Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-09-30
4 SILENT PARTNER.
The Man who Suffered from a
Legislative Enactment.

The Man who Suffered from a
Legislative Enactment.
Little Rock Gazette.
Old Dsbbs and Jim Garter, two colored
men, having grown tired of farming, came
to this city and opened a kind of grocery
store. Dabbs WAS shrewd. w-legged
man, with broad feet, and with nose
shaped like the half of pear. Garter
WAS young and inexperienced. After the
stock had been purchased, Dabbs re-
marked 'Carter, Use de elest. In dis
case hits naisessary fur yer to DO de
jungier podner"
"All right" said Garter. 81 don't keer
what my name is, but | wants half de
money what comes In ober dc counter.
'Dats fack, Carter; yer'll make
sharp business man. Oars lot ob
nigeers got dsr eyes on dis sto', bnt we'll
fool EN-. Garter, does Yer owe any debts
in dis wurr Z"
"Lemme see; yes, | owes man fur a
saddle blanket"
''How long hab you owed him ?"
'"Bout five years"
How much wuz hit wurf?'
"Bout two dollars"
"Lemme count de intrust. Two is two
added onto de five, duplex fractions comm
in twixt de two an Ave oomponn cathu-
tic fractions comm in twixt dc duplex
fractions. Mines nine, wild ten Ms a
podner. Ten goes way an leben STAINS
up. MIR. Garter, Yer owes dat man 'leben
hundred dollars an quarter"
"How's dat2'
"Why, cordin' ter de intrust. De intrust
Ia awful heaby. Hit fairly makes "A man
sweat. Hit breaks up de white man aud
robs de niggah of his labor. Dat man
could come and break up our sto.' He
could sell us out | heard plantation
niggar talkin bout us yesterday. Now
eft yer wuz de sgner partner, which means
de olest, de man couldn't do nothin. Dis
| is a fault OBJ de law. De Laigeslature is n
awful rascal lot of fellers Well. now, yer
must be my silent partner. Does ye heah 7"
use lisenin'."
Den the man can't tech yer, Use got
head long as walermillion. Well, now,
femme read yer dis paper"
Then Dabbs read as follows:
"Dis beah is ter certify dat Dabbs an
Garter is poduers, Dsbbs is de action pod.
ner an Garter is de silen' podner. Dis is
also ter certify dat 80 soon ez Dabbs quits
bein' de action podner de whole sto' longs
ter Garter, an when Garter quits bein' de
silen' podner, wdout anuder 'greement, de
sto' all longs ter Dabbs."
dis were wrot up by oullud lawyer, 4"
said Dabbs Sign de paper"
The two men signed the instrument and
called in witnesses. Next morning Dabbs
came down to the store early, aud when
Carter arrived all the witnesses were sit
ting in the store.room.
Good morning, Dabbs," said Garter.
Dabbs didn't say anything, and Carter
continued; why de deuce dosnt yer
speak ter meI"
"De SOS all mine" said D4bbs, arising
and turning to the witnesses.
"How's dat y asked Carter.
Case yer's no longer Il silent podner.
Yers talkin.' When u man talks he's moi
silent. Yer'l please lesb my sto' Carter
an go of down in de country. III yer d
stuck ter de greement eberything woulc
been all right Hits plain ter be seed dat
yer won't
Carter appealed to the witnesses, bu
WAS Informed that he had broken silence
and of course was no longer part ownei
of the store. The discousoate man left
He is now a candidate for the Legislator
and swears that if he is elected he will VOL /
for the repeal of the law.