The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1892-07-22

down drap de possum wild he foot
ell de trap. De lyin' nigger threw
up bofe hans, an say:
"'Lorly mussy! what dat pos.
sum g~ine do wild dat trapY
"Jedge, do ne eat dat possum
hyah de foot EN- de trap, hvah de
trap an deir de niger. He aim
done me tight, no e ann"
There was silence for a few mo
men's. Flngal Cave Scotland. the
oldest man ON the jury, bent his
gray head down close TO the ear of
OBADIAH Lafayette and whispered
solemnIy. The face OF the Rev.
SepiimuS Smith, who sat at the
other end Of he jury, was grave.
Others exchanged comments. Evi.
IDENTIFY it was a threatening mo.
ment Tor Charlie, but Charlie
came to The stand smiingly.
"HlPs DIES lax dis, Jedge," he
began. 81 ain no town niger, an
| m proud er he troof. | aim so
lrliln' | Cant work whar | was
borned. and halter run ter town.
An | IN proud er de lroof er.'in.
Desc yere town niggers"-and all
eyes were directed toward the late
wiIness-"dey low, as how dey
own de whole worr an ev'yl'ins
dat wears halr er iedders from
hen roo>' 'erpossnm holler. Dey
am satisfy en- town; dey mus
come down hyah an bre'k up de
ole.lime huntin' an fishin' WI dey
trapstlons an dey nets. Ef dey'd
come lax er white man an hunt
wild er dog an er gun, hit 'ud er
be diifuni, an folks 'ul'shad some
spec inr 'em. Am dat so, Unc'
Fingal e.
This appeal to the prejud'ces of
the country negro had an immeli.
ate effect upon lhe jury.
"llit sho' es de trooI," replied
Fingal; and his companions seem
ed to coincide with him. The pris
oner continued:
"Jedge, sort er like Dossum
merse.t, but | aim sot no Trap. |
hunt 'em wid de dog an de torch
like er man. Dat night | was out
lryin' to show er fool puppy how
to trail, and bimeby he opened M
and lit out. says to merself
Charlie. yon gwine to hab possu nj
fur dinner an bout dat time i,
des natch'!ly laugh out loud. You
gwine ter hab barbecue possum
an see dat possum right To- me
Ell de dish, brown all oyer"
a light shudder shook the form
Of the Rev. Seplimus Smith, and 8
momenlaly sensation swayed the
other jurymen. II was a little
breeze wandering in among sleepy
rnShes.
II seed dem split sweet later;
round dat possum lax er yallel
hawberry chain roun' er niggel
gaFS neck. | seed de brown gravy
Ieakin' DOM es sides as lay deli
cryin' fur JOY all ober, and a jug
er 'Simmon beer"
"Hyah hyah! hyah hyah-h h
h! Hyah hyah hyah ! Hoo,ee 7
This explosion came from Finga
Gave Scotland, who doubled up
and would have fallen out of The
chair but for the restraining han(
of his next neighbor. The sensa
lion was complete; the little
breeze had become "A whirlwind.
The court administered pom
derous rebuke, land the witness
proceeded:
"Hit was des dat way, Jedge
an l hope yo' Homo aim t'int
hard er Unc' Finger fur his natch'
feelin's, cause las pcssum | taste
Int was fixed up an on estabIe lik,
| tell yer. An dey'l be deir NOR
ofener if it warn't fur desc hya
biggl'iy town nigsers an de.
traps"
$50 on with your story" TIL
Judge raped the table with hi
knuckles.
"Yes, sir. Well, Jedge, by da
time de fool puppy plum out e
hearin' an | knowel he don
struck er fox. Hit was de July
blood in i'm. | gin ter look roun'
fur home, cause day breakll
when stumble on somelhin' an
bless God! deir was de possur
setlin' right 10 me. | says, Char
lie, hyar possnm de Lord sont you
Possum e settin' up deir bv 'esel
am eyes DIES er shinin'' | says
'Huh /! dis possum he sick. N
possnm ain sick ; he des loo fat t
= ,rabble. sho eat dis possum
Den look ergin. Dar now! Po.
, sum hitch ell er trap! | say te
myself, Charlie, dis ain yo' pos
. sum; dis somebody else's possun
; You ain gwine take N er man
possum is you? Den | say, N,
r course | ain gwine TEX dis yer POI
!. sum! What | want wild 'n'er man
e possumg an walk right off sorle
e sinsin' to myself, 'Raccoon's ia
, am ringed all roun.'
, 81 get bout fifteen foot erwa,
[ and den | kinder natch'lly loo
/ back, an Jedge, hits Gods ,roo
r dal little ole possum setlin bac
e deir on dat trap look so col' al
/ shivtrin' l feel sorry fur him-se
| TIM back DER way out in de W,
}. swamp so col' an lonesome, an
de owls des a.hollerin' an de hee
y taps a-hamn'eri1 up en- de des
L trees. says Ter merself: Cha
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