Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-02-20
THE RABBIT FOOT.
A Short Story From the Pen of Opie P.
Read.

OlulhdlJ PuooollS, pOSS, DuI udr all
no use'n talking, l aim gwine ober
dar by dat graveyard ter day."
Jasper Holdings, an old negro well
known in the bottoms, threw down
the lines and, ominously shaking his
head, climbed down from the wagon.
Judge Boyers, planter upon whose
plantation the negro was employed,
had ordered him to drive over to an
old graveyard, on the border of the
plantation, and bring away a load of
posts which he would find piled up
in the woods.
"Kain' so, jedge," old Jasper re-
peated. His face had assumed
serious expression, creating the inn
preston that if it were possible he
would turn pale.
"Why can't you go?" thejudge de-
manded. "Don't l pay you for your
work?"
"Oh, yes sab; yer pays me fur my
wuck, but who gwine ter pay me fur
bein' skeerd ter def by dem ghostez?
It's gittin' laung in de ebenin' an
dem sperets III put on dar white shirts
putty soon an hop er roun' in er
gram dance o. def. Uch huh, yer
kahn tamper wild me, 'kaze I'se been
heah for some time-come heah fore
de leaves put out"
casper" said the judge, "you are
too old to talk that way"
"Yas, sab, vas, too ole ter talk
dat way, but aim too ole ter look
back, see err ghost an den run ag'in
er tree an kill merse'f. Yer may
call me foolish eff yer wants ter but
I'd ruther be er fool an hab err good
apertite den ter be er smart man an
be skeerd inter de grave. Tse had
seb'ral er casiOns ter slider desc we're
p'ints an yer dun heard whit rse
predetermined. Good evenin', sah."
"Hold on, Jasper" the judge call
ed. The negro stopped. "You be-
lieve in the power of the rabbit foot,
don't you?"
"Well, sab" scratching his head,
81 does sorter b'lebe in de art O de
rabbit foot"
81 dare say you have one in your
pocket"
"Yas, sab, l has; has fur er
tack"
"Well, don't you know that if you
cross yourself a time or two with that
foot no ghost can modest you"
"Who tole yer dat?"
"Sam Jones, the great revivalist,
says So"
"Who, dat man who dribes up de
mourners like driben sheep in de
pen?"
eyes"
"Well, den, dar mus be sumfin in
de fack."
"There is, undoubtedly"
"Is yer sho' dat de holy white man
said dat fack?"
81 heard him say it,"
"Nuff said. Pse gwine after dem
pOstez."
He climed on to the wagon and
drove away. Nat Boyers, thejudge'S
son, had overheard the conversation
and slyly entering the house, he
secured white tablecloth, and by
crossing field reached the graveyard
before Jasper arrived. Nat, envelop
ed in the tableclOth, was seated neal
grave when the negro drove up
Jasper was ill at ease, but contriveC
to sing tuneless song.
| doan wanter stay in dis old worl
Good Lawd, take me home.
Fur sin comes er roun' in regular whirl,
Good Lawd, take me home.
Moses an Aaron lubed de Lam,
Good Lawd, take me home,
An da fed de people on de gospel ham,
Good Lawd, take me home.
Oh, yes, good Lawd, do take me ter rest
Mid er halelujah kiverin'
ODER my breast,
An.
"Who dat flingin' at me?"
Nat, while crossing the field, ha'
found bone, and had thrown it a
the negro.
"Wh0dat fling or chunk at me?'
he repeated, as he nervously crosse,
himself with therabbit's foot. 1900,
Iawd, faint no chunk. It's bon
er de human fambly."
Just then he discovered the "ghost.
He dropped ON his knees, crosses
himself with the rabbits foot an
said:
"Doan know whit yer is, but kee
erway. Mout be er saint, an We
mout be er-- Great Lawdw