The Butler weekly times., 1895-06-27
WHIPPING MADE HIM HAPPY.
showing the Force of Habit With One
Aholihamah skinner.

Skinner.
Aholibamah Skinner was a North
Carolina corntield hand Of inky black
ness OF skin and the shortest OF woollv
hair, who was frequently beaten with
many stripes by his irascible master,
the rich and influential Squire Mat
thew Skinner,
Holy, as everyone called him. was
very industrious, always leading the
gang up and down the corn rows. and
he tended" in his own time the larr-
est patch er new groun' clurrin''' of
any slave upon the plantation. He
could catch more fish than any other
Negro for miles around. ana he was so
expert in trapping birds and var
mlnts that he threatened an extermin-
alton Of all the desirable creatures Of
the field and forest. The Squire knew
Holy" TO be forehanded. for he held
in trust for that worthy several hum
dred dollars he had accumulated in di-
vers ways.
Still, the master was irresista bly, i'm
pressed with the idea that foggings
were Indispensable, not only to the
proper discipline OF Holy" but also
10 his health, peace OF mind and con-
| tentnent Of spirit What is most ex-
traordinary is that he had brought the
Negro to the same way OF thinking
Of course il will be understood that no
disgrace was attached 10 such punish
ment on the plantations. the only pen
atty being that OF physical suffering,
and "Holy's" skin was as tough as
that OF an alligator. Those were days
WAen soldiers and sailors OF the army
and navy We're tiogged for petty Of
fenSes and when the rod and ferule
were in every school-house in the
land.
The trouble with Aholitanah was
his inability to govern that member
which wiser people than he have had
| difficulty in keeping under subsection.
He would jaw the overseer and get
up chickering's among his fellow slaves,
which frequently brought his back
into touch with the whip. Yet, after
all, in majority Of instances. he was
thrashed upon general principles and
without any ostensible reason.
One bright June morning, when the
waist-high corn might almost be seen
| ~ +2'ioct u t'N aAt. 81 dptA Was aus
growth. and the "hoe-hands" We're fol-
lowing the plows to complete the hill
ing the old Squire came up and rode
in front of the gang. Aholibamah
touched the brim of his ragged straw
hat, and then taking it off, said res
pectfully, with downcast, sheepish
eyes:
| Mars Maffer, yous done been furgit
sonefin' dis mawnin', deed you is
| Whats that you say?" demanded the
squire, sharply.
| "Yaas, sub, Mars Matfer, Is done
been orful poly n de hoes been er
slippin' n slippin' all dis Dressed day.
Jessir, t'ink, Marse Maffer youse did
done furgit n Is jis uncommon mis-
able"
why, You chucklehead. if YOU don't
handle that hoe lively I'll bring this
whip about your shoulders, | can tell
YOU
Dat jis' hit, MarSe Maffer. You done
turgit to lam me dis mawnin' n
nat ally KANT git crlong 'dout hit. Eff
you 'ould gimme a lickin', Mars Naffer
| n no foolin.
With d smile the squire dismounted
and complied with the request. apply
ing the whip most vigorously. Aholi-
bamah. following an unvarying rule of
his race under such ordeals. writhed,
twisted. squirmed, roared, bawled,
pleaded piteously for mercy, declared
he was being killed, and insisted he
would never sin again as long as he
lived With the last blow the tears
dried as if by magic, the groans ended
abruptly, and with broad smile that
covered his entire face, he said:
T'anky, Marse Maffer, dat er sho'ly
good 'un. n Is peart e> er cricket"
4 moment later his stentor voice was
raised above all the rest in the singing
Of the familiar refrain:
! 'Fossvm up de gum tree. coon IN &c hoIler.
Show ne de man Iatll kesch en- feg dolicr.
-Chicago Tribune.