The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-03-11
THE RABBIT FOOT.
A Short Story From the Pen of 0pie P.
Read


81 doan mine doin' de wuck o.
two ordinary pussons, boss, but
ain gwine ober dar by dat
grabeyard terday.
Jasper Hollings, an old negro
well known in the bottoms. threw
down the lines and ominously shak
ing his head, climbed down from
the wagon. Judge Boyers, a plan
ter upon whose plantation the ne
gro was employed, had ordered him
to. drive over to an old graveyard,
on the border of the plantation and
bring away load posts. which
he would find piled up in the
woods.
'Kain' go, jedge," old Jasper re-
peated. His face has assumed a
serious expression, creating the I'M
preston that if it were possible he
would turn pale.
"Why can't you gog' the Judge
demanded. Don't I pay you for
your works.
"Oh, yes sab; yer pays me fur
my wuck, but whose gwine to pay
me fur bein' skeerd to defby dem
ghostez? It's Citing laung in de
ebening and dem sperets'll put on
dar white shirts putty sooD and hop
er round in er grand dance O. def.
Uch huh, yer kahn tamper wild me,
'kaze I'se been heah for some time
come ssheah fore de leaves pul
out"
-"Jasper,' said the Judge, I" you are
to old to talk that way"
"Yas, sab, too ole ter talk def
way, but amt too ole ter look back.
see er ghost an den run ag'n er
tree an kill merself. Yer may call
me foolish eff yer wants ter but I'd
ruther be er fool an hab er good !
apertite den ter be er smart man
an be skeered into de grave. Use
had seb'ral casions ter 'slder desc !
we're p'ints an yer dun heard whut
Use predetermined. Good evening,
sah."
AHold on Jasper" the Judge |
called. The negro stopped. You |
believe in the power of the rabbit !
foot, don't you?'
r"Well, sah," scratching his head, |
II does sorter b'lebe in the art OF !
de rabbit foot"
Il dare say you have one in your
pocket
Vas, sab, I has; has fur er
fack."
swell, don't you know that if you
Grass yourself time or two with
that foot no ghost can modest you"
"Who tole yer dat2p a
"Sam Jones, the great revivalist,
says So"
'.Who, that man who drives up de
mourners like drivin' sheep in de
peH71
"Yes."
well, den, dar mus be sumfu in
lie fack."
"There is, undoubtedly.
SIS yer shO' dat de holy white
man said dat fack2''s
Il heard him say it,"
''Nuff said. Use gwine after dem
postez."
He climbed on to the wagon and
drove away. Nat Boyers, the judges
son had overheard the conversa-
lion ond slyly entering the house,
he secured white tablecloth, and
oy crossing a field reached the
before Jasper arrived.
Nat, enveloped in the tablecIoth
vas seated near grave when the
negro drove up. Jasper was i'll at
Ease but contrived to sing tune
ess song.
f"Who dat flingin' at meP"
Nat, while crossing the field, had
iound a bone, and had thrown it at
,he negro.
"Who dat fling or chunk at mer'
lie repeated, as he nervovously
:rossed himself with the rabbits
DOT. "Good Lawd. taint no chunk.
It's sure bone Of de human
ambly." f
just then he discovered the
yhost. He dropped on his knees,
rossed himself with the rabbits
oot and said:
eDean know whut yer is. but
.eep erway. Mout be er saint, an
'er mout be er-great Lawdw
The boy had made a lunge at
i'm. Jasper, did not look back,
nut like brown smear across the
lin disk of twilight on the hill, he
fingered for a moment and then dis
ppeared,
aWhat's the matterg' the judge
sked, when Jasper ran into the
ard.
"Nothin' er tall, sab, nothin' er
all. Jes' thought I'd come back
n AK yer er few p'ints. Did de
Ioly pussou say dat er rabbits foot
Eouid keep er ghost erway:
"Yes.n
''WalI, sab, / jes' drapped in ez ]
Tuz passin' ter tell yer dat. de holy
,usson mout not nv tole er lie, but
lat he progicks wild de truf in er
kanlus manner. Yer'll find yer
'lame mules an er wagin load o
perits ober by the grave yard.
Goodbye, sab"
Make Dust IN the World.
Remember, my son, you have to
york. Whether you handle pick
II q pen, q wheelbarrow or set of