The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-01-21
COULDN'T EXPLAIN.
Sentimental White Man Tries to Pick a
Quarrel with an Old Negro.

| Quarrel with an Old Negro.
A traveller who had read much of the
aegro, and who had, while listening to
negro melodies sung by white men.
been impressed with the ''darkey's"
fullness of sentiment, stood watching
al old negro vino worked at country
hotel
"How do you do?" said the white
man, bowling with sort of tender and
sympathetic politeness.
How does 1 do?" replied the old
fellow.
Yes"
"Wall, l does bout de bes' l ken,
sab"
II mean how is your health?"
'Sorter slow at de present. Amt
been all right in mer health fur seb-
eral days. Went de uder day whar or
frien' o mine killed haugs an [ stood
roun' de fire. roastin' haug melts on de
hot rocks an eatin' EN-, | did, till da
made me sick. 1t amt gwine do fur
er ole man ter ack like err boy, sab;
amt gwine ter do er tall wy, wen
| wuz err boy 1 lister go ter er haug-
KILN an cat all day laung. lister
chaw, did, till couldn' hardly shet
mer mouf wen l opened it,"
"a simple child of nature" unused
the traveller, "an instrument upon
which the skilled politician may play
the tune of his INSCRIPTIONS improvisa-
ton" Then addressing the old negro
the sympathetic traveller added: you
love poetry, do you not?"
go, vas, sab, yas; likes any thing
dats good ter eat"
you don't understand. Poetry is
not to eat. You can drink--"
"Suthin' ter drink? Hits me now,
yer does. When it comes ter suthin'
ter drink, wy, my top-not STAINS up
like err ROSTERS. Wars de bottle9
Show me de bottle eff yer wants ter see
me bite de naik off -
you still misunderstood me. and in
truth, l do not see how | am to en-
tighten you. Poctry-and l wish now
that | hadn't mentioned it's nothing
to eat or drink"
"Suthin' to war, den, Ell? Wall,
like ter dress up ez much CT ANYBODY.
Jes mix some red in er suit @ cloze an
I'm dar, l tell yer"
Just keep quiet now until | OK
plain myself. Poetry is the music
Of"
"Music! Now I got yer-got yer dis
time, sho. Music.-w'y, bless yer life.
chile, Use er fiddler frmn de ole house.
Tse made all desc yere folks roun' we're
shake do hoofs at dances, l tell yer.
Use got er ole fiddle dat'll take de govt
an rheumatic outen er foot in two min-
its"
II am determined to make you nm
derstand me. Poetry-and when | ex-
plain it know that You will acknowl-
edge its inluence-is revival of a
feeling which you have felt before. a
feeling brought up by certain words,
whose tenderness, like the falling OF
teardrops, brings glimpses of your own
soul"
Look yere, Mister, Use err peaccable
man. is. an Use been here too lang
fur er pusson ter come roun' talkin' tn
me dat way. You talk ter me like Use
been stealin' suthin, talks ter me like
dat jodge done ODER yander in de cou' t.
house, an [ wants yer ter un' erstan'
dat Iso er man dat tends ter mer own
bizness. l come out yere ter scou' dis
flo an not be SLAM cred, sah."
Poor, deluded-''
"Who's er luled? Call me er 'ludpd
ergin an I'll hit Yer wild dis wet rag.
Go on outen yero, now, III I'll call de
boss. Come huntin' me up wen
want dom nothln' ter you an calm
me er 'luded. You's Ell luded verse f,
sab; you's er blame son o er 'ludvd,
dat w'ut yer is. No, sab, no; dean
stop ter say ernuder word, OATS right.
move on. Huh, imperdest man l cter
seed. Come down yere tryin' ter rsisc
er row an ! lay ne gets it. "--ArtanSau
Traveller