Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1880-11-06
A Silent Partner.

Old Dabbs and Jim Carter, two
colored men, having grown tired Of
farming, came TO this city and
opened O kind of grocery store.
Dabbs WAS u shrewd, bow-legged
man, with broad feet and nose
shaped like the half of pear. Car.
ter was young aud inexperienced.
After the stock had been purchased
Dabbs remarked:
Garter, Use de oldest. In dis
case hits necessary fur yer to be-
the jungier podner."
"All right" said Garter; II don't
keer what my name is, but wants
half de money what comes in ober
de COUNTER"
"Dat's fact, Carter; yen make
u sharp business man. Dar's lot
Oh niggers got dar eyes on dis
sto', but we'll fool 'em. Carter,
does yer owe any debts in dis
wurP?"
"Lemme see. Yes; owes man
fur a saddle-blanket.n
allow long hab you owed 'im?'
"Bout five years."
"How much was it wurf?'
"BOut two dollars"
"Lemme count de intrust. Two
is one, added onto de five. duplex
fractions comin'f In twixt dc two
an de five; cOmpun' cathartic
fractions COMM In twixt De duplex
fractions. Ninss q nine. wild ten
as u podner. Ten goes way am
'leben stands up. Mr.. Carter, yer
owes dat man 'leben hundred dol
lars an . quarter"
SHOWS dxt?"
"Why, cordin' ter de intrust. De
intrust IL awful heaby. Hit fairly
makes q man sweat. Hit breaks
up de white man and robs de mig
gah Of his labor. Dat man could
come and break up our sto'. He
could sell us out. heard a planta.
tion niggar talkln' bout us yestsr-
day. Now ef yer wuz de signer
podner, which means the oldest, de
man couldn't do nothin'. Dis 10 q
fault Oh de law. De Laigeslature
is q awful rascal lot of feIlers. Well,
now, yer must be my silent pOdner.
Does ye heah?"
"rse lisenin'."
"Den the man can't tech yer.
Use got head as long as water
million. Well, now, femme read
yer dis paper"
Then Dabbs read the following:
Dis heah is ter certify dat Dabbs
an Carter IL podners. DAbbs is de
action podner and Carter 10 de 81
len podner. Dis is also ter certify
dat 30 soon ez Dabbs quits bein' de
action podnsr de whole sto' longs
ter Carter, an when Carter quits
bsin' de silep' podner. widOut Hn-
uder 'greement, de sto' all longs
ter DAbbs.
"Dis were wrote up by q cullud
lawves," said Dabbs. "Sign de pa
per-"
The two men signed the instru-
inent aud called In witnesses. Next
morning Dabbs came down to the
store early, and when Garter ar
rived all the witnesses were sitting
In the store.room.
"Good morning, Dabbs," said
Carter. Dsbbs didn't say any.
thing, aud Carter continued;
"Why de deuce doesn't yer speak
to me?n
"De sto's all mIne," said Dabbs,
arising and turning to the wit.
nesses.
"How's date" asked Garter.
"Case yer's no longer silent
podner. Yer's talkin'. When u
man talks he's not silent. Yerll
please Leah my stO,' Carter, an GO
Oft down In de country, EFF yer'd
stuck ter de 'greement, eberytipG
would been all right. Hits plain
ter be seed dat yer won't"
Carter appealed to the witnesses,
but was Informed that he had
broken silence, and of course wal
no longer part owner In the
store. The disconsolate man left.
He 10 now q candinate for the Leg
stature, and sweArs that If he II
elected he will work for the repeal
Of the law.-Little Rock Gazette.