The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-29

own language, ''go fetch EN- come; both two;
one timel"
Thispatois, barbarous as it seems, is adopted
by every one on the African coast in speak
ing to the natives Its idiom is peculiar
There are no particles. The words are preg-
nant with sententious brevity. There ls
something about their very nakedness that
tickles the fancy, and no one ever hears the
speech for the first time without laughter.
In reference TO something wanted, If at hand,
but not of importance enough to warrant
trouble, a leading Sierra-Leone merchant
said to the native boy he had brought with
him to England
mo 20 far make trouble; 'spose 'em lib
dere; your eye catch 'em; fetch 'em come;
both two, one time. O., "Do not trouble
YOURSELF but if they are at the place indicated,
and your eye catches them, bring them back
with you"
Their use of the word catch merits notice.
A traveller catches a town, the sun catches
noon, children catch their ages, and a husband
catches his wife. The word denotes in their
use of il, relative merit also:-'Dis one catch
past toder one, meaning, This is better than
the other
''Past," both as verb and adverb, does
deal of duty-''Him old past you. ''Her
handsome past mark" "Me here dis morning
past. before, l. g., earlier than ever. mo
hab past dat one, 8. G., l have no more
than he.
Even when meaning to be serious, the ludi-
crous in the negro's language is close at
hand. 1t is seen in the pulpit, listened to in
family prayer, noticed in the government Of
children, and struggles to enter into the
angriest contests. To an educated mind, this
quick sight for the ridiculous becomes, in
argument, an effective weapon. At the last
session Of the South Carolina Legislature,
bill for preventing railroad accidents was
under consideration. Mr.. Jacob Piller, the
| colored member from Eutaw, opposed
its passage. He spoke against
| it. His vote, at every stage, was
recorded against its passage. Lobbyists were
| bribed by his money to work against it. All
would not do, however. The bill was certain
| to pass. AS last effort, he resorted to ridi-
| cule, and, at the moment before the yeas and
| nays were ordered, moved and carried an
| amendment that, "when two trains noticed
each other approaching a junction, each
should come to a full stop, and that neither
should start till the other had crossed the
point of junction"
Professor Peters, of Hamilton College, went
| to Iowa to observe the late eclipse. Having
| mounted his instruments, he distributed
among some extemporized assistants the
| special work each was to do during
the occultation. To an old negro he COM
mitted the oversight of large poultry-yard.
He was to stand still, remain speechless, keep
his attention undistracted, observe how geese,
| turkeys, ducks, and hens were each varIously
affected, and report at the conclusion.
'Well, Cato, asked the professor, as the
turn came for the poultry-yard report, ''how
\ was it 2"
''Beats de debbil, said the negro. when
de dark come, goose squat down, turkey fly
up apple-tree, and chicken run for de hole in
barn. How long you know dis ting was
a-comin', fessor!"
more than a year, replied the professor
| "Beats de debbil, responded Cato. "Here
you, way in New York, knowed o year ago
what desc chick'ns was gwine to do dis berry
afternoon, and you nebber see de chick'ns afore
| nudder."
Many years since, in country village of
Massachusetts, Roberts, a colored man, on
the ground of having been recently converted
at protracted meeting, came for subscrip-
ton towards an overcoat, Of which he was
sadly in need. A dollar was given him. Old
Roxy, our fat cook, shook her head, but said
nothing. Before spring, Roberts was arrested
and convicted of larceny. When Roxy heard
of it, she exclaimed, ''Now, massa, You just
remember dat, and never glib money to any
niger what gets pious in de winter"
Among the gambling houses of Washington
is one of humble pretensions, standing on
the banks of the canal. 1t is frequented by
negroes only. Its rules are stringent.
colored policeman, supposed to be in the
secret, is posted near by. There is rarely
disorder. The cT0upS6r is we'll known as
fellow of infinite jest. Stakes above twenty
five cents are forbidden. Ignorant of thii
feature of the play, Baltimore colored man
the other night laid dollar on the table. i
was not noticed at first, and the game wa.
going on, when Mr.. Brutus caught sight O.
the unlawful stake. Stretching himself to hi
full height, and looking sternly around, b,
exclaimed
! ''What's dat? Who put dat derep TAX,
dat off dis table +? You s'pose Rosschild owl
dis bank ?"
Washington a wonderful work is goin,
on. The school-houses are thronged
Judicious and capable teachers hay,
charge. Attendance is punctual. There coult
hardly be more manifest improvement. II
: cleanliness, manners, behavior, diligence
and desire for knowledge, the children com
! pare well with any school-children in the city
friend and visitor, an officer in the army
said jocularly to bright-eyed mulatto girl
D the other day, as he was leaving, Now, be
good girl, Betsy, and mind that you love you
mother and hate snakes"
The child looked serious for moment, i
thought of the strange advice, and then re
phed:-"You must not tell that to the ittl
snakes, for they must love their mother
too"
During the war loyalty and godliness wer
almost Synonymous with the native colore
population of the national metropolis Ther
was no halfway standing-place. Secessio
> was the work of Satan. To falter in belief
V success was to fall from grace. Toleratio
| toxardo ba Gnnfhar1, raopla xuac haol IN,