Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1894-10-19

IhcS, drawing on empty 1ruit boS
to the curb, he sat astride of it and
began to eat.
Tempe proifcrcd lerlife and fork,
but the implements were calmly ig-
nored and a huge jackknife taken
from u handy pocket was brought in
to play.
Slice after slice of bread and ham
disappeared, but Pete showed no sign
of quitting. and Tempe began to feel
that she had noe made such a salts
factory bargain as she at first sup
posed. The ham was lessenng fear
fully under Petc's well-applicd jack
knife, and Tempe remarked, "Look-a.
yere, niger, ant yer gwyne quite"
when l gifts done"
''Ynh done eat TO dozen bisllit an
now all dat ham. OATS too much
catin' for only half a dollah."
dat what yuh axed, indifferently.
Another onslaught on the shattered
remains of the ham, which left q
heshlcss bone exposed to the aston
ished eyes of Tempe, and Pete care
fully wiped the jackknifc, replacing
it in his pocket
Then the real fun began. Reaching
for the pile Of tempting cakes, they
began to disappear with astonishing
rapidly. Six, 70 dozen, two dozen,
and still Pete gave no sign of being
done. Tempe now asserted herself.
Spreading her hands over her wares
she exclaimed, fierce determination
on her shriveled, black countcnance.
Look here, niger, yuh jess quit
dat"
'A'nt yer gwync lemme git done?'
'sNo, l ant gwyne let yer eat no mo-
dem vittles.
''Yuh done low, lady, dat l could
eat twel warn't a-hungry no mo- fer
dat half dollah."
Slit makes no differ. Yuh done
eat out &c half dollah on dat ham an
braid. Now, you quit"
But Pete insisted on the terms of
the contract, and was beginning to
cxterminate Temples stock anew,
when old Judge Tice appeared around
the corner. Tempe waddled out from
7
trate in excited accents:
.'Iedge Tice, sab, oh, ledge Tice.
Speak yere ter dis yere niger! He
bout ter eat all Use got
The Judge sauntered to. the curb,
surveying the scene with amused eyes
and Pete explained the situation.
''Dis Teddy low I cud eat twel I
warn't hungry no mo- fer hat a dol
lab, sab, an l done gee her de money,
but ant eat huff yit."
Fore Gawd, jedge,he done eat meh
ham an all de biskits, an mos all
dem cakes. Dat much truck cos meh
tree dollahs, sab, an he out done glib
meh but one ieetle oil ha'f."
Dat what yuh low a ha'f"
"Gawd, man, low you was folks.
"Huh!''
''Yas, sab, an now yuh is got ter
pay meh fer dem vittles er l gwyne
carry yuh right befo' dis yer magis-
trit''
Il carry yuh dar, CONAN. Liant
done"
''Who, me?" Tempes voice rose
shrilly in indignant protest, and few
idlers attracted by the raised voices
gathered about, and the old woman,
encouraged by the attention she at
tracted, began to explain her griev-
ance to the crowd. She stood on the
curb, her back to the table. one arm
alsimbo her huge hip, the other point
ing at the object of her wrath, sitting
coolly on the box.
Little Elihu Walsingham Lamlsin,
slipping through the crowd4 took in
the situation at glance, and lodging
behind the portly form of Tempe,
filed every available pocket in his
Topped and Widowed raggedness with
the remainder of the cakes, stealing
away unobseved to enjoy the feast.
Tempe, turning about at the end of
her harangue, the empty plates met
her eyes.
"'Fore Gawd!' she exclaimed sol
EMMY, ''ef he ant done conjured de
balance er dem cakes often de plates!
Use gwine quit, kase done knowed
hit warn't no ev'y day man what
could git outside all dem vittles. IF
he ant de debbil he kin to him, an
black huff to be lesef ennyhow."
OF course the venture, having struck
such cyclone of an appetite as Pete
had, was a failure, but Tempe always
talks about the money she would have
made if she hadn't ''met de debbil in
store cloes.'