The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-03-31
A GREAT DINNER.


 cuis," said an old negro to an acquaint. ance whom he had just met st coun- try store in Kentucky. "I wuz out in de fep breckin' up lam wen Tong come CT generman in CT buggy. He got out, he did, an clim ober de fence, an ez he come up ter war I wux turnin' my hosses 'roun', seed dat he wo' monstus fine cloze. Now thinks I, 'he's CT canerdate fur jedge, UT suthin O de so't, an he's come out yere ter ax me ter vote fur him, but femme tell you, aim got no time ter fool erroun wid canerdstes. got ter breck up dis lam eff wants ter git any con planted.' He come up, an, alter speak in ter me, stood fur some time 'fo he said ernuder word. Den says he, Uncle, you go ober dar an set down an let me blow CT roun' UT two.' I laughed at him, did, an says, Law me, generman, you kai' plow,' but he tuck holt de blow 'an'les an chuck ter de hosses. I seed den dat he did know how ter blow, an went into de cornder O de fence an sot down on CT chunk an leaned mer back agin de rails. Bless yo' life, honey, dar ain't no tellin' how long. I'd set in de corn der O de fence eff had somebody ter do my plowin' fur me. trapped off ter sleep, an doan know how long I would CT slep' eff CT ole mule ober in ernuder fiel' hadn'ter come up an stuck his mouf through de crack O de fence an 'gunter nibble at my gar ments. got up, an' de man wuz still plowin'. He wuz CT hummin' CT tune dat l hearn erlong time ergo, an walked 'roun' wid him. Alter w'ile my chillun fotoh my dinner out in CT basket, an l driv de hosses up in de cornder O de fence an gin em some oats.
 "Whut you got fur dinner?' says he.
 "I tuck de kiver off'n de basket, an dar wuz some gre't big pones O con braid, wid de prints O mer wife's fin- gers on lem, an dar wuz some turnip greens, billed wid CT chunk O middlin' an some con meal dumplin's, am dar wuz also CT yaller pitcher full O but termilk. I thought dat man gwine ter take CT fit wen he seed dem vid- ults.
 "'Look yere,' he says, 'w'ut you take fur dis dinner?'
 "'Oh,' sT, 'taint wuth nuthin'. We's sorter po' at my house, am we kap 'fo'd w'eat braid am pie an fraish meat.'
 "Is all dis wuth two dollars?' says he.
 "'My greshus, w'ite man, w'ut you come roun' yere mAkin' fun c my vid- ults fur? Two dollars! Wy, you know dis ain't wuth CT quarter
 "sWall,' says he, mo matter whut de dinner is wuth ter you, I'll gin you two dollars fur it, am he tuck out two silver dollars am handed lem to me, aR know dat my eyes mos popped outen my head. Take de vidults,' s'I, take de vidults, eff you ain't foolin' wid ne.' He tuck up de basket am went ober am sot down on de groun' un'er de box-elder bushes. I stood an looked at him, am I thought dat neber did see CT man eat 50.
 "'Pears ter be Joyin' yerse'f,' says I.
 "sYas,a sAys he, mo den has fur fifteen year.
 GET man mus be powerful haungry ter eat dat sorter vidults wid sich CT appertite. Wy, sah, you could go on inter town, erbout if miles rum we're, an % ter dat tavern am git suthin' good sho' huff fur fifty cents.'
 "sYou couldn' git sich CT meal ez dis ysre at CT tavern, no matter how much money you pays,' says he. You ain't been ibin yere long, hez you, ole man2s
 3Nc, ah, not 90 mighty long. Moved rum Butler county over yere bout fvs year ergo.'