The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-06
POLK MILLER ON THE NIGGER.


One Of the most original impersonatoas Of
negro dialect in the South is our well-known
and popular townsman. Mr. Polk Miller.
He furnishes the following bntch Of true
negro stories which came under his personal
observation, and 10 Is q rich treat 10 hear him
recite them
young man Of this city formerly from tie
country was hunting IN the vicinity Of lis
old home. lie CHANGED 10 meet up with an oil
datkey who owned . small strip OF Land
which once belonged to bis old master. the
father OF our subject ncie John hadn (
seen the young man since he was u small boy,
md was delighted to meet him. He snd 10
was dc very spit OF his pa" On being asked
II there wero any birds GDOut there. the old
man said ~ as sir. You never seed Dc Ike
OF EN-. If you'll 90 right down dar began de
pea patch you'll find three or To- gangs of EN-.
Go down dar. sir. an hep 20 se,t TO 'um
cause / can 90 nutthin' wild 'uin DO how.
But Mars Gus, dar Is one reques ! wants TO
make of you. don you kill no ole byar,
Dat Is one kind o game nat Niger ken kill. ~
All right. ncle John. I'll leave tile old hares
for YOU" While hunting the scattered birds
the young man stal '9d hare and being ac-
customed TO blazing away whenever one came
IN sight he fired aud killed it.. He felt mean
over it. but hid it III his game pocket and con-
tlnued the bird hunt. In q short while Uncle
John thought he would 90 down aud see how
Mars Gus WAS coming Oh after birds. rs he
approached he inquired how he Was getting
on and was told that he had found them Just
where he had said he would. 81 tOie you dey
was down here, SIR. ] bin seem # EN- every
day since hatchin' time" As Mr. b. turned
around and around trying TO find the scattered
birds the old negro espled his game pocket,
which had grown very plump since he passed
the house He cried out, Hi. Look here,
Mars Gus. dat pocket @ yourn done ill up
mighty quick You sholly amt filed - wid
birds; IT. my 'pinon you done shot n ole
hyHr.' With a look Of guilt upon his coan-
tenance. he smiled and plainly showed that
Uncle john WAS not mistaken. The old darkey
bad always felt that his old master man
Of the strlctest proprlety. and thinking Gus
was chip OF the old block" was not pre-
pared TO see him violate the promise he had
made. With swing Of his hands he cried
out. We'll. sir dat jes shows do difference
betwiXt dc ole tunes an de new. Why, sir,
go "a wouldn't Or tole a lie for horse, much
less al ole hyar"
Country boy goes 10 the theatre. in coming
out. alter the performance. the crush WAS 50
great that he lost his companion (his brother
Panic stricken AT the thought of being turned
loose in biz city where he didn't know a
living soul he frantically rushed around in
up 10 gentleman who was standing on the
street corner aud said. Mister have you
seen anything OF ms big brother - mo who
III the * your big brother" His eyes
filed with tears rs no walked of, saying.
Great big fool; / tole him he was gwine loss
me-"
A few weeks ago ono OF our city doctors
wrote prescription for the children Of an
'old issue darkey. directing that the medi-
cine be put into gelatlne capsules. The pre-
scuptiOn was prepared 10y Polk Miller & Co.
Needing second supply of the physic the
old man brought the empty box lack. and adj
dressing Mr.. Miller said. Boss. / want You
10 I'll dis here scnpshun over again whilst 70
down town and come back agln fer IT, And.
say Boss, can't you fix up do Inedison widout
pnttln' II in dem little glass things. cause 1t
does tick al er my time pickIn of it ont. |
toll You, sir, II was &c lnckIest thing IN dc
worl dat ] was home when de 'scripshnn cot
dar. for II had ut 'er bin dey'd er given 70
dem chillun glass and ALL"
boss. you don't know nobody whar wants
% hire somebody for do nuthin'. does you>n
This is the way darkeY put the question 10
mo
1t was a truth -inadvertently told. and in
elegantly expressed but the truth neverthe-
less as thousands of hardworked house
keepers in town and country can testify-hire
somebody for 10 do nuthn'.
-
In reading articles written in the negro
dialect particularly when BY Northern writers
! have been struck with the very great mis-