The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1870-02-17
Potdng my hand on his ragged ihoul-

! ~ AASsSO ~ 0Ao 1o&80O o0OO1'
der, says I, "Jake, wbst do you mean
by fcircumlooulate?' l am not famil.
lar with the word" Jake looked at
me sharply and was silent for minute.
saw poor Uncle Jake's dignity was
hurt. I looked into his great dim eyes
there was sad immovable expres.
sion asserting itself without words to
tea it. But Jake brought his foot IT.
/ ~.1d' putting it firmly by the other ;
the twist was deliberately placed IN the
empty bag, leaving a free motion to
one hand, which ] bessau by this time
to eye suspioiously. "Does you cum
over here to make fun of Us poor COL
ored people, whose larniug is circum-
AMBIENT (meaning circumscribed)? We
doesn't think any gem'an will do it {!
lse preached at Lady's Chapel, on
Goose Creek, de Lords Sabbath day,
tor desc ten years, and no man has ev-
er insulted me before" With the 9th.
er twenty-three looking on complacent-
ly, stood still, while the preacher NOR
allied soundiy, and I soandly listened,
feeling soundly guilty for calling in
question the vesnacular of eolored
preacher of the VI. E. Church. I
thought Of it. Uncle Jake answered
ci7ily civil question. he had been
discoursing rsligiously to all the black
imps, little aud big, about him on this
pleasant day, as be had a right to do;
and l was an intruder. And when I
wanted definition, poor Uncle Jake
objected with Methodist parsons dig
nifty. l was sorry at once. made
haste to explain. Iapologised. Says
l. "Uncle Jake, I have great respect
tor all preachers, especially preacher,
OF the NJ. Z. Church, and none the
less because they wear poor clothes"
c Considerably modified, tho old man
pulled off his hat, saying, sDis ere hat
Is ali got to descend to the pulpit of
the Lady's Chapel" "Good enough,
enough" said 1 j.; "it is all right, and
you ore all right, Uncle Jake" By
ibis time the rest Of the flock had got
up close about me and the parson, and
found myself Unexpectedly in the
middle Of an unusual and unseemly
group. Meantime, Uncle Jake went
~ volobly: eff white folks had no
more opytunitys than VIC :olored ones,
'ome Of them wouldn't know as much
IS zoe ito. We have packed the white
olks' wood and water ever since We
we're born. We have hoed the corn
Ind stemmed the tobacco while they
vent to school and larned books and
read the dictionary and heap of ply
osophys." 1 was astouished At Uncle
'ake's oratory and history. Being ed.
Ted, 1 forgot where I was, aud never
hought of the peculiar spectacle made
~ me and Uncle Jake and the rest.
orgot how Uncle Jake's hat looked.
Ind his venerable coat and white wool
But there comes an end to all things,
md there was an end in peculiar man.
Ter to Uncle Jakc's discourse and
nine. For while Uncle JAKE was en-
jagged with his experience, and 1 With
ny apolog'e:o.l attention, suddenly a
'oice clear across to the other corner
V:s heard, distinctly and emphatically,
'Look here, Professor, that won't do.
New Athens doesn't permit its Presi-
lent to hold niger class meetings on
he streets in broad daylight AsI
vas the "person or thing" addressed. I
naturally looked round to see the tall
orm of Mayor Marshall, who was
distinguished rebel during the late
'unpleasantness,'' standing by Col. Al
EN-, Chairman OF the Board of Regents,
both uncommonly amused and looking
straight at me in the midst of my new
class Of students. l saw "military
necessity" Why Uncle Jake's "class
meeting" should suddenly close. El-
bowling my way out the unsavory crew,
am here ''on time with pen in hand
% tell all about it aud how it happen
I'd. If at the next meeting of the
honorable Board one vacant chair 10
New Athens is not ADVERTISED, it will be
better luck than I have been accustom-
ed to, In this land of niggers aud cane
brakes. Ion.