The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-22

"You'se man dat Use been or waitin' fur
or mighty long time. Er mighty heap O.
men hab come or long fust and last, but
none o 'em amt quilted in my vantage yit.
What kin you do fur me, sah?''
II have some books here" said the man,
beginning to unbuckle plumber of straps,
.that you ought to have. A man of your
Influence and high standing in the commu-
nifty can not get along without books:
fair to become lawyer or doctor or
preacher-in fact, any thing you want to
become. A little education, they declare, is
all that you need"
"Well, sab, been sorter thinkin' or bout
dat myself. doan kere nothin' or bout
bein' no doctor fur I tried dat once an
Borter pizened er man an he sorter died. an
ia come in one o. sendin' me ter de penny
tenchy, da did. Wy it cost me er heifer
ta'f an de fines 'possom dog in de country
|er keep out. doan kere nothin' bout
pein' or lawyer, fur tried dat once an
tuck or mans hat Gaze he wouldn't pay, de
fee, an he jumbed on me. de scounul did,
hn' whipped me till felt mighty scanlus.
But I tells you whut does want. wants
ter be er preacher. Old Darb Moore-lives
Fight down yander by de bayou-larned
how to preach and then suaded de Lawd ter
batin' CON bread an den greasin' his mouf
Rid er bacon rine, he eats biscuit an fresh
am an drinks de blackberry cordial an
kits drunk, he do, an has de young sisters
bf de flock ter keep de buffalo gnats often
bis countenance. Now OATS de sorter man
wants ter be-"
81 can fix YOU" the agent replied, taking
p a book.
"Dat's all mighty we'll, but how gwine
arm how ter read dat? 1t is as much as I
an do ter read bout de cat an de dog an
ich like. Oar amt nothin' er bout de cat
n de dog in dis book is dar?'' he asked,
aking the book, treatise on Australian
caves.
ooh! no: that is work on religion, See
his picture of lamb?''
.'Dar is er lam, show ez you bo'n!' the
Id negro delightedly exclaimed. "An'
BOX er yere, it's got er sheep in it, too.
ow I gwine ter read erbout dis LAM an
is sheep when I done tol' you dat KANT
BAD or bout nothin' but cat an doe?o
ssMy friend, this is the latest improved
ook. issued under the very eye of congress
pr colored people that can not read. It is
hat is called the self-teacher or every man
own school master. Take this book up
ow and you can not read it at all. You
pok at it an hour or SO and strange and
ocular intelligence begins to draw upon
Du. The scales, as it were, begin to drop
rom your eyes, and then the simple words
NIX into your understanding. Put the
pok aside and take it up the next day, af-
your mind has had time to rest, and 10!
cher words have become plain. But on the
ird or fourth day the victory comes. Then
pu can read as fast as you can talk and I'M
brstand every word.''
look yere, you amt tellin' me all dat, is
pup
Yes, and will swear to every word of it,
Look yere, mighty fine pusson, how much
diA hook wnfh 90
You may have it for five dollars.''
An after gittin it, how long TO l kin
out an preach an drink de blackberry
rdial, an git putty full, an hab de young
mmin O. de flock keep de buffalo Rnats
ten my countenance?'
Only few days.
With five dollars,' the old negro
used: AN how much is dis big book
Pth!'' he asked, taking up copy of that
bll-known series Of essays written to dis
urage the extensive planting of cotton,
ID entitled: Corn and Hogs OF no Credit.''