The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-03
SOON GOT TIRED.
An Old Negro Who Thought He Would
 Be a Railway Conductor

Old Bpekly k disgustrd Having spent the most of his life on aplantatlon, but having grown tired of life slow and uneventful. he came to town. scv- cral days ago and declared his intcn. ton of engaging in some kind of active business.
 Brocklcy have you found work yetY asked the secretary of state, upon meet ing the old man
 want , now k ter git outen dis blamed town fur 'se sick O de place
 Haven't the people treated you with eourtesy2"
 "Come ergin sah, said the old man, placing one hand behind his ear and as- stunning an attitude of close attention Use dat word ies' wunst mo fd like ter kcteh 1t all take it down ter de bayou wid me l ken make dem nig gers-down dar open der eyes wid dat sklanation Say 1t wunst mo
 The secretary repeated the word and the hld man replied
 pa mont O treated mo wid courtesy. sah, but da hit mo wid CT brick, an ehunked mo, an punched me. wid er rail, an cussed mean hurt tner fcclin's
 How did it happen2
 Wall -ah m tell yer shortly artcr l got heah, CT white man come ter me an said dat he wanted me ter hep run CT freight train Said dat nearly all his men had dun went CT tishin' an wouldn he hsnk fur several days Tole me dat ef would come on an he p load freight dat he would put m" in charge . cr train in CT few days thought he WAS de fines man chcr seed an dIdn see why h" kep on "r runnin artrr me, when dar wuz SO many idl" nigRcrs in de town, but den l thought dat he was sharp CT nuif ter see all my good pints so says. says l
 Gwine ter pay mo well, IF yer
 Oh, yas, gin yer good pay
 An CT study job artcr dr uder irller. comes back rum CT ishin
 Oh, vas pay yer well all q" tim" likes yer looks. ole man nn ] thinks dat arter while yul make fI-i rate conductor 0 er passenger train
 ." Oar ain't no trouble on yer road, is dar7'
 He laugh an sworc dat his road neber had mo trouble Said dat he wanted me GA x" he knowd 1 wuz CT smart man Yer doan know how good it did make me feel An thinks far well ter de cotton feel. fur l se gwine ter wuck in de shade rum dis time on Let de young niggcr- han le de mules fur l SC gwine ter be CT big man Q CT railroad an make dem young triggers take of dar hats ter me when goes down in de country on CT visit Wall went down ter de depot wid de white man 1 seed CT lot CT white men All ringers standin' roun' an l wondered why da van at work makin money. but when l axcd de white man, he said da wuz rich. Jokers dat had made money in de nigger minstrel because dat da wouldn work. but dat da made fun c rberybody what did. He tolc me ter role some bar l. Q flour wh hut wus on de piatfo m an put etn on CT freight kyar Go er head say. he an yer Il be CT conductor de inst thing yer know. went ter work an hadn't morn put one barI on fo "r niRgcr come up ter ne an says says he
 Go on erway rum heah an let dat stuff crione
 Gway yerse'f. say. l, an let me erIone. Ise gwine ter put dis stuff on de kysr He went erwsy. bat putty soon beah he come ergin, wid tr whole passul O de rich minstres wid him Da tole me dat ef didn go erway dad make me feel sorry, but laughed at : em an snatched holt Q er barL Jes 1 bout dat time, bip. CT brick tuck me in 1 de head. fell like er steer, an de fust 1 thing l knnwed some feiier wuz CT 1 puBchin me wid CT rail Er nudder fel- i Ter tuck up CT piecer plank, an thought l dat he wuz gwiDe ter war me boda- ] ciosisly out Da kep CT axin me ef I'd l quit work, an ez soon ez l could talk ] 1 tole 'em dat Dnthin would gin me mo joyment. When l got up l looked |