Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-12-23
How Darkey Jake was Cured of Butting

Some years since | was employed as ware
house-clerk in large shipping house in New
Orleans and while in that capacity the follow
ing funny scene occurred
One day vessel came n Consigned to the
house. having on board a 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 consigneeS of the ship to he stored
until the case was adjusted. | discovered q
few days afterwards, that, as to perfume, they
were decidedly too fragrant to remain in the
warehouse in the middle of June, and reported
the same to my employers, from whom | re-
ceived orders to have them OverhanIed and
! send all that were passable to Beard x Cal
houns auction mart, (thcn in the old Camp
street theatre to be disposed of for the bene-
fit of the underwriters and the rest to the
swamp. | got a gang Of black boys to work
on them; and when they stirred 'em up, BE
the bones of Mol KeIIy's quart pot but the
smell was Elegant entirely | kept respect
able distance, believe me- for strong nggers
and strong cheese, on hot June day. just
bangs all common essences including Ger,
| tain varmint"-we read about
/
| fellow, about three feet six inches "across the
stump" from which the box had rottcd In
the centre, space about ten inches was very
much dccayed, and appeared to be about the
consistency of mush, of blush tinge, which
was caused by the biIge water The boys had
just set it up on its edge, on bale Of gunny-
bags, when | noticed over the way big dark
ey (then on sale) from Charleston, S c., who
r.,
having given most of the niggers in that yicin-
ity taste of his quality in that line. | had
seen him and another fellow, the night previous
practising, they would 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. A thought
struck me that | might cure him of his bragg
ing and butting, and have some fun also; so
told the boys to keep dark, and | called Old
Jake over
"They tell me you are a great fellow for
butting, Jake ?"
:" is sOme maSSa dat'S fac | done butt
de wool 'trely orr old Pctc'S head last night
and MasSa Nichols was gwine to glib me goss.
| kin jSs bang de head orf any nigger in desc
parts myself kin 2"
We'll, Jake, I've got little job in that
line for you, when you havnt anything else to
do
" Tse on han for all dem kin OBJ jobs, my
sclf--I is"
Wen,--you see that large cheese back
there p
81 does dat | does myself
" Now if you can butt dent in it, you shall
have IT,"
GolIy, massa you're fooln dis niggcr ?"
"No I'm not, Jakc,-iuSt try me-"
"Wot you glib me de hull ob dat cheese if
| butt a dent in um 2"
"Yes"
" De Lor I'll bust em wide opon,--I will,
myself jess stan back dar, You Orleans mig
gars, and clear the de track for Ole Souf Car
lima. case ISe q comm myself see"
And old Jake started back some fifty feet,
and went at it with good quick run, and the
next instant heard dull, heavy sound "a
kind of sguelsh, and old Jakes head disappear
cd from sight, with the top just visible on the
other side as he rose with his new fashioned
necklace, the soft, rotten cheese oOZing down
all round him as he settled down, so that just
his eyes were visible. From the centre of it
Jake's voice was scarcely audible and half
Smothcrcd, as he vanly tried to remove the
immense cheese.
10000 er de Lor ! Mass-'ook um OFF
O-o-o-ol breSS de Lor Lif um upl Cora
might ! ="
Meanwhile, | was nearly dead myself
having laid back on cotton bale, holding
myself together to keep from bursting, while
the boys stood round old Jake, paying him Off
:" De Lor how the niEger's bref smell =
You dosen't clean your teef, ole Jake =
4" l say you didn't make more dan four times
dat han, did you'ole hoss?"
"WelI you is a nasty niger, r,-dat's fac y
"Wel you is the biggest kline of Welsh
Rabbit,-you is !"
"Whar you git your grease ?" And TINS
the boys run old Jake half Smothered,
when | took compassion on him, and told
them to take it off Jake didn't stay to claim
his prize, but put out growng.-
" Gor-a-mighty | done got sole dat time,
I'sc a case oh yellow feber,-I is, myself y
Old Jake was never known t) do any more
butting in that vicinity after that.