The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-11-14
A GREAT MAN.
How a Young Negro Surprised and
 Delighted His Old Father,

"Whut yer doin' wid dat bun'le2 WhAr yer gwine?'
 "Oh, lse gwine up ter town. l'se got tired O dis sorter work an l'se gwineter start out now to be CT geunerman."
 Old Jasper, the far ner, had, upon meet. ing his son in the lane, addressed to him the aoove mentioned questions and had received the above stated reply.
 Wants ter be CT gennerman l' old Jasper exclaimed.
 "Dats whut said"
 Wall, how in the worl is yer g~ine,er be er gennerman ["
 l'se gwlne up ter town an rub ergin men O 'huence an slandin' Tn dc cur muri,y. l'se tired O bein' CT clod hop. per"
 Look here, Ali yer ain gwineter leab me lore de cotton is dun picked, IS yer t'
 lse got ter go, ole man. has wucke d fur yer eber sense l wuz a chile, an err bout all hab eber 'ceibed wuI CT few straw hats an CT few pa'rs o mighty com mon britchcs, so fse tired. wants ter go out in dc woil' sn' be CT big man, whut de newspapers talk erbout."
 Wall, son, ef yer mus go, yer mus, reckons. Yers ole einuf ter be yer own boss, but it's mighty hard ter gin yer up jes' at de time yer's git,ln ter be sich CT useful pusson in de cotton patch, an femme tell yer: les e Sho's dar is CT heaharter, yer's gwineter be sorry fur leabin' dis place"
 Well sec erbout dat, dad"
 "Ali right, goodbye
 The old man turned sadly awly, and, with spirits depressed, walked toward his house. With the prophetic insight of father he knew that his son wosld never amou l, to anything. "Ise eheerd he Il lan' in dc pennytenchy," the old man unused. Boys whut goes erway rum home neber ermount ter nu.h'n'." The boys musings were somewhat different. "l'se gwineter s'prize dc people in dis heah curmunity,' said he. Fore two yeahs rum dis tune I'll be CT grea, man."
 Ole year passed. The only greatest sho& on earth was advertised. The De- groes were oyously expectant. The only greatest show on earth arrived io town. Old 8sper, his wife and daughter were among the deli shted negroes who assem- bled to sec the great exhibition. While the old man was gazing in rapture, feathered and painted / ilu said to him
 Doan yer know me {"
 "Whut2"
 "I say doan yer rekernize me?"
 "Wall, gennerman, 1 rekernizes yer color but blame ef knows yer name"
 "Keep quiet. i'se yer son All"
 The old man threw up his hands and uttered an ex x-lama,ion that quickly brought his wifi. and daughter to his side.
 Nancy" he said to his vile, "dis is our son All Tidy. dis is yer bruder."
 The women gazed in mingled a:tonish- ment and admiration.
 "Is il possible Y' said Nancy. "Wy Jasper, yer said dis chile neber would CT mount ter nu,hin' an nov wid de smart ness dat wuz bornd in him, he hab, in one yeah's time, dun lurnt how ter be CT Zalu. 1 allus did say dis boy wuz gwise ter be CT great pusson an 1 thanks ce Lawd dat hab hbed ter see dis day"
 Don't crowd the / ilu," said one of the sho=mea. He has ,v been cap tured and we canno. be rep ,asible for any act of violence he may commit. Stand back there"
 "Wall, wali," said old Jasper. "How fooled CT pusson sometimes is. When 1 uster work in de cotton patch wid dat boy neber thought he wuz g vine ter be a grea, man like dis. Wall, wall, wen erwsy an laYned how ter be erZ iiu. D ar ain no tellin' whu, CT sm an m an ken do. Look out. Tidy, doan put yer diry haas on de Akin gennerman. Dido' yer heAh whut de showman said: Yer acks like CT neber saw CT cu'osity afore. Wall, wall, ter think da, SC hoed in de fl .P wid di pusson- ci: Z.is se.sszmae. While all de yudder young niggeTs in de neighb bor- hood wuz pickin' cotton, dis chile wuz iarnin' how ter be CT Akin. Wall wall,