The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-01-26
COULDN'T EXPLAIN,
4 Sentimental White Man Tries to Pick q
Quarrel with an Old Negro.

A Sentimental White Man Tries to Pick a
Quarrel with an Old Negro.
A traveller who had read much of the
negro, and who had. while listening to
negro melodies sung by white men.
been impressed with the '.darkey's''
fullness of sentiment, stood watching
IN old negro who worked at country
hotel
How do you do?" said the white
man. bowling with sort of tcnder and
sympathetic politeness.
How does do?" replied the old
fellow.
Yes"
"WaH. docs bout de bes' 1 ken.
sah."
81 mean how is your health?"
"Sorter slow at dc present. Amt
been all right in mer health fur seb-
eral days. Went de uder day whar er
frien' o. mine killed haugs an / stood
roun' de fire. roastin' haug melts on de
hot rocks an eatin' EN-, 1 did, till da
made me sick. 1t amt gwine do fur
er ole man ter ack like er boy, sab;
amt gwine ter do er tall. Wv, wen
WIZ er boy ulster go ter er haug-
KILN an eat all dav laung. lister
chaw. 1 did. till couldn' hardly shct
mer mouf wen 1 opened it"
"a simple child of nature" unused
the traveller, ian 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?"
20. vas. sab. vas; likes any thing
dat's 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 er ROSTERS. Wars de bottle?
Show me de bottle eff yer wants ter see
me bite de naik of"
you still misunderstood ME, and in
truth, I do not see how l am to ELL
tighten you. Poetry-and l wish now
that l hadn't mentioned it's nothing
to eat or drink"
..Suthin' to war, den, Ell? Wall,
like ter dress up ez much ez anybody.
Jes mix some red in or suit O. cloze an
I'm dar, tell yer"
Just keep quiet now until 1 ex-
plain myself. Poetry is the music
Of"
"Music! Now got yer-got yer dis
time, sho. Music--w'y, bless yer life.
chile, Use or fiddler fruln de ole house.
Use 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
it's"
Il ain determined to make you I'M
derstand me. Poetry-and when l ex-
plain it [ know that you will acknowl-
edge its influence-is a revival of
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 peaceablc
man. is. an Use been here too laung
fur er pusSon ter come roun' talkin' ter
me dat way. You talk ter me like Use
been stealin' suthin,' talks ter me like
dat jedge done ober yander in de cou't-
house, an | wants yer ter un'erstan'
dat Use or man dat tends ter mer own
bizness. l come out yere ter scou' dis
flo an not be slan'er sah."
poor, deluded-''
'Who's er 'luded? Call me er 'luded
ergin an I'll hit yer wild dis wet rag.
Go on outen yere, now. ur I'll call de
boss. Come huntin' me up wen
wan t dom nothin' ter you an calm
me er 'luded. You's er .ludcd yerse'f,
sab; you's er blame son o. err 'luded.
dat w'ut yer is. No, sab. no; doan
stop ter say ernuder word. OATS right.
move on. Huh, imperdest man eber
seed. Come down yere tryin' ter raise
er row an lay he gets it. "-ArHansaU
Traveller.