The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-03-21
A "NIGGER" STORY.

Doan 'speck CT ole nigger ter write el story, does yer2 Now, doan yer fly of at CT tangrm an say dat he kain't do it. 1 hab noticed dat in dis worr it's de things whut we try ter do, an not de things whut we doan try ter do whut am 'complished. My name is Josh Jackson, am want named arter Gineral Jackson. nuther. l uster Tong ter ole Harvey Jackson whut libed in Georgia. wuz CT young buck O CT feller when de wah come up, an didn' hab sich CT mighty good name 'mong de neighbors, l'se sorry to ter say. Da. didn' come right out an 'cuze me O stealin', but noticed dat da wuz mighty purtic'lar in lokin' up ebery- thing when da seed me hangin' roun' de premises. l woan' deny dat wuz CT devilish black pusson, fur wuz, but l neber done nobody no bad harm. When de Yankees oberrun de country, ole Mars he comes ter me an says:
 "Josh, l reckon yer'd better cut out now an shift fur yesse'E Dar ain' nuthin' doin' heah, an yer is jes' foolin' erway yer time stayin' on de plan 'ation. Yer's young man an is doubtless got CT long life erfore yer. is ole an ain got much longer ter lib. My spirit is all broke ter pieces, Josh"
 felt powerful sorry fur de ole man. De tears wuz rollin' down his face an his chin shook. His two boys-ez fine young m.n CT yer eber seed-had been killed in de fight, zn' his wife, good ole mistis whHt wuz sorter stingy wid her sugar an coffee, case she had to be, wrz dun dead O CT broken heart. De pore ole man wuz all dat wuz lef, an all de niggers but me wuz gone. stayed, partly ease had CT mighty 'speck fur ole Mars, an partly case allus did hab CT hankerin' arter de place whar de big pot piles an whar de pan sets back an stews fit ter kill itsef. Fore coul' an- swer, de ole gennerman went on:
 "De black curtain hab dun been drawd roun' my soul, Josh" he wuz CT eddycated pusson, an couP talk way up wander when he tried" an everything is dark, 'cept CT little light whut sees giimmerin' way of in de udder worl'. Yers a free man, Josh. No man ken put his ham on yer an tell yer ter come on. l hopes dat yer life will be pros'pus. Goodbye, Josh"
 "Mars' Harvey" ser l, "yer doan know how sorry l is, an ef it woul do any good ter cry, woul' git down on my knees an wet de groun' wid tears."
 "Twon't do no good, Jcsh," shakin' his head.
 Nor, sah, 'twon't do no good"
 Goodbye, Josh" holin' out his ham
 Goodbye, Mars Harvey. may see yer agin soon."
 Turned erway wid CT mighty sad heart Whar wux l ter go? Didn' hat CT cent O money, an my cloze want none O de bes'-er brown jeans jacket, CT hickory shirt an CT par CT flax britches but it wuz les' like ole marster said: Oar wa'n't nuthin' fur me in dat section O de country. struck out through de woods, concludin' ter go ter de union soldiers camp. Fore got dar, dark. ness come on, an CT heaby rain gun ter pour down. De thunder wux awful looked like sheets O sunlight flung on de earth. l got skeered. aim mu h afeered O human bein's, but hangin' roun' whar de lightnin' is transackin' its business, looked . little too much like toolin' wid de Lawd. l got un'er CT monstrous rock whut shelved out ober CT little creek, an lay down on some dry leaves whut foun' un'er dar. De place wuslow at de mouf, but back CT little piece wuz 90 high dat l cour almos' stan' up.
 How'd desc leaves git un'er heah 2' I axed O myself. "Mebbe de haugs fotch lem heah. Oats all right, but whut fotch dis big chunk heahi D;s,heah's drift, dafs whut it is, am I'd better look out fur myself" l neber did heah de rain come down vid sich a roar. Thought I'd git outen dar an fool wid de hghtnin' CT leetle while. Good Lawd, de water had done stopped up de place whar l had cum under. It rushed ike CT mill tail. Arter while my head gunter huEt me Er 'zamination prubed it ter 'sult rum de fack dat my kinkey ha'r wus uyin' ter stan' up, Dc water kep' CT risin' an q rrizin'. kep' q gettin' back an' q geatin' back till didn' hab no mo- roon. Great Mars'ter q de Aeabens,. 1. czieds ' | yer goin' tsr lst ysr o,e sar-