Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-12-12
EDUCATED BEN.
Man Who Proved His Worthless OF
Taking Charge of . Plantation.

4
to take charge of the right wing of his
plantation. Old Ben represented him.
self as being the most industrious farme,
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 doing on bench
under tree.
"Why, Ben, what the deuce do YOU
mean noddihg aroun1 here VIXEN you
ought to be at work."
Ben Strengthened up, rubbed his eyes
and replied:
Dis yesse'f boss?"
"Of course it a."
wall, Pse glad ter see yer. Dat lower
fiel' struck me ez bein' er scrter cu'i:
piece o. Ian, an had jes' sot down heat
thinkin' bout de bes' way ter wick it
Yer see, Use foun' out dat dis heah new
solter farmin' is de bes', an in conseI-
quence, hab been readin' some o desc
heah Cultural papers,"
"Now, look here, Ben, you know that
you can't read"
"Who kahn read?" Ben asked with an
air of injured establishment.
"You can't
"Now look heab, OATS er unleserbed
slam on er pusson dat nebber do yer no
harm. Pc been er edycatih' myself fur
de las yeah, an de fus' thing 1 knows
de berry white man dat rse got de mos
'speck fur comes er laung an knocks al.
de props frum un'er me by sayin' dat
kahn read. Oar ain no jestice in dat
sorier conversion, Mr.. Savin'ton, l sw'ar
ter de Lawd dar amt. Heah 1 sets, de-
votin' my brains an learnin' ter yer own
iutrust, an heah yer comes wild 'busc in
one han an 'struction in de yudder"
"If l have wronged you, old man,
am sorry for it,"
snow, dat's de way fur or white man
ter talk"
81 always give man chance to prove
his assertions. Uncle Ben," said the
planter as be took newspaper from his
pocket. "Now let me hear you read
some"
The old man took the paper, spread it
upon his knees, gazed at it, put his fin
ger on large letter and said:
dis heah is er j."
"No, that is an H.
"WalI. die ones erj.
"No, That is an f."
dis ore is er j, den."
"No, that is an h."
"Wall, dis heab one is er j."
ayes. that is j but want you to read
some"
"Ain't I dun read?'
mo. you haven't"
"Didn't I pick out de j? Whut mo-
does yer want? Picked cut de fur yer.
OATS all yer ken AK"
81 knew that you couldn't read"
"Who couldni?"
"You, confound your trifling hide
Fine way ter talk ter er man arter
he's dun picked out de j. Doan do er
man no good ter vase his time er gittin'
er education"
New, Psi" said the planter, Il am
going aksier, md sball be gone about
week. WheHl come back, / want to
see that lower field nicely broken up"
"All right, sah."
A week pass. d and the planter return
ed. The field had not been touched.
He went to the cabin but the old negro
was not there. He went down to the
bayou and found old Ben sitting on a
log. fishing"
Ben, you
"Sb boss. Auuder nibble an I'll hab
dis pearch."
81 ought to take q stick and maui you.
Get off this place. DONE want you to
stay around here. You are no account
and the sooner you are gone, the better"
"Whut do all yer, boss"
81 don't care to talk to you"
''Jes' talk ter me jes' dis wunst an ]
won't ak yer no mo-. Jes' tell me whut
yer's mad erbout."
"Why didn't you break up that fielO?"
wall, declar. is dat whut yer's milf
fed erbout? Wy, Zee folleied yer
'struckshups."
You are an cid liar!" the planter an
grily exclaimed.
Oar yer 60; dar yer 60. Didn't yer
tell me dat when yer come back yer
wanted ter see dat fier broke up?"
"You know ] did"
avail. Pse ready now ter let yer see it
broke up, but you couldn't see it
broke up when yer wuz er way. Yer
didn't say dat when yer come back yer
wanted ter see dat it had been broke
up. Err man whut kahn talk grammar
aim got no business er foolin' wild er
edycated man."
Get off this place."
"Is I too. rich 'ur yer onedycated
blood?'
Move on, tell you"
"All right, it's jes' ez vessel says.
Foun' de fur yer an larned yer how ter
talk grammar an dis is de thanks gifts.
Boss, femme stay tell ! ketches de
pearch."
Move, you internal"
"l's gone. Good day." Arkansaw
Traveller.
Tete.a.Tete.
81 had cosy dinner last evening with
. bright widow and pretty young
married woman"
"You don't say 30, lucky dog, why
L L a 40