The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1886-02-19
MEXICAN PETER.

Mexican Peter" is something Of n
celebrity In his native count, Tie won
his so6riqgtt. il not his laurcls. when
serving rs bod,-se0ant to his Young
master. "Marsc John. during the Mex
lean war Now our .erp &. not fruo
from some of the failipg> Of his race.
aud the shrine> of puus McSicaps, wigh
7 tho'r gold and silv 9aAnMate. aid
prove a most special All andtemptar
/ ton 20 poor Peter, u aln did 'Magso
! John instill into III AfricAu mind
lessons of higher ~ gslii{. wltl
wholesome blcndiugp AZ lsaYaks III tha
law when coming in ha e'sFt IL sirlet
military discipline; le fact fcspained
the same; in the tine u seasrtnion
Peter had TO be closely Watched When
the war was over. "Mar>e John" wcnk
on 90 Washington. aud Peter was sent
| homo to "ole marSttr For few
short hours after his homecoming ho
stepped hero, with many tales of tho
marvellous lo tell. Having some sus-
pioion Of how matters stood. "nlc mars
ter, " with a slN twinkle. said. Now,
Peter. what did YOU bring back from
your travels 10 show uS2N
This was touching tender spot, and
Peters countcnance tcll as he said, II
clare, ole murstcr, Mars John didn't
hab no conscience bout dat thing nc
all. Much rs dar wa2 70 git all could
fetch home wux wm VI silbrr gord"--
displaying with mixture Of pride and
melancholy u little image OF some saint
that might or might not have been Of
the precious metal.
Time rolled on, and the proclamation
cmancipatcd Peter from "MarSc Johns"
conscience (Or want of conscioncc), and
at various and sundry times be- proiitcd
by his liberty of action, and finally
found himself Ia limbo for unlawiully
possessing himself Of u neighbor's tur-
KEY and was tried in the court where
"Marso John was practicing attor-
ncy, and "MarSe Peyton," another
member of the family, the grave and
digniIieU judge. The evidence was
overpowerng, and 10 plead mot guilty"
impossible SO Peter could only request
10 be Flowed Ia splain how he got in
de trouble. Anticipating treat. tho
request was granted. and solemnly tho
Court awaited the defense Not with
ont a certain dignity. the old man
arose. and the explanation begani
''Gentmun, won't say | 'aint got into
dis trouble. cause | sholy is. and HIT
troubling me 'nough; but In josticc |
mus tell how IL all cum upon me Fust
sum blame lay at do door ob Marse
John. ho good man. good "a gole; but
he wun contraekted. MOI *ay win stinpy.
farmer. He got de ole etbra,hin-lnachinn
he had faro DC air. whaf ielte mos ob
Gle wheat IN dn straw, and dat fack
'tice ole Mis- Simpkins's tuckey, "a cum
dar, an scratch in dc straw an eat
Now dey come dar an do dat 50 long
tell dey ies shine, and, gentmun, when
tuckey shine, he fat, nn' | look nj
dem shining tuckcys 20 long tell | gin
to feel mor'lly bound to have one. an |
got one. Now dnt's de fast reason, but
chieilicst dis trouble come To me cause
ole Mr., Simpkins want no gentmun.
III had been dealing wild gentmun,
things ud a bin diiluut; Hut he WIZ
pore white folks, an ~ ! OnIy knowed
dc ways Of gcntmun, want no match
for him. | docs know u gentmun.
Didn't me an hIarse John here am
"A'ftNt tbtl tihi hii f0lff NNt Nf Same
estate, and who ever fetch de word dog
want gentmunP Well. mo an de ole
oman an dc chilun had es dur eat
dat tuckey. an, TO s,tbe de scand1 ob
dc thing. J had pit all de feathers an
bones in de Dutch oven my Dutch
oven Mis- Sally glib mo when hear
somebody knock nj do door went 10
de door, an dar stan ole Mr.. Simp-
kins! Now some poor white folks ia
wus dan p'intar dogs, dey 80 poersome.
Mr.. Simpkins come IN; he look round.
an walk straight to M Dutch oven
Mis- Sally Glib me. lie peep in; he find
dc feathers an bones, pull um all out,
an ies laif most outlandishl Wuz dat 4
gcntmung Now dc Cote knows All. an
couldn't set here quiet tcil day did"
1t IS needless to say the ruling of tho
Cote was not very severe Editor's
Drdwer, Ha,per's Nagasiae Jor FEB
THdry.