The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-10-11
4 pusKY PETER.

iopie ?. Read, in New York Mercuy.l
 Hello, Nath, hear that you have joined the church again." said the gov ernor of Arkansaw, addressing an 4 old time" negro who had once been a very ardent church member, but who, after attending night school, joined the Free Thinkers.
 "Yas, sah; thought I'd better git back inter de fold. Dis inferdel bus ness may wuck well fur CT white man, boss, but ter a nigger its like one O desc heah two wheel rigs dat CT man straddles an rides like CT hoss-er nigger kaint fool vid 1t widout gittin' de bark knocked osen hi. shins."
 Why, in the first place, did you with draw from the church :"
 Wall, yer sec CT powerful smart man come down heah an 'gunte1 make speeches. At fust I thought he vuz de brazenes' man eber seed, fur he made fun O de debil, an hooted at his power. De more he 'splained de reasonabler it 'peered, till at las opened my mouf an aunter hay! hay! at de ole debil, too. Dis pleased de Free Thinker nightly, an ar,er speakin' wuz ober, he come ter me an gin me CT long talk. De nigger. say ne, hab allus been 'cuzed O bein' CT fool. Why? Case he hab allus showed CT wilderness ter belebe ebery- thing whut am told him. Now dar aint no proof dat de Bible am true de white folks whut am smart doan belebe it-but de po' nigger grabs hol, O de book an hugs it ter his onedycated breast. Drop tat foolishness, jine de Free Thinkers, an be 'specsed by de smart folks O de curmunity.' Dat talk seemed mighty reasonable ter me, an ez allus wanted folks ter think dat l wuz smart, gin him my han an opened my mouf in CT mighty loud 'spression O satisfacshun. Well, de Free Thinkin' teacher he rented a cotton plan 'ation an stayed in de neighborhood. He hired me ter wuck fur him. An, he wuz a shower, femme tell yer. When Sunday come put on my spike-tail coat an had started of ter church, when de gennerman he called me an say, say he:
 Whar yer gwine:
 :" Ter church, says l.
 Dat aint no way fur CT smart man ter do, want yer ter go ober ter de swamp her an fix dat fence
 Ca Kaint do it ter day, boss,' says l, fur haster rest on CT Sunday
 Sundays got muffin ter do wid our con,rack, says he. hired yer ter wuck, an wants yer ter wuck, Sunday or no Sunday
 'Ef dat's de case, sah, yer ken jis' take my name offen ger book De laws whut de Bible established is go ernuf, fur me, an r blebes I'd ru;her blebe Tn de Sabier an be looked on by sich smart tellers e yersef q CT fool den ter be wucked ter death an hab one O. yer set say: D,r lies de dead bod, O CT smart nigger. Ruther 'sociate wid Abraham an Moses, boss. Good day. I'se gwine back an shake hans wid Mars David, and fish wid Peter in de eberlastin' pool O faith
 "'Gwine ter be CT soldier O de cross, is yer? hessys. wi ] CT mighty ugly 'spres- sion on his face.
 "'Yas,' says l, 'an' blebes l'll go inter de battle right heah,' an l hopped ou dat aa ,e man an whupped him tell he ooulon' hoIler. Dem's te reasons gub'ner. No mo- inferdcl bus ness fur me. wants rest mo- an mo- e old age comes erlong, an kain', find il mo- Thar 70 sweet an refreshin' e ken by de stiii waters an' un'er de shade trees O ie gospel, whar de long grass grows in te green pa3tures."