The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-05-05
THE LAST DOLLAR.

An old negro sat on stump. His hat had fallen on the ground, and so absorbed was he in meditation that he paid no attention to lizard that was lazily crawling on his leg. A white man came along and spoke to him. He threw up his head with sudden start and the lizard ran away through the dry leaves.
 "Good morning, Henderson"
 "Good mornin', MT. Tom; good mornin'. Hopes you's been well, sah."
 "Yes, passably, but why have you been sitting here so long all doubled up? While was way over wonder on the top of the hill, saw you sitting on that stump"
 "Mr. Tom, Ps de mos miserable man in dis yare worP, an pledge you mer word, sah, dat I hopes dat de lightnin' may come outen dat cloud dat's risin' wander an strike me dead. Hole on, now, MT. Tom. Doan say CT word. Doan say dat l oughter be 'shamed O myself fur maxim sich CT oppression. Wait tell you yare de facks an den you'll say l oughter be slaughtered like CT steer. I uster be CT monst'us bad man, MT. Tom. l uster git drunk an gamble an invite dem black niggers rum ober de creek ter tread on de flap O mer jeans. l kep' dis thing up fur CT laung time, tell one day dar come ter mer house CT little boy. neber had CT chile bon ter me 'fo' dis an felt, did, like l could jump over ten-rail fence, staked an ridered. fell in Tub wid him. l did, sah, an he wuz de fust human bein' eber lubed, fur I doan know nuthin' bout my mudder ez l wuz sold erway rum her 'fo' kin rickol- leck. Ez dat boy gunter grow I gum ter git ter be CT better man. Mer wife neber had no 'fuence ober mo an she wuz 'stonished at de work O dat chile, an so wuz I, MT. Tom. Wall, it run erlaung dis way fur fo' years an it wuz rar' thing dat l got drunk an gambled. In de ebenin', wen de sun got so low dat it shined slantin' through de saplins on de hill, would go on home 'stead O gwine down ter de steamboat landin' an mixin' wid dem roustabout niggers. De face O dat little boy would come up 'fo' me yas, sah, I'd see suthin' dat would sorter make me do this way Che lifted his shoulders) an dar would pear ter hang, right in front O me, de picter O dat little chile. couldn' walk erway rum no picter like dat, MT. Tom, so I'd jest go on home am frolic wid dat little angel. I uster gin him all de nickels an dimes I could, an one day he got it all changed inter CT silver dollar. My Lawd, he wuz de proudis' little thing eber seed. T gwine buy daddy CT hoss atterw'ile 90 he won't natter walk,' said he, ez he hil de bright dollar in his han. You better buy suthin' fur yo'se'f,' s'I. 'No,' says he, q wanter buy CT hoss fur you.'
 cone ebenin' ez wuz gwine home, MT. Tom, I met CT pusson, CT man dat hadn't seed fur CT mighty long time. He wuz CT man dat had 'com- 'erdated me wunst wen I wuz mighty nigh starvin'. An. Lawd, de man dat has 'comerdated us is de one dat ken lead us ter de quickest an deepest sorrow. He wanted me ter go wid him ter de steamboat landin'. went. He wanted me ter jine CT little game O craps. I done it. He wanted me ter drink. I done dat. kep' CT playin' am CT drinkin' till I los whut little money had. Den wuz mad. Den I knowed dat I could beat dem fellers eff I had CT few mo- dimes. I couldn't borrer no money. Er thought struck me. Wush it had CT killed me. I dipped home, got inter de house widout nobody seein' me an got my little boys pocket-book offen de shelf. Oar wuz de dollar-bright, fur he had been rubbin' it on de ho'. went back ter dc kndin' an' played. I los de dollar, an, bout hs'f drunk, went