Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-03-28
The Night Doctor.

other day. He found him about to
unload a truck Of fre-wood in one of
the corridors of the department. He
had just taken the first stick in his
hand to deposit in the wood-box when
the reporter bluntly asked "Do you
know anything about night doctors"
The colored man dropped the stick
like flash, and seemed very much
frightened as he suspiciously glanced
at his questioner. "Wha' fur you ask
me sich questions nsi" he exclaimed.
The reporter replied that he was
sort of detective. anxious to get some
information about the rascals who
prey upon unoffending colored people.
off you is 'tector whar's yer sign?'
he suspiciously asked.
The assurance that the questioner
was a private detective and did not
need badge did not prove entirely
satisfactory, but it was broad daylight
and the colored man regained his
equanimity somewhat, but kept on
his guard. Leaning on his pile of
wood, he said in low voice "Now,
| don't know eff you is 'tector, or
eff you is one of 'em yo'sef Eff you
is one of 'em-mind, I don't say you
is-but eff you is, fo' loves sake lem
me pass, l never done no hahn to no.
body, an want to keep clar of dem
folks you is talking about"
After more assurances and questions
as to whether there were really such
people, he said, confdentially: "Of
cose dey is slap doctors, plenty of 'em.
I'm skeered mos to def, cum dark.
My ole woman won't let me 60 outen
de house in de night, an deed l doan
want ter. Dey is bofe colored and
white, and dey go in droves, mostly
four in row. Eff dey ketch you, it's
goodbye"
did you ever meet one p inquired
the reporter.
"Deed / did, boss, wunst. I'll new
er give 'em anudder chance eff l
can help it, an dat's why l stay under
kiver in de night"
"Tell me about it," urged the re-
porter.
"Well, you know whar de moment
(monument) is? An you know dat
bit of road wat goes down by de wat
er? Well, wus driven de wagon
in de dark long dat road. Dey was
boy in de wagon wifi me. l got down
often de wagon to fix de girt, and den
| was shore somebody was following
me. | turned round quick an seed
man flop on his back in the long
grass. | didn't let OH l seed him, but
got in de wagon and driv' long. l
'spicioned dey was sumpin following
us, and got out again, tending to
fix de girt agin. kinder turned my
eye over my shoulder and / seed he'd
mos ketched us. oh, dear! hol-
Tered, and landed in de wagon, and l
lashed dat ole horse, an driv off as
fas' as he could run, and got away"
Are you satisfied he was one of
them % asked the reporter.
81 amt sa'sfied muffin bout it," he
exclaimed Indignantly. II know he
was one of 'em, and he mighty nigh
TUX me-"
"Does your wife believe in night
doctors ?" asked the reporter.
Believe in 'em! Why, she's been
runned by 'em, an she seed 'em ketch
a man. One mawnin' fore light she
was looken outen de winder, and she
seed 'em knock lader from en- under
a man, and when he come down dey
jes' clapped him in wagon an driv'
of, maxim no noise. She tole me
bout dat long ago, an jest de udder
day ] was wonderin' ef she'd tell de
same story, so, sez l, pears like |
hearn somebody tell about night doc
tors knockin' ladder from en- under
man an packin' him off, Dat was
me- she says, an den she tole de same
tale exactly. Den ! knowed she was
tellin' de trufe. Dey ruined her once
but dat was befor' / was married, an
| doan know de circumstances. She
was out in sahvice, den, an dey run
ned her clar to her own do, an she
busss-ed in jest in time. Her daddy
done TUX her out of sahvice, den, and
l married her."
"You say that there are colored
doctors as we'll as white ="
eyes, dey is bofe kinds, an dey get
twenty-five dollars for every one dey
ketch. | doan blame de white folks
SO much eff dat is dere bizness, but for
my color I'd jes' like to kill 'em.
But den you cant hahn 'em."
"Why not :" asked the reporter.
Now, you know jest as well as do
dat dey is sheeted from head to toes.
Shootin' 'em is no good, an dey turn
de edge of razzar jest like stone
wall. No, indeed, de oniest way is to
keep clar Of 'em. OATS wat I'm do
in de best / can."