The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-09-08
HIS FATHERS BONES
Why a KentuckiAn D,i Not Want .
 Skeleton 10 Dance


 Al the Louisville exposition an inge- niously arranged skeleton dances on platform. keeping pe'tee; tune with the music. The other day. during per formanee Of the skeleton. serious look ing man rushed forward and exclaimed
 Hold on. eapn. Take the s,ring otfen ,ha, skillean. an let h,m he down awhi,e"
 The exhibitor pad ns attention. and the man exclaimed Turn that skilleun loose
 "l wish you would keep qaie:. the exhibitor replied.
 "keep quiet. the deuce rhis ,s no tune to keep qule, want ,ha, skiiie,in. an I'm goln' 10 have it s''
 l" you don't keep que, I'll have you elee,ed,' the exhibitor sad with | t,rrn- ness shA, ief, no doub, Tn the minds oi the audience tha, he mean, exactly wha, he sad.
 You don, understand the rela,ion- ship between me an thA, Skilletin.' the man remarked =;;h e:..c..an Listen to me. My father aiers ,eAehed me"
 He didn', tea you grammar. sad the exhibitor
 ' Never mind about grammar I've 90, facts, an grammar an geography can, hold Ugh, to facts. My father aller's ,eached me that |, was wrong to dance. Many a tune has he aui, Preachin and came ,o a shndis ,o make me stop shAkln my foot. Finally 1 had so much respec; for hum tha, l qu,, dancin. an for years now have been deprived Of the pleasure Now. sec that have been imposed on. II he wouldn', aliow me 10 dance blamed if ought 10 allow hum. an d,ngcd II am goin' ,o do i;
 don, understand you. sad the eA. hibi,or, becoming interested.
 :" reckin not. bu, you will Ina, sk,lle;in is my father He was buried ou, here sn Breihe; county. an be- aGse he ~as sine-lookln man. of shape. the doctors dug him up. They tuck him away. scraped his bones. strung 'em to- ge,her and sold 'em 10 you Now you are aking him do les, ~hA, he kep' me from do,n'. It's wrong. cap'n, to make preachers skilletin dance in A side show. Take him dswn an le, me pu, in a fe~ hckA The old man has had the ad. vantage for many years, an nos blame fl don't want show bu, aside from that, cap'n, do think ,ha, l, is wrong io make the skiIletin oi a preacher dance. specially when the preacher ,n life was so opposed to shakin' the foot. Give me the old man an I'll go an bnv hlm ls's shame to keep him up 90 late for he L'ers did believe in goin' to bed 'arly Hand him here. podner. an wi,h .ol- emn feelin' lei me put him asay You may have bought him. an may lose oy the uansaction. bat consider the seelins' of devoted son. Hos wosid you feel fl your father wAs made ,o dance in side sho~; WouLdn, you feel like mAuiin' the hddlers an rnashin' the danein' mars,er Gimme the old man ar les me take him home to his grlef- struck family. Le, my mother an sisters kA have never been placed in my position. 1 reckin. don, suppose you ever saw the aged skil.etin of your hoaored father stand up an dance for the zmuse men. of white fokes ar niggerA The appeal tha, make 10 yog is from the tenderee part Of my breas. Look hos rec kiess the old man is made 10 shake h,s leg. He suffered from rheumafix in life, an don't yoa kno~ sha; t is wrong 70 make him cAper that way. am zppealin' ,o 2 humane sympathy" and he sorowfuliy leaned on the edge Of the platform ~i am direcsin' my remarks to people shz, have had fathers. want 10 kaow d there's man in this crowd that would I like to see the skiIletin Of his faskes ii, up here an kick up his Aeshless heei- bones for the amusement of . gigxiin' crowd! What would you think, ir r turning to the editor of an Arirsnsaw if you were to find your father dancing here inssead of quietly in his grave ?"
 If the old man wanted to dance" re-