Lexington weekly intelligencer., 1880-01-24
Old King Coal.


is as ioily soul as jolly as he can be.
His devotees in Lexington may be be-
grimed with dirt until the white OF their
eyes is the only recognizable thing about
them, but behind the CRIME aud dir. may be
found warm and kindly hearts. Hearts
which impei strong arms to work Tor loved
ones in humble but innocent homes, and
which bring up TO the lips many laugh to
Tighten labor.
In the long lines of stalwart. black Visaged
men returning from work at evening, with
their buckets IN hand, and their mining
lamps stuck in the fronts OF their caps, may
be found many an instance or seli-sacrihce
and devotion to duty which would put to
shame men OF better opportunities ana all
of them, whatever their sins or short
comings, are ennobled by hard labor cheer
fully performed.
Among the jolliest of the "merrle crewe'
are the teamsters who haul the black
diamonds about town to adorn the blazing
heartbs on long winter nights, ana they
crack many Joke as their heavily lauen
tires cut through the macadam, or as they
wait patiently while Boss Meet weighs their
loads at the scales.
The scales are to the teamsters what "the
corners are to the St. Louis politicians,and
1t is here they meet to jibe each other about
being lazy il a certain number OF loads are
not hauled, to compare notes generally-to
swap CAB, as they say.
On New Years morning it was understood
that Boss Meet would give premium OF
| twenty-five cents to the first teamster who
appeared un the scales with a load of coal.
Now, twenty-five .cents is not much money.
but it is something to he pointed out as the
smartest fellow that drives team, so all the
boys kept quiet and determined to be on
hand early.
About the time that the good Methodist
friends were going home from watch meet
Ing, when the new year was but three or
four hours old, George James could have
been seen dris ing his team up to the scales
He could not find an entire load OF coal any,
where, so had gathered from number OF
banks about twelve bushels, and had pre-
sented himself thus early, the first man on
the groun1, and apparently the undoubted
champion. He stopped with his horses
noses at the scales to prevent anyone else
from driving on. He hadn't been to bed at
all, and was IN earnest in wanting to be the
| best man. AS Boss Meet was not about, he
| started out to find Uncle Edmund. the old
| colOred brudder who makes the fire in the
Boss Office. He raped and raped at Uncle
Edmund's door. The old man heard him,
but for a while he would not answer-he
thought it was q studen'-doctor after him.
| Of is
All well informed people know that d
studen'- doctor is student of medicine,
whose business 1t is, in the pursuit OF knowl-
| edge, to cut up the human form divine in
order to see what is In 1t, and what 1t is
made OF. Since the Stewart grave robbery.
| 1t is well understood that the city cemeteries
are so closely guarded that cadaUrss cannot
| be obtained from that source, and the vigil
| ant policemen in large cities make kidnap-
ping dangerous, so the studen'-doctors send
their agents to the smaller towns to kidnap,
garrol- and ship to them the best specimens
that can be found of the coIored genus homo,
as they are harder of Identification than
whites In case of detection. For these specl.
mems the studen'-doctors pay from one hun
dred, down to ten dollars, it is said, accord
ing to size and physicai development. As
several sharp-looking, blood-thirsty fellow:
have been seen on our streets, recently
supposedly from the Kansas City studen'
doctory, a large portion OF the colored popu
lation have been very cautious about benz
out after dark. These were the reasons
which made Uncle Edmund cautious, an,
very wisely SO, too. However, after alarm
ing the whole neighborhood, George sue
ceeded in convincing Uncle Edmund that II
was not a studen'-doctor, and the old maj
consented to go down to the scales and max
fire.
In little while along came Bill Duncan
two hours before day, thinking how smar
hs was, only TO find George James team jan
: up in the pass-way to the scales.
Next came the little Irishman, Phil Mar
tin. Now, Phil. has an innocent look abOu
him, but he is sly. When he was younge
r he used to be what the boys now call
"mssher" among the girls. Its many's til
t Polly, and Kitty, and Susie, and Sarah
mavouineen, that has yielded her heart t
. that little old coal hauler. Now there Wa
no woman to palaver in this case, but 1t Wa
l
count somebody out. in order that he Nigh
!, be first, which he Immediately proceeded t
:, do by driving around the scale yard an
d driving on the scales, from the wrong dire
: tIon, placing his horses noses to the noses
}, George James horses, which were at, bl
II not on the scales. And that was the wa
y that little Phil outwitted his friend Jones.
y Then along came Wash. Price. Washing
y ton is democratic citizen of color, as trt
d to his party as most men in these days, ar
d somewhat accustomed to being counted ou
% Still he was sorry to be fourth instead
a. first; but as Aurora had not lit the battl
d ments OF the east even when he came,
IS could not we'll be marked down as q laz
Ie bones.
ID By this time the drivers became sOmewh
1t indignant, even if 1t aUaS before day, bsoau
e, the Boss had not put In an appearance, al
10 like true Americans, u meeting was promI
Ill Iy organized and resolution was passe
Id The resolution appointed committee to
re to the Boss dormitory with wheelbarro
Of with orders to convey him in said vehicle
the scene of action. 1t was resolved, secor
IN that the Boss he fined 90 cents for tardine
le said 90 cents to be judiciousy expended
r, the meeting.
,g About this time, however, the Boss put
Id an appearance, and, as it would have
e. qulred Maine supreme court to have
: cided to whom The premium belonged
&c satisfactory sum OF money was awarded
1e the four early birds, who Immediately
h. solved themselves into q committee of
to whole; and the proceeds of the money d
1g appeared amidst dancing, laughter a
ed jokes.
he Serious calculations are already bel
lie made as to Who Will win the premium ne
1t, year. There is some talk of employ ing
ny Old New Orleans returning board to cot
IS all the drivers in, at the expense OF the Be
Is, Tho only fear is that the Boss may ge
IN weigh from the by some scaly means.
ais Uncle Edmund says he'll be dar if
IS, studeD' doctors don't get I'm
od Commence preparing your tobacco be
nm 5000 yards OF elegant and cheap Ii amb
w embre!deries were opened this week,
IN Conk!ing's. They We're bought before
be Recent advance.
The music teachers of the E. sAull,
Is quartette, and other friends, will give u c
cb cert soon in aid of the contemplated
er provement OF the school building.
mr.. Grove Young Is always enterprislng.
,us next venture will be the building of Il
so store-room at Higginsville, with a Z,