Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-11-05
HE WAS GUILTY.


 HE WAS GUILTY.
 Hut Uncle 'Akim Was Particular to Whom
 He Admitted It.
 Old Eliakim Hunt was an cX-slave of Halifax county, Va. who was extreme ly proud of the family name.
 "Yaas, sah. I was CT body sarvunt oh ole Marse 'Noni Hunt, wot merricd Miss Pinkie Ellis. f'om do quality FL lises, ober in ole Fluvanncr county" he would explain. "Dcysc daid m done gone now, but I ain't gwine furgit We was quality folkses. "
 'Akim was averse to work, and when the results of the war made it necessary to shift for himself he concluded that preaching was an easy and at the same time dignified way of getting along. He could rant very effectually and might have succeeded quite well but for q sin. gle weakness. 'Akim was great "wrasler in pra'r.' as one of his breth- rcn expressed it, but he do git drunk pow 'ful. "
 Yet the simple people to whom he ministered were not inclined to be very harsh in their judgment of this ofrcnsc, TUT lEtlE ONn SlliN NAlAttl lbE SAlGlA ttl48- stant exercises of the pardoning power. a,id 'Akim was very full of the quality of mercy. particularly when the trans grc>sur' spared him personally. When | his wtakucss ,lnc up for consideration | in the "diScipino" meetings from time ! to time, h" Was left out, with tho sim plc atlmo' ition that he try to keep out of sight white fulAscs" when in his cups. the culurtd folks being pccul- | iarly scnSitiV" to cl m from their | former owners.
 Repeated combining of his sin hard | ened the heart of old 'Akim, and he finally mounted his pulpit ono Sunday so drunk that hC could scarcely main. tain his equilibrium. Deacon Si Jones arose and rehukcd him, whercupon the ] preacher sworc at him roundly and ac- cused him of being n chicken thief. The ! latter offCnse was not so hGinous in the I sight of 'Akim's congregation as might be supposed. but it was n mortal affront to be accused of such transgrcssion. and the deacon having great influence l in the body 'Akim was then and there placed upon trial and dcpOScd from the ministry, not for getting drunk. but for calling one of the brethren pilfcrcr of fowl.
 Thenceforward old 'Akim lived upon his wits and his politcneness. There were evil minded persons who alleged that much of his revenue was derived from the hen rooSts of his ncighbors. and what gave color tu the charge was the fact that while he sold great many chickens to the people of a ncighborinp | tn fryN-lc f,irysEn1f If any of thcsc islanders reached tho cal of 'Allim hc gave them no heed. He had the most inefIablo contcmp for 'pool white trash" and 'cornficld niggers' and affected intimacy with real quality people.
 One day Parson Rrdbcttcr the Meth odist circuit rider. met him as he wa. staggering along tho highway from thu effects of large potations of mOOnshis' whisky that had been given him by |; party of fox hunters. To stcrnly ad ministCred rcbuke from the preacher old 'Akim made reply:
 "Yaas, sah, but dc Bible say, 'Drinl ob de whisky fur de stomach ache an d of'cn information.
 Being corrected in his Scriptural quo tation, old 'Akim fell back into his i'm pregnable fortress.
 De quality folks, dey gimme q, whisky, an dey is alters right. Dey get all de favorin f'om de Lawd. Pc whit folks m foo niGscrs hain't no show vii de Lawd. Huccum he recognize de qual ity folks? Bekaise dey kin do no wrong m dey done gimme de whisky"
 Such was 'Akim's faith. What tn quality did could not be wrong. Final ly, however, ho cane to grief. A smal farmer caught Eliakim ill the very nc of stealing a pig and forthwith drag ged him before Justice Danforth, mem Der of the simon pure aristocracy O Halifax, wIfb knew 'Akim well. Tn prosecutor told straightforward all, convincing story of the theft, but durini the recital the prisoners ebou counte nance expressed contempt, indignation scorn and incredulity. When he Ina, done, tho magistrate asked 'Akim i he had anything to say.
 "Marser Danfu'th, axin yer pahdun but things is desprutly chainged, dat po' white trash kin com testify agin quality colored pusson. Dis am wot c come CT de wah, sah. Po' white trash i furder f'om de trufe dan dey is f'or glory. Dis yere man hain't done had II pig, an of he had hain't so low dow common es ter steal f'om him. Ef was quality folkses' pig, | wouldn' min de 'cusin, but jis' common trash Marse Danfu'th, you'd oughter know ol 'Akim bettur nur det. I'ze es innercen es de little Balaam dat stray f'om fol Gimme de Bible, Marser Danfu' 'th an I done swear on hit dat I'ze nebbe seed dat dere pig
 '.This will not do, 'Akim," inter rupted the magistrate. "You certainl stole the pig"
 "Wot dat you say, Marser Danfu'th You say I done tuck dat pig? Den da settles it, an I'ze guilty fur fac. Bu jes' wasn't gwine ter b'lieve it o what der DO white trash man say. course you knows, you does "
 'Akim received his sentence withor murmur. but it was n very mild on, and he went to jail witb his fnith in th l sNsilsy r,,.hahen, --st1i.rasu 'r'F.-"a