The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-08-05
WIs You de Head Boss 9"

ct am not the head boss" replied tn
particular one addressed, "but you'll flint
man in that little room to the left, wh'
will attend to your business"
"Much obleeged to you, sar," and th'
dark shade hObbled toward the room
indicated. He was lame of leg, bu
he looked like he could whip many ,
bigger man, nevertheless. He had biz
quid in his mouth, which he shifted from
one side to the other, as he halted agair
in the second doorway.
Is you de head boss" he repeated II
the person sitting at the desk within.
"No; but what do you wantq"
"Pse after de head boss, sah."
1t was at a moment when two or three
hours of hard work made little relax
alton agreeable to the young man ad
dressed, who replied that while not the
head boss, yet he might be depended or
to rente. any service to his visitor
"What can do for your he said.
"Well, boss, Pse got some pO'try heah
dat 'jectured you might put in yel
paper" at the same time extending a roll
of manuscript, wrapped in suspiciOusly
greasy piece of paper.
"Poetry!" and the newspaper man
wheeled around. "What's your nameT
"Sam, sah."
"Where do you workT
cat de terbaccer warehouse, sab.
cooper de barrels"
"And you have found time during
the absorbing duties of your humble
but honorable occupation to write po
etry@
"Well, not 'dzackly, boss; you see
found dat paper, and some O. de gentle
men down at de house said it was love
po'ty, ard tole me to bring it up heah.' y
"Sam, are you in lovef
Sam sat down, turned his quid and
settled himself for talk. Meanwhile
the boys began to gather from the other
room. Sam addressed each of them fa
miliarly, and then smiled Oh the qucs
toner.
Not now, sab; l was once in dat very
fix, sab, but Pse quit dat now"
"What could have thus driven the
tender sentiment from your heart, Sam?'
"Well, sab, you see, when | was boy,
down in Green county, / belonged to
Henry Smith-yer didn't know him, did
yer, boss? No, l didn't 'spect you
knowed him. Well, as tole you, was
boy, like bout seventeen, and loved q
gal namen Susan and she had brother,
and he didn't like me-"
"That was unfortunate for you, but ii
only proves that true love never does run
smooth"
"Dar wasn't nothin' about to run, sab,
but blood" returned the dark man and
brother.
"Blood in love match, Sam? You
surprise me. How was itW
~ killed dat niger, sah."
"The devil you did. What for?"
"I juss killed him, boss, else he'd killed
me-"
Sam spit on the floor, gave his tobacco
another turn, and quietly gazed on the
ceiling, as his audience stopped to take
breath.
"Killed your sweetheart's brother,
Sam |" after while said the managing
man; "wasn't that curious way of con-
Quoting courtship?
"Sah?"
"Wasn't that rather strange way to
get wife?
"May look dat way to you, boss, but
felt called on to do somethin' to dat Mig
ger very sudden, and done it. You see
/ was courtin' Susan like, and / was
settin' down by her on a log out in de
yard wild my arm restin' round her waist
sorter lovin like, as de white folks do,
when dat niger cum out dar, and begin
to cuss and 'rar round and skeering Su-
san, which thought Orter take keer of
her, bein' as was sorter protectin' her
like. when he cum out"
"That was cOmmendable in you and
highly reprehensible in the brother"
"Sah ?'
"You were right, Sam, and her brother
was wrong"
ooh, yas, sir, dat's what you mean.
Well, he KEEP on a swearin and cuttin up
around dar, and Susan she got pale and
shaky like, and got mad then and tOle
dat niger to 60 long way from dar and
let me alone, else gwine TO injure him.
Den he cussed and tore, and pulled out
big butcher-knife an started to me,
and said he gwine to give my insides
some air."
"Did you retreat, Sam, in the very
presence of your adorableW
"Who's datT'
"Why Susan, your sweetheart; did
you run away and thus deprcciate your
standing for courage in her eyesT
ooh, yes, now know what you mean.
Run away? Boss, wish you'd a'been
dar."
"Why so, Sam ?"
"Well, sab, dat nigger cum at me wild
dat knife, and / knOwed dat my time
was come if 1 didn't do somethin' power
full quick, sol jest drap my ham down
in de pocket of my coat, and dat nigger
stopped right whar he was"
Il suppose he had some apprehension
that you meant to draw pistol"
"Weepin'l Oar wasn't no use to draw
no weepin', for dat nigger was as dead as
if lightnin' had struck him. When
drapped my hand down in dat pocket it
fell right on pistol, and de pistol
'sploded, and dar wasn't no more tarin'
round dun by dat young Niger"
You astound me. Can it be possible
that you thus forever destroyed all hope
of your future felicity in the society of
your beloved by thus ruthlessly Staying
her brotherw
"What did you say, bossT'
"You certainly were not rash enough
to become the murderer of your sweet
heart and your own hopes at one mo-
mentw
"Well, boss, If you'd seen dis nigger
lay in jail for nigh on to a year, and
comm mighty nigh bein' hung, and if it
hadn't been for old Marster / would, den
you'd a thought some one had been
killed."
"You escaped punishment for your
crime then, Sam ~
"Yes, sir; ole Massa stood by me like
a mighty good friend, and after de law
yers palavered over me whole day, do
jury set me Free"
"Did you go back to your sweetheart
thenT
No, sab, hain't seen dat gal from
dat day to dis, and some how or oder, j
was taught lesson by dat thing and |
don't want nothing at all about marryin'
any Of dem, and course / has fun wild de
.~al. Ill ...o~.. III. IL. ..I l,..t ua..