Smyrna times., 1885-02-18
OLD RODNEY AND THE BULL.

| 'fense o. my rights, WY all he's got ter
do is ter light inter me, dat's ALL" ex-
claimed old Rodney, a eOlored gentle
man whose African lineage was strik-
ingly set forth by kidney feet, enor-
nous lips so thick that they protruded
in perpetual pout, and hair that
| looked like the dead moss on a rock.
He had just climbed the fence, or
rather he had just fallen over, and
was standing in the doorway of the
planter with whom he was engaged
in "crapin' it." For a moment the
planter surveyed the old fellows torn
garments, and then, with as much of Il
smile as could be reasonably indulged
during a disastrous overflow, asked -
What's the matter, Rodney ?"
Look at me, sab, an den say yers-
self whut's de matter. Look at desc
heah cloze dat l got frum de guber-
mint durin' de high water. Look at
dis hat-w'y whar dat hat gone ter ?"
surveying his empty hand. Boss,
d'aint no use in perlaverin'. l KANT
stan no sich er racket like dis"
What's the matter, l asked you 2"
In cOse dat's, whut yer axed me,
all III COSC udI WlAUL 1 81 IGlilll NtE.
Dar's one thing mighty sho', boss. Dat
daim bull has got ter leab desc heah
premises ur l kaint stay heah, dat's
ALL"
Been having trouble with the bull,
Rodney"
"Habin' trouble wild him? Does
yer call it habin' trouble wild er thing
when yer's knocked down an tramped
on like er piece O. carpet Huh ?"
Well, yes, l should regard that as
troublesome" rejoined the planter.
Vas, l reckin yer would, sab. Dat
! daim bull tramped on me like 1 warnt
a voter in dis heah curmunity. I'se
been spectin' trouble wild him fur some
time, fur de udder day he shuck his
head at me, but l didn't think dat de
'slemnities o. de ercasion wuz gwine
ter come ter er head so soon. Dis
mOrnin' l put on my bes' clOze an
thought dat I'd go ober ter de Lawson
| place an jine in wild de monstrOus big
'ligieus meetin' what da's got ober dar.
| Slicked myself up wild er eve ter
! singin' an shOutin' wild dem wdder
wimmin whut libes in town; but now
! look at me. / started ter cross de lot
an had got er short distance when
heard suthen' benin me. Lookin'
rOun', seed dat blame bull shakin'
dat OnOry head O. hisen. Look out, ,
! S /, case yer dOan want no truck wild
me. l amt got no time fur yer, an
| lemme tell yer right heah, fool er long
wild me an de fust thing yer'll wanter
| be tuck to de 'sylum sOmeWhar'.i Den
he shuck his head agin an gunter
rake up de yeath Wid his fOrefeet
Keep on s. l, an yer'll be COM
| plainin' roun' heah dat yer heard
suthin' drop Barr sez re, an he
made at me. hilt out my breller, but
it vanished in er mint an dinged eff /
knows whar it did go ter. l made er
break fur de fence, but he Obertuck
me fore l got dar, an de Lawd, whut
er pO' use he did put me ter. Hooked
! his hons un'er my Vest-see heah p
an walked all Ober me. Boss, dat's
mon | ken stan an be in er pleasan'
humor. | ken put up wild er good 'eal
an still smile an bow an scrape
an say Mighty fine weader; how's all
de folks?' but when er daim bull like
dat tramps all Ober me, sah, an horns
me an suits me, l gifts fightin' mad,
does, an dOan yer fOrgit it."
Rodney, am sorry"
So is l, sab"
Very sorry to hear of your misfor-
tune, but what can you do about it 4?
You can only keep out of the bulls
way"
Keep Outen his way ~ he ex-
claimed in disgust, keep outen his
way when he hab made me look like
dis; no, sab, l won't keep outen his
way. I'll git me er chunk er fire ter
night an chase him roun' dat lot till
he think de debil come sho' nuif.
ClOze gone an 'ligion gone, fur Icussed
! de daim scoundrel when | got on dis
side de fence, yas, an I'd er cussed
him sooner ef I'd er had time. / neber
done nOthin' ter him ter make him
carry on dat way"
DON'T you know the reason he at
tackled you ?"
No, sab, / doan, but I'll make him
know de reason dat tack him."
1t was because you wore red
scarf"
Whut business wuz dat o. hizen.
Hab it come ter dis awful pint dat
eben er Dull mus tate ter cr nigger
whut he mus war? OATS er fine
come off. Doan wanter see me whar a
red sca'f eh? Well, blame his ugly
pictur, dat do make me mad. l wuz
almOs' willin' ter 'scuze his udder suit.
but I'll be dinged eff he mus tell me
whut ter war. Eff yer gifts up in de
mawnin' an fms dat bull fcelin'
mighty poly, yer needn' hunt long fur
dc reason. It'll be me. Good day,
sab" and, as he turned from the door
he muttered: wants me ter dress
ter de notion o. er scrub bull. Blebe
dat white man is er standin' in wild
him somehow."-Opie p. Read.