Smyrna times., 1880-10-06
A Silent Partner.
THE MAN WHO SUFFERED FROM LEGISLATIVE
ENACTMENT.

Old Dahbs and Jim Carter, two colored
men, having grown tired Of farming, came
to this city and opened kind of grocery
store. Dabbs was shrewd, bow.legged
man, with broad feet, and with a nose
Snapped like the half of pear. Carter
was young and inexperienced. After the
stock had been purchased Dabbs remark
ed:
Garter, Use de olest. In dis case hits
naisessary fur yer ter be der jungier pod.
ner."
"All right" said Carter, I" l don't keer
what my name is, but | wants half de
money whut comes in ober de counter
"Dat's feck, Carter. Yer'll make a
sharp business man. Oars lot OBJ mig.
gers got dar eyes on dis sto', but we'll fool
em. Carter, does yer owe any debts in dis
worl'?''
"Lemme see; yes, owes man fur a
saddle blanket"
" How long have you owedi .him?'
"'Bout five years."
"How much wuz hit wurf2'
"'Bout two dollars"
Lemme count de intrust. Two is two,
adden onto the FIVE, duplex fractions
comm in twixt de two an de five; COM
poun' cathartic fractions comm in twixt
de duplex fractions. Mines a nine, wild
ten as podner. Ten goes way an 'leben
stans up. Mr.. Carter, you owes dat man
'leben hundred dollars an a quarter"
"How's dat?"
"Why, cording ter intrust. De intrust
is awful heaby. Hit fairly makes a man
swear. Hit breaks up de white man, and
robs the niger of his labor Dat man
could come and break up our sto'. He
could sell us out. l heard plantation
niger talking bout US yesterday. Now eff
yer wuz de signer partner, which means de
olest, de men couldn't do nothin'. Dis is
fault oh de law. De legislature is q
awful rascal lot of fellers. Well, now, yer
mus be my silent partner. Does yer
heah2"
"I'se lissenin."
"Den de man can't tech yer. Use got O
head as long as a water million. Wall,
now, lemme read yer this paper"
Then Dabbs read the following: "Dis
heah is ter certify dat Dabbs an Carter is
podner. Dabbs is de action podner an
Carter is de Silen podner. Dis is also ter
certify dat as soon as Dabbs quits bein' dc
action podner, de whole sto' blongs tel
Carter, an when Carter quits bein' dc
silen' podner, widout anudder 'greement
de sto' all longs ter Dabbs."
Dis were wrot up by collud lawyur,'
said Dabbs. "Sign de paper" The two
men signed the paper and called in wit
nesses. Next morning Dabbs came dowr
to the store early, and when Carter arrived
all of the witnesses were sitting in tn,
storeroom.
"Good mornin', Dabbs," said Carter
Dabbs didn't say anything and Carter con
tinued; "Why de deuce doesn't yer speal
ter me?''
Do sto's all mine," said Dabbs, arisin,
and turning to the witnesses.
How's dat2" asked Carter.
Case yer's no longer a silent podner
Yer's talkin'. When man talks he's no
silent. Yer'll please leab my sto, Carter
an go of down in de country. IF yer'c
stuck ter de 'greement everything woulc
been all right. Hits plain ter be seed da
yer won't. 8.t
! Carter appealed to the witnesses, but wa
informed that he had broken silence, an,
} of course was no longer part owner O
the store. The disconsolate man left. II
is now a candidate for the legislature, an,
} swears that if elscted he will work for tn
J repeal Of the odious law.--LiaIe Rock Ga
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J English professional beauties wants
tariff against American girls, but English
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