Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-11-27
A Shrewd Darky.
--Scribner's for December,

Lexington and Danville, Ken
lucky, are rivals in trade, and the eff.
fort of one Is met by the energy Of
the other If the one invests in
silver-mounted looking. glass lined
showcase, the other must forthwith
import q Swiss cottage soda fountain,
with two rows Of stops and dou5le
fountain, with two rows Of stops and
a double bank of sirups. So it goes,
"check" and ''check," but never a
"check- mate ! and the consequence is
that both towns have their enterpris-
ing, active merchants, with stocks well
up to the times
In Danville, one morning, middle
aged darby entered one of the largest
stores, and, as trade was quiet, found
the proprietor alone.
"Good. morning, Massa Jeems!'
"How are you, uncle" with look
that plainly showed that he was I'M
acquainted with the citizen of color.
'.Dis yer yoh store, Mass Jeems g
Mighty fine store-beats Lex'ton all
hollow mighty mighty nice and clean
you keep it, too. Dis yer store all
yone, Mass Jeems O.
"Yes, it's all mine but what's that
to you ?"
swell, declah ! It's mighty nice.
tole our folks it's all foolsness goin'
to Lection fob what little dey wanted,
an now | knoacs it. How you sell
dat sugah, Mass Jeems ?"
"seven pounds for dollars
"Golly! OATS cheap-cheaper'n
Lex'ton, an bet:ah sugah too. You
can jis wrap me up two dollah's WORT
oh dat sugah, Mass Jeems."
The sugar was duly enveloped, and
the darby wrapped his left arm around
the package, and putting his right
hand into his breeches pocket, seemed
about to pay, when sudden though'
struck him, and pointing to an open
bin of coffee, he asked,
elbow you sell dat coffee, Mass
Jeems ?"
"Three pounds and a half for dol
lar"
swell, now, dat is cheap-dirt
cheap. declah | amt goin' neah
Lex'ton any noah. Jls wrap me up
two dolah's WORT O dat coffee, Mass
Jeems."
The scoop was busted, the scales
properly set, and the coffee nearly
weighed Chat is, he had poured in
too much, taken out a handful, and
was spinkling the grains in slowly,
when the darby. still clinging to the
package OF sugar, turned one enorm-
Gus ear toward the door, stood in 4
listening attitude for a moment, then
broke out with a rousing "Whoa,
dab y
"Mass Jeems" was busy turning
down the bottom corners of paper
sack. Darky edged along slowly
toward the door. "Whoa, dab -
Then muttered, "Dem dambtlous
bosses i'll git away firm me yet, Is
ateard. Whoa, dab !" Then he
quietly walked out, and passed out of
sight. The store keeper finally tied
the package, and taking it up, walked
to the door to deliver it to his custom
er and get his four dollars; but he
looked in vain for any sign of the
fractions team, but he did see the
rapidly diminishing form of his darby
away up the road bending to his work,
and setting down and picking up
pair of No. ~ brogans at something
less than Dexter's speed.
Slowly entering the store, his feel
ings found vent in the exclamation.
"Sold by darn niger !" But the
frown soon gave way to a smil e, the
smile to hearty laugh, and the first
man who came in heard the story, but
with the promise added that the coffee
should lie on the shelf for month,
'and if flat darby comes in, boys, give
it to him, and don't take cent"
"Mass Jeems" never goes to Lex
ington but somebody asks, "How you
sell dat sugah, Mass Jeems? e. Draw.
rim Harpers for December.