Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-21

i9i All shYln IL was spiehuu.
About 3 o'clock in the morning I'd
say, Gap, it's soup day. Cap would
march out to the front door, lean against
the sill, and I'd harg a card around his
neck, Free lunch to-day, grcen-tur-
tie soup Then my old niger cook
would boil up lot Of cheap tripe,
Sleeps pluck, and chicken entrails, aud
at l. o'clock there would be smoking
hot treat for the boys. During the
mornin' folks would come along and
read the card, and Cap would look so
sad and patient like, they'd look at
him and like as not say: "Poor fell
low, 1t seems a shame to kill him,
don't III" After they passed Cap
would turn around and look at me as
If to say: These here fellers make me
tired About IL o'clock he'd watch
his chance and slip in behind the bar
and him and me would have a sociable
cocktail together"
What became Of this remarkable
animal?" inquired the Professor.
Why. one day | was taken sick and
stayed sick for week. 1t was-well,
gentlemen. to be honest with you. it
was the jams, an had 'em bad. The
boss put new barkeeper in my place.
one of them fancy fellers from New
York, an he couldn't see the gifts Cap
had and ordered him cooked and served
up to please a yacht party that was
laying up there. TANNED him like
L for it when ! got up again."
"The same all around! All right.
This is my treat. Put your money
back, Major. I'm white man, too
" had a soft-shell turtle once" said
the Major, that could beat any turtle
on trade | ever saw. Where lived
the pond on my place was a very small
one, and in summer time got pretty
low, specially if the season was dry
one. The summer was very dry in
1871, and Judas, which was the name
Of my turtle, and he was little fell
low-wouldn't weigh over eight
pounds-had bad time Of it. The feas
stuDg him so badly that he was in
fever most all the time. One day
was walking down by the pond
when noticed him anil
big land-turtle talking very earn
estly together. stepped behind
a tree so that they couldn't see me and
watched the fun. Judas was trying to
get the land-turtle to trade shells with
him. They argued long time, and |
was afraid Judas wasn't going to make
it. Presently bright idea seemed to
strike him. He whispered to old hard
shell, the latter nodded yes, and then
Judas went into the pond. When he
came out he had a young go>ling
that had got killed somehow.
and he had stored it away for
his own eating. He laid it down and
knew the trade was made. 1t was
the funniest sight | ever saw when they
began to Shuck. 1t was just like two
old fellows trying to swap Oyercoats,
only tighter fl. When they changed
suits and got on their new clothes |
couldn't hold out any longer. bust
out laughing and then they saw me. 1t
made Judas so mad he put for the
woods and have never seen him
since"
1.-The biggest turkle ever seed"
said the old Cracker, twas down at
Smyrny in sc. Ne and my pardner
cotched it. Hit weighed SIC pounds
and four ounces. We had to let hit
90. though. kase thar want any house
within ten milds.'
" How could you be so exact about
the weight, them" inquired the Pro-
lessor.
"Kase we had iist cotched one of
them big red fish an We used hits
scales" was the sarcastic reply.