Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-06-27
CIRCUMSTANTIAL

''Uncle Sim, there's a bantam rooster
over there in the yard that you can
have if you want it. It's Jacks, but
he's away at school, and the quarrel
some little thing has become nui-
Sance"
much 'bleeged, sah," said the old
negro "Tze been roun a heap dis
marvin tryin ter git sumpin sides
taters an sidemeat fo' dinner term2r-
rer, kase it's Christmas, an Preacher
Yates he's gone seIt us word dat he
wos gwine to dine wifi u.s.
ga bantam won't go very far with
a preacher" said Henderson, laughing,
Shut come along and get him.
"'Dat'S so, OATS So" muttered Uncle
Sim as he shambled into the yard.
''Dar hain't much meat on a banty no.
how, but de ole woman she'll jist hab
ter make heaps oh grady an streIch
dat bird a mighty long ways. l fur
nishes de best dat the market 'fords,
an if she can't git UP spectacle meal
dat's her own outlookin."
When Henderson gave him the ban
tam, the old darby carefully concealed
it beneath his coat, much to the amuse-
ment of the good natured donor.
what are you hiding him for, Sim
You didn't steal him." said Henderson.
Oats so, san, suah's yo' BORN re-
piled Uncle Sim, rolling his eyes to one
side till nothing but the whites could
be seen. 81 gin'rally carries dem dat
way in cold weather sab, kase dar is
nuthin dat so Onfits a chicken 20
eatin like bein nigh frOze ter death
TO dey is killed" And with the ban
tam under his arm he hobbleo nomC'
ward, while Henderson smiled when
he drew a mental picture IF the ban
/ Quet at Uncle Sims on the morrow.
Uncle Sim was a queer combination
of piety and cunning. He was boast
/ fully proud of having been "a member
of de church fo' faWty years." but
| like most of us, he was not righteous
! beyond a certain degree fixed by him
/ self at a convenient distance from per
: lection. Many hen roOst robberies haC
! he been accused of, but if he were
guilty he always covered his tracks Sc
we'll that he escaped punishment. He
was regarded as remarkable negro
! in one respect-when he made 4
promise he religiously kept it.
| Midway between the Henderson resi-
! dence and Uncle Sims shanty lived
| Mr.. Dawson, an iraScible individual
| with a penchant for fancy fowls, anC
! the proud possessor of a flock of higf
| class Brahma chickens. AS was nj:
daily custom, Dawson, en- Christina:
| morning, while feeding his fowls
| counted them and found that there
was one missing, large rooster, which
| had in battle or otherwise lost the spu1
! of the right leg.
i Dawson at once declared that Uncle
! Sim was the thief for the old man nat
!, been seen about the premises on thu
|, evening before.
With but little hope of being able t.
! convict the cunning old negro, n
i chicken fancier started for Uncl
i Sims home When within a short dis
i lance of the shanty, Dawson picked n
i the head of a Brahma rooster, an'
i when, a few yards farther on he fOun'
a leg minus the spur he was wild witt
rage Mastering to the nearest mag
:. istrate's Office, warrant was pro
cured, and just as Preacher Yates I'm
! ished the blessing constable came t
march old Sim off to answer to fh
. charge of chicken stealing.
!; Uncle Sim begged TO be permitte,
!. to eat his dinner but the officer Of tn
law was obdurate, and as ne was le,
, out of the door Uncle Sim said:
:, preacher Yates, you'se welcome t