Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-03-04
MEXICAN PETER.

mexican Peter is something of a
celebrity in his native county He won
his Sobrtquet, if not his laurels. when
serving as body-servant to his young
master, ''Marse john" during the Mex
lean war. Now our hero is not free
from some of the faiings of his race,
and the shrines of pious Mexicans, with
their gold and silver ornaments, did
prove most special pitfaIl and tempta-
ton to poor Peter, In vain did "Marse
John" instill into the African mind
lessons of higher morality, with a
wholesome blending of the terrors of the
law when coming in the garb of strict
military discipline; the fact remained
the same: in the time of temptation
Peter had to be closely watched. When
the war was over, ''Marse John" went
on to Washington, and Peter was sent
home to 'tole marstern For a few
short hours after his Homecoming he
stepped hero, with many tales of the
marvellous to tell. Having some sus-
picion of how matters stood, ''ole mars
ter, with sly twinkle, said, Now,
Peter, what did you bring back from
your travels to show us?"
This was touching tender spot, and
Peters countenance fell as he said, Il
clare, ole marster, Mars John didn't
hab no conscience bout dat thing at
all. Much as dar waz to git, all could
fetch home wuz wun lii SLIDER gord''-
displaying with a mixture of pride and
melancholy little image of some saint
that might or might not have been of
the precious metal.
Time rolled on, and the proclamation
emancipated Peter from "Marse Johns"
conscience Tor want of conscience), and
at various and sundry times he profited
by his liberty of action, and finally
found himself in limbo for unlawfully
possessing himself of a neighbours tur-
key, and was tried in the court where
'Marse John" was a practicing attor-
ney, and ..Marse Peyton,n another
member of the family, the grave and
dignified Judge The evidence was
overpowering, and plead mot guilty
impossible, so Peter could only request
to be '''lowed to splain how he got in
de trouble. Anticipating a treat, the
request was granted, and solemnly the
Court awaited the defense. Not with
out certain dignity. the old man
'Gentmun, | won't say | 'aint got into
dis trouble, cause l sholy is, and hit
troubling me 'nough; but in jestice
mus tell how it all cum upon me. Fust,
sum blame lay at de door OBJ Marse
John. tie good man, good as COLE; but
he wun contrackted, not say wun stingy,
farmer. He got de ole thrashin-machine
he had fore de war, what leave mos OBJ
de wheat in de straw, and dat fack
'tice ole Mis- Simpkins's tuckeys to cum
dar, an scratch in de straw an eat.
Now dey come dar an do dat SO long
tell dey jes shine, and, centrum. when
a tuckey shine, he fat, an / look at
dem shining tuekeys so long tell l gin
to feel NOR lly bound to have one, an |
got one. Now dat's de fust reason, but
chiefliest dis trouble come to me cause
ole MIR, Simpkins want no centrum.
Eff had been dealing wild gentmun,
things I'D a bin diffunt; but he wuz
pore white folks, an ez | only knowed
de ways of centrum, want no match
for him. / does know centrum.
Didn't me an Marse John here an
Marse Peyton dar all come out de same
estate, and who ever fetch de word deg
want gentmun? Well, me an de ole
oman an de chillun had jes dun eat
dat tuckey. an, to sabe de scand1 OBJ
de thing | had pit all de feathers an
bones in de Dutch oven-my Dutch
oven Mis- Sally glib me when | hear
somebody knock at de door | went to
de door, an dar stan ole Mr. Simp-
kins! Now some poor white folks is
wus dan p'inter dogs, dey so peersome.
Mr.. Simpkins come in; he look round,
an walk straight TO my Dutch oven
Mis- Sally glib me. He peep in; he find
de feathers an bones, pull UNI all out
an jes laff most outlandishl Wuz dat
centrum? Now de Cote knows all. an
| couldn't set here quiet tell dey did.
1t is needless to say the ruling of the
Cote" was not very severe. Editors
Draacer, Harper's Magazine for Feb
r7tary,