my
self-I kinl"
"WeI, Jake, I've got little job in that line
for you when you haven't anything else TO do"
Use on han for all dem kin OBJ jobs, myself
/ is"
"Well, you see that large cheese back there"
"I does dat does myself"
"Now II you can butt dent in it. you shall
have It."
"Golly, Massa! you foolin' dis niggerf"
"No, I'm not Jake-just try me-"
"Wotf you glib me de hull OBJ dat cheese r
butt dent in umT
"Yesn
"De Lorl III bust 'em wide open, win my
sef jess stand back dar, you Orleans niggers,
and clear de track for Ole Souf Carlina case rse
coming, myself-I isln
And old Jake started back some fifty feet and
went at IL at good quick run, and the next in.
slant heard dull, heavy sound, a kind Of sguish,
and old Jake's head disappeared from sight, with
the top just visible on the other side as he rose
from his new-fashioued necklace, the soft rotten
cheese oozing down all round him AZ II settled
down, so that just bis eyes we're visible. From
the centre Of II Jakes voice was scarcely audible
and half smothered, as he vainly tried to remove
the immense cheese.
"0-o-o-ol er de Lorl Mass--took um orfl--
0-o-o-ol bress de Lori Jfum up Gor-a-migh-
Meanwhile | was nearly dead myself having laid
oack on cotton bale holding myself together to
keep from bursting, while the boys stood round
Old Jake, paying him of.
Ode Lor how de niggcrs bref SMELL You
doesn't clean your teeth, Old Jake"
" ] say, you did not make more dan four times
dat han, did you, old hossS I"
"Well you is nasty niger, das facin
"Wel, you Is de biggest ltine of Welsh Rabbit
you is!n
boys run Old Jake-now half smothered-until !
took compassion on him, and told them to take Il
OIL. Jake didn't stay to claim his prize, but put
out growing
"Goramightyl | done got sole dat time Tsc
case Of yellow feber-I is, mysefin
Old Jake was never known to do any more but
ting in that vicinity after that.