The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-12-22
AFRICAN IKE
Tells Young Mulkittle How He Became aMan of Great Wealth What
 Caused His Downfall

Caused His Downfall. African Ike had so interested young Mulki,,le that. regardless of his fathers advice, he continued 10 visit the old mans cabin.
 night, why don't you git yourself new pair of pants!'
 "'Case l'se too DO, honey. l ain, go, money huff ter buy par O slippers fur a jack rabbit, much less par Q britehcs fur my sef. But dar wuz a time, honey, when wuz dc riches man Tn all de cur muni,y. l had more money dan could lif."
 Wha, did you do with |, Spend il for whisky :" thinking that all great for tunes were squandered in tha, way.
 No, but femme take dis skillet Q grease oifen de iire an Il tell yer. Wants dis grease ter sop my bread in Jes fore l l goes ter bed. honey. Man kain sleep wid a hongry appertite. honey. One ekenin, many y'ars ago, me an my brud- der Jim. whut wuz killed in de army, wu4 gwine long dc road, when up A,ps little 1 brown bird an lights on bush. I'll iis him fur his smar,ness' sez Jim, an he picked up rock. Hol' on. Jim,' s'l, doan hurt de little creetur'' 'Ta'kere, ser C. rse gwine salvate ebery- thing whut hops up afore me, an he blazed away an bip. he tuck de bird an broke his wing. DAr,' SCI C,
 l'se gwine ter roas him in de ashes an eat him al one bite No yer ain' s'l fur ain g~ine let yer an sna,ohn' up de DO little bird put him in dc busom O my shirt We went on ~har we wuz g~Ine, an l fofgo, all CT bout dc bird. but dat night while was sit,in' by myself in de cabin. all O a sudden l i heard de pu,teyes song l eber heard i got up an looked all 'roun' bu, eouldn' see nu,hin. den ter my great spr1e. out hopped de li,,le bird an lii on de table. I an bless yer life. his wing wuz dun well, an he seemed ter be loyn' hisse f powerful. He put his head on one side an gin me mighty wise look. ar den he shook hissef Den he 'gun,er ,utn yaller. an de mo he shuek hissei de yalIerer he got an de fust thing know he wu1 CT soa,teiin graias O go! all ober de table Den he sung
 Oh, ole man. yer may gedder up dr goi
 E1t. yer better Ia kere Q yer snfui soul. Chip, tn chip, '., hip.
 Doan yer ie, desc riches CT dAr1le yer eye l fur de rich like de DO is boun fur ter die Chip, '1 ohip. tli d chip 1 wuz much obleeged fur his song, bu, dinged ef il want his gol' wha, cotch me. ~uz mons,raos ion O music. bu, da, gol shined wid mighty me shine an filled de cabin wid a light dat wu1 joy ter see. De bird kep' on CT shakin' hisset an CT singin' an by dis time de gol wuz thick on de table. Sn | l tuck up nal kaig wha, SC IT de cornder an pu, ]. on de table an put de gol' m it an |. filed de kAig up ter de brim. tred 10 lf il do~n bu; It wul too heaby fur me, n ~id ! .ghi, confen,ed smile soi dosn an though, ~ha, mighty man ! ~uz 'Oh yas, thinks l, du !, be a nighty stirrin up O de conditions fore long. lse gwine | buy my freedom from my mArster an go to de nsyf an be big man. I'se gwine hab de wimmin lookin airler me ~id great 'miration, an CT de nsh fokes will want me ter come ter dar houses an make myself a, home doan ax no man no odds now, fur Ise richer den cream De little bird by dis time, had turned brown agin, an wuz a set,ia up CT dc mAnue-piece, an putty soon he sung
 Open ce do an let me 20,
 Chip. caip chip. chip. But ~har l flies yer mus not know Chip, chip ehip, chip.
 Col. lack me saus'tak up sinxs, Chip eeip; chip, chip,
 Dosn ger hing yer soul on earthly thing, ::
 Chp, ehiS ehip. chip
 q opened de do an an de bisd fewed away. walked roun' de room in de pride O my wealth felt myself bove any man dat eber seed, case wuz wuah SO much, an q my ole mars,ez had cum is, woulder flung him dsva nigh, dar. Wall, while wuz pancin' roun'