The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-11-28
EDUCATED BEN.
of Taking Charge of A Plan tstion

known planter, employed old Ben Brilsy y to take charge of the right wing of hls plantation. Old Ben represented himself as being the most industrious farmer in the bottoms. Several days after the agreement had been made, Savington went over to see how Ben was getting along and, not finding him in the field the planter betook himself to the cabin and found old Ben dozing on a bench under a tree.
 "Why, Ben, what tbe deuce do you mean, nodding around here when you ought to be at work"
 Ben straightcned up, rubbed his eyes and replied:
 "Dls vessel, bossr r'
 70! course, 1t iS."
 "Wall, l'se glad ter see yer. Dat lower 6er struck me CT bein' CT sorter cu'iS piece O lan', an 1 had jes' sot down heah thinkin' bout dc bes' way ter wuck it. Yer see, i'se foun' out dat dis heah new sorter farmin' is de bes', an in conser- queace, hao been readln' some O desc heah cultural papers,"
 "Now, look here, Ben, you know that you can't read"
 "Wno kain' read2' Bsu asked with an air of inj ured astonishment.
 "You can't"
 "NoW look heah, dAts CT ndeserbed slam on CT pusson dat neber did do yer no harm. lse been CT edycaun' myself far de las yeah, an dc fus' thing 1 knows de berry white man dat l'se got dc mol 'speck fur comes CT laung an knocks all de props rum un'er me by sayin' da, l kain' read. DM a,n' no .s,ice in dat sorter conversion, MT. SAvIu' ton, sw'ar ter de Lawd dar amt. HsAh 1 sets, de- votin' my brains an larnin' ter yer own intrust, an heah yer comes wld 'buse in one han an 's,ruction in de yudder."
 If have wronged you, old man. am sorry for it."
 "Now. dats de way far CT white man ter talk"
 "I always give a man a chance to prove his assertions, Uncle Bsn," said the planter as he took newspaper from his pocket. "Now, jet me hear yoa read some"
 The old man took the paper, spread 1t upon his knees, gazsd at it, put his finger on large letter and said:
 "D.s heah is erj."
 "No, that Is an l."
 "Wall, dis one's erj."
 "No, that is an f."
 "Dis one is CT ]. den."
 "No, that is an h."
 "Wall, dis heah one is CT j."
 "Yes, that is a but want you to read some"
 "Ain't dun read ?"
 "No, you haven't"
 "Didn't pick out de jI Whut mo- does yer waut5 P.cked out de far yer. Oats all yer ken ax."
 "l knew that you couldn't read"
 "Who couldnt7"
 "You, ooniound your trihing hide"
 Fine way ter talk ter CT m an arter he's dun picked out dc Doan. do CT man no good ter vase his time CT gittin CT edycation."
 "Now, Ben," said the planter, "I am going away and shall be gone abou. week. When 1 come back, l want to see that lower field nicely broken up."
 "Ali right, sah."
 A week passed and the planter returned. The field had not been touched. He went to the cabin bat the old negro was not there. He vent do~n to the bayo a and found old Ben sitting on a log, 6sh- ing"
 "Ben. you"
 ssh boss. Anudes nibble an m hab dis peareh."
 |" ought to take stick and maui you- Get of this place. don't want you to stay around here. You are no acco unt and the sooner you are gone, the be tteT.S
 "Whut do all ger, bossr'
 "I don't care to talk to you."
 @Jss' talk ter me jes' dis wunst an won't ax yer no mo. Jss' tell me whut yer's mad erbout."