The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-05-12
EXTENSIVE PERSECUTION

A disconsolate- looking negro sat on q log. A white man came along and inquired the way to neighboring plantation.
 "Ober dater way summers" the nc. gro replied, waving his hand.
 "Yes, but don't you know exactly wherep"
 "Mout CT know'd de yudder day, sah, but 'clar' doan know much erbout 1t now"
 "Why, what's the matter1 Not losing your mind, are you2"
 "Yas, sah, b'l'ebc l Is. Is had so much trouble all my lie putty much dat it's CT wonder l knows whar my self is"
 "What Is the cause of your troublep"
 "Marryin', sah; nuthin' but mar ryin'."
 "Didn't get wife to suit you, eh2"
 "Yas, suthin' dat way, but dc trouble is dis. l's been maird fo' times, an ain't neber had or wife yit dat could whup. Pears like I allus maird CT lady too strong fur me. Neber seed de like in my life. Ole Tony, ober wander, can grab his wife am wheel her aroun', but when grabs mine she knocks me down an goes on off singin' like nuthin' ain't happened. Maird CT little slim 'oman wunst, an' says ter merse't, I did, Oh, got you dis time Winiin folks been CT trampin' my rights inter CT perfec' loblolly, but l got you, honey got you, sho'' How did Ii turn out, you ax2 I'll tell you how it turned out. Dat lady knocked me down wid de fire stick one mawn- in, drug me out inter de yard, an den went on feedin' dc chickens like nothin' ain't happened. I tuck 1t inter my head wunst dat one desc yare monstus fat ladies would make CT good wife, so I maird one dat wuz 30 fat she couldn' han'le herself CT tall. My stairs, dat lady wuz SO fat she shuck de whole house wen she walked 'cross de fo'. 'Now's my time ter be CT pendent man, sI. Dis is my time ter hop all erroun de edges O dat lady an thump CT tune on her fcelin's.' Wall, sah, one day she gin me CT little talk dat wuz sorter loose in its yints, an I sorter laughed ter merse'f, fur thinks I, dis is my long -put-off time.' Den l punched at her. She wuz settin' on de bench at de time, an she retched out, she did, am cotch me an drawed me up ter her, an', my Lawd, I thought I gwine die right dar flo dat lady turned me loose. wuz cotch in er bar trap one time, but, shar, de bar trap wuz de saft squeeze O CT frien' pared ter de grip O dat lady. She walloped me. 1 yelled, I did, Look yare,' SI, T ain no mop rag fur ter be swiped 'roun on de ho' dater way Wall, sah, she pressed me so hard gin de 6o' dat she rubbed up de splinters wid me an den she flung me erway. I crawled outcn de house an laid down In de shade, an l didn't hardly have ,trangth ernuff left ter bresh of CT grasahopper dat come CT stickin' his claws in my year"
 Did all your wives die?"
 "No, sah, dar ain't none O 'em lead"
 "How have you managed to marry 70 many times!"
 "Gits 'vorces, does"
 AI am sstOnished that the court would grant them to you 90 often"
 "Cou't? Wy de cou't ain't got ,uthin' ter do wid 1t. I gifts lem fum IT nigger jestice O de peace ober yam Ter. I gins him CT bushel Q con an' l ,e jcs writes out de docky yment an len he sen's CT constable ter make mer wife git outen de house. Mair'd ergin l aS week an dis mawniH mer wife suited me. Come CT fiingin' biiin' water at me wen want pesterin' O Ter. ps gwine ober ter see dat jedge | Us mawnini an git me ernuder docky- nent an' hab de constable drag dat ady erway."