Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1889-06-15
HONEST AND TRUTHFUL.
How a Good Colored Gentleman Was
Abused by u White Man.

How a Good Colored GentIeman Was
Abused by White Man.
The Major was sitting in his libra
ry, smoking fine meerschaum pipe,
when old Sylvester, negro politician,
was announced
Come in," said the Major, when
Sylvester appeared at the door.
"Yas. sab, | thank you, sab.
thought I'd come in an tell you dat it
amt outen de range o. my erbility,
sab, ter git all dem Tenth ward mig
gers ter vote fur you fur mayor
81 am delighted 80 hear it," the
Major responded, "bnt Ihave no in
tention of running for mayor. Did
ySuu, you see &c, what wi the ms1ing paper said
"No, sah."
"Fll show you"
When the Major got up to- look for
the paper he put his pipe on fhe CEN
ter-table; but when he looked for his
pipe after reading the paras ph, he
found. that it was gone.
"What did ] az With that lfpep" he
asked.
"Whut pipe, sah."
"Ihe pipe | was smoking when you
came in"
You want smokin' no pipe dem;
dat is, | didn't see you smokin' none" ="
II was smoking it when you came
in, and | put it on this table when |
got up to look for that paper"
"You mouter done it, sab, but
didn't see you"
But if put it there, why isn't it
there now?"
"Well, dat amt fur me to say Vas,
sab, dem niggers down dar in de Tenth
ward pays ertention ter ebery word
dat ! says, an da allus gwine ter vote
fur de man dat | puts out, too-doan
meek no diffunce eff it's fur mayor ur
jedge."
The MAJOR saw smoke issuing from
the pocket of Sylvcster's linen duster.
''Do every thing you say, eh?"
"Dats whut da does, sab; fur er
fack, dat's jest whut da does"
"Thats because you are an honest
man"
Oats de cause, has no doubt, sab.
Oh, it's jest ez easy fur or man ter be
honest, | hear folks maxim er great
miration bout er man bein' honest,
but amt ncber found it no trouble.
| jest goes right orlong an tends ter
my own bizness an tells de truth. I
neber could see why er man dat's got
any 'speck fur hisse'f wanter tell er
lie. Man oughtor know dat it's gwine
come home ter him sooner ur later"
The smoke increased in volume.
"Ies, said the Major, ait comes
home to him sooner or later and very
frequently sooner than he expects"
'Dat's true, sab; dat's true An I
allus say ter my boys, ST, Boys, no
matter what else you is be truthful an
honest an den de white folks gwine
stan by you. No matter eff the truth
pears to work ergin you at de time
tell it, fur it amt gwine ter be long
till you gwine stand up unspottad.
The Major saw that Sylvester's coat
tail was on fire, but the old negro, sit
ting screwed around on his chair, was
still unmindful of an approaching ca
lamity.
"Yes, Sylvester, honesty and truth
fulness will always win"
ado it fur er fack, sab, an dats
jest whut | tells my boys"
You never told lie, | suppose"
"Weli, ef | did, it wuz er mighty
long time ergo, When | wuz er-
hebens, Tso burnin' up!
Whoop! Use on fire."
He jumped up, and while he was
putting out the fire the pipe dropped
on the floor.
"l-l-I doan' un'erstan' dis yere,"
he said as he gave the skirt of tho
iustcr final twist. How dat pipe |
coulder got in dat pocket | don't |
know
81 don't think it is at all strange"
the Major replied.
"Who doan?'
al don't"
Look ycre, is you cuzen' me right
lerc in ycre own house; you come
lingin' out er stnywation at me? Set
er mans coat er fire an den tromp on
MS foelin'S by 'cuzen him? You amt.
ny sorter folks, | amt got s'cioty
Hid YOU Come 'stroyin' er mans
'lothes an den lookin' at him wild
''picion. I'm gwine. n-Arkansaw
Traveller.