The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-09-03


sppease Pete's ..honger'' for what
yeemed to her q fancy price.
Il gwyne let yer eat twel yer got
plenty fer half q dollar-cash, she
said. An expansive smile dawned and
spread itself slowly over Peters sooty
eountenance, and reaching some where
into the depths of his ragged trousers
he pulled therefrom a small tobacco
pouch. from the grimy depths OF
which he fshed i've small silver
pieces and laid them on the table.
+ Then, drawing on empty fruit box
to the curb, he sat astride Of it and
began to eat.
Tempe proffered knife ana fork,
but the implements were calmly a.
nored and huge jacklxnife taken
from 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 not made such n salts
factory bargain as she at first sup
posed The ham was lessening fear
fully under Pete's well-applied jack
knife, and Tempe remarked, ssLool1-a-
yere, niger, ant yer gwyne quitP''
when I gifts done"
''Yuh done eat TO dozen biskit an
now all dat ham, OATS too much
eatin' for on'y half dollah-"
Dat what yuh axed," indifferently.
Another onslaught on the shattered
remains of the ham, which left q
heshless bone exposed to the aston
ished eyes Of Tempe. and Pete care
fully wiped the jackknife, replacing
it in his pocket.
Then the real fun began. Reaching
p ,,t11 -
began to disappear with astonishing
rapidity. Six, a dozen. two dozen,
and still Pete gave DO sign of being
done. Tempe now asserted herself.
Spreading her hands over her wares
she exclaimed, fierce determination
on her shriveled, black countenance.
''Look-a-here, niger, yuh jess quit
dat"
ANT yer Rwvne femme git doneP''
''No, l ant gwyne let yer eat no mo-
dem vittles."
''Yuh done low, lady. dat could
eat twel 1 warn't a-hungry no mo- fer
dat half dollah."
Hit makes no differ. Yuh done
eat out de half dollah on dat ham an
braid. Now, you quit"
But Pete insisted on the terms of
the contract, and was beginning to
when old Judge Tice appeared around
the corner. Tempe wadd1ed out from
behind her table, hailing the imagis-
trate in excited accents:
"Jedge Tice, sab. oh, ledge Ticel
Speak yere ter dR yere niggerl He
bout ter eat all Use got
The Judge sauntered to the curb,
surveying the scene with amused eyes
and Pete explained the situation
ibis Teddy low 1 cud eat twe1 I
warn't hungry no mo- fer hat dol
lah, 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 leerle oil ha'f''
''Dat what yuh low a hat"
''Gawd, man, low you was folks"
"'Huhl''
s'Yas. sab. an now yuh is got ter
pay meh fer dem vittles err I gwyne
carry yuh right befo' dis yer magis-
trit"
Il carry yuh dar. CONAN. ant
done"
WHO, me?" Temples voice rose
shril1y 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
akimbo her huge hip, the other point
ing at the object of her wrath, sitting
cool1y on the box
Little Elihu Walsingham Lamkin.
slipping through the crowd, took in
the situation at glance, and lodging
behind the port1y form Of Tempe.
filed every availa BILE pocket in his
looped and Widowed raRgedness with
the remainder of the cakes, stealing
away unobserved to enjoy the feast
Tempe, turning about at the end of
her harangue, the empty plates met
her eyes
8 Fore Gavvdt'' she exclaimed sol
EMMY, sef he ant done conjured dc
balance err dem cakes often de platesl
Use gwine quit, kase done knOwed
hit warn't no ev'y day man what
could git outside all dem vittIes- Eff
he ant de debbi1 he kin to him, an
black huff to be hesef ennyhow."
OF course the venture, having struck
such a cyclone of an appetite as Pete
had, was failure, but Tempe always
talks about the money she would have
made if she hadn't ''met de debbu in
store cloes-"