The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-10-08
Il FRAUDS NO MAN"
How Uncle Jake Applied the PRO Rata
Principle SO "a Losing Contract.
u. isnr

Some few days since one of our con
| tractors had occasion to tear down an ole
| brick wall and remove the material else
where. He agreed with an old darkey
| to do the Job for fifteen dollars; the ioI
! to be paid for as soon as completed. The
sub-cOntractOr filled with the Importance
of his position, at once engaged the ser
vices Of fifteen other negroes, agreeing
to pay them at the rate Of one dollar pei
day for their services. But, as the work
approached completion, the idea sudden
Iy entered uncle Jake's head that he was
not making any great profit out Of the
contract. This would not begin to do
50 calling in the aid of white friend
who kept small grocery hard by, he
submitted the case, and was advised to
settle with his hands pro rata the best
he could. 1t was a sight not readily to
be forgotten. Seated upon a nail keg,
uncle Jake, after clearing his throat to
attract attention, began by the assertion,
a FRAUDS NO MANI"
''Now, wants all you colored gentlemen
to un'stan' dat | loses on dis yer con-
track. l don't see my way to muffin
tall | wants cbbry man to hab sumfin,
cause dat's right; but, see yerc, dis yere
money amt gwine to hole out; 'clar it
aint; and ! don't want any grumblin';
nor no fuss kicked up with me; you
hear dat? How much does [ owes you,
Lemuel ?"
'Dollar n'arf You knows dat well as
| do. Didn't I work for day'n'a arf?''
Y-a-a-s! Well, you take a dollar, an
say no more about it, de money amt
gwine to hole out, | tells you. | wants
ebbry man to get a share, and dat's all
you gifts anyway. Say, you Dan, wot |
owes youY
8 You owes me a dollar, Uncle Jake.
| done worked day"
"Dat's what | thought. Here is half
dollar and a dime to get you drink of
whiskey wild"
"But | wants my dollar"
"Course you does, but frauds no man;
dis yer money has got to 90 round some
how. YOU hear me? Now | don't want
anv Of your foolin round here. Jim"
"Here | is"
"Oh, you're dar, is yer?" How much
| owes you, Jim?'
DOLLAR n'quarter."
mighty tight times for money, jim;
nebber see such times afore. Here, take
OlS yer StDDtllIN lNt NtlllN anu N'S
Lord its no worse"
"Look heah, Uncle Jake, don't We
come none o'dat on me, kase l amt
gwine to put up wild it."
3" Now don't you go maxim a fuss,
heah; mind | tole you De money amt
gwine to hole out, | done tole you all
dat l frauds 10 man. Every man
spects to get a little, and how you tink
dey'Il get it an you maxim a fuss like
dis? done heard enuff Joe :"
" Now fore you begins to talk, ole
man, don't YOU fool wild me; [ done my
work, an now l wants de sperzerinctums.
Butter-berdam eff | takes any nonsense.
Hand ober that money. OATS wot you's
got ter do"
" How much I owes you, JOe?'
4" You owes me sebbenty-five cents
and wants it right away. And besides
| done lost my hatchet, so | don't make
muffin any way"
" You done lost your hatchet ?"
"Dat's wot | tole you !"
Sorroy bout dat, - responded Uncle
Jake, kase I alIus adopted a rule, when
a man lost any ob his tools, his got to be
docked till dey're fotched back. Here
take dis quarter and trabble.
- But de hatchet was mine, you ole
fool. You understand dat ?"
''Don't know muffin about 1t, you no
business ter lose de hatchet. | frauds
no man: when YOU fOtches dat hatchet
back, den l talks more wild you about it.
But I nebber lows any man to lose de
tools. Dat amt business.
6 See here man, you's a fraud, you's