The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-05-15
How Squire Skaggs got Skinned
by the ''Pharaoh Men,
From the Savannah News.l

"You see," said the Squire, pitching
his voice to an exegetical altitude, sit
Wuz sOrter this way. Last Chuesday wu2
a week ago, sailed down from Gwin-
| nett to Atlanty with seven bags of cot
ton. Arter | sold 'em | kinder lOafed
roun' lOOkin' at things in general an
teelln'' just as happy as you please when
who should [ run agin, but Kurnel Bles-
engaine. Me an the Kurnel used to be
boys together, an we wuz as thick as
five kittens in rag basket. We drunk
outen the same gOard, an we got the lint
snatched outen us by the same handy
legged school teacher. I wuz gitten as
lonesome as raincrOw, afOre l struck
up with the kurnel, an wuz glad to see
him-durned glad. We Knocked 'roun'
town right smartually, an the Kurnel
lnte!Juced me to whole raft of fellers-
mighty nice boys they wuz, too. Arter
supper the Kurnel says:
"Skaggs," says he, less go to my room
whar. we kin talk over the old times
sOrtef comfortable and ondisturbed like.
"Greeable," says |, an we walked a
squar or so an turned into alley an
walked up narrer par of stars. The
kurnel gin little rap at green door,
an a slick lOOkin merlatter popped out
an axed us in. He wuz the durndest
perlltest nigger you ever seen. He Jest
got up an spun arOun' like tom cat
with her tail afre. The room was as
fine as a fiddle an full of picturs an So
fys, an the cheers wuz as soft as lambs
wool, an / thought to meself that the
Kurnel wuz q lugsuriant cuss. Thar
wuz lot OF mighty nice fellers scattered
roun' a latfin' an talkin' quite sOshable
like: Aperient, the Kurnel wuzen't much
sot back, for he sorter LATED to himself
an then he says:
Boys says Ire, 4 hev fetched up a
fren. Jedge Hi HightOwer, this is Squire
Skaggs, OF Guinnett. Majer Briggs,
Squire Skaggs,' an so on, all 'rOun. Then
the kurnel turns to me an says:
ReeIy, L WuZen't eXpectin' company,
Skaggs, but the members of the Young
Mems Christian Sosashun make my room
their headquarters
ups an says ! wuZ mighty glad to
meet the boys. | used to be primativ
Baptis myself afOre | got to cussin' the
Yankees. an hev always had sorter
Ilankerln' arter .piOus folks. They all
LATED an shuck han s over agin, an we
s0t thar smokin' an chaWin' Jest as
muchuel as you please. / disremember
how it come up, but presently Majer
Briggs gifts up an says:
kurnel, what about that new parlor
game you got out the other day ~
Oh says the Kurnel, loOkin' sorter
sheepish,. that was humbug. can't
make no head or tail Outen it,
III bet kin manage it, says Jedge
Hightower, quite animated like.
I'll show You how Jedge, with pleas
ure,' says the Kurnel, an then he went
to a table, unlocked box an tuck out
deck of keerds an a whole lot of little
whatyOumaycallems, similarly to horn
buttons, some white and some red.
Squire Skaggs paused and supplied his
tireless jaws with fresh Guild OF tobacco.
1t amt no use to tell you any more.
When them fellers got done larnin' me
that game didn't have money enough
to take me down stairs. Law / looked
a leetle wild, for when the Jedge closed
the box he said:
We hev had a pleasantevenin', Squire.
You'll find the Kurnel waiting for you
on the steps, an he'll give you your mon
~ amt never laid eyes on the Kurnel
sence, an when do thars going to be
case for the kurriner-you mind nv
words. | seed Rufe Lester next day-you
know Rufe; he'sfn the Legislature now,
but used to give him popcorn when he
so hight seed Rufe an he sed I
wuztuck in by the Pharoah men. Tuck
in amt no name for it. burned if /
didn't go to the bottom an git skinned
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