Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1896-08-13
JOE WAS "PEsTEREp.~
Didn't Know How He Got Out Of IN,
MoFhhousA.

WoFhhOuBA
Joe was a stableman who supported
family and thrived on a salary Of S.
week, says an exchange. Besides be-
Ing a good man In his profession, he
was of immense Importance in the eyes
OF the small boys in the neighborhood.
In the summer evenings, when work
was finished, he would sit under the
stunted peach tree and play on the
accordion and sing, His ghost stories
were marvels Of fiction, and 1t was
constant source Of wonder to the boys
how he could whistle "rhe Fatal Mar
riage" in his peculiar way. He was
black, but they were his friends. The
gentleman who employed Joe sold his
horses and the stableman was conse-
quently deprived OF an occupation. He
had received warning of the contem-
plated change and had endeavored to
secure another place, but without sue
cess. When Saturday evening came
Joe was handed So and he started to-
ward his home near the dump to give
the money to the "ole woman" as was
his custom. But he did not reach home
that night. He was intercepted by a
drunken crowd and in the fight which
ensued several policemen appeared and
arrested half a dozen Of the partici-
pants. Joe was among the number.
l did not see him for several days, and
when | CHANGED to meet him inquired
as to the outcome Of the arrest.
"Did yo know l was run in? Well,
OATS kerrec'. l suttenly was run in.
Well, twas like dis got my IS on
dat Sat'day night, an was a-gwine
home, an when 1 got down by Casey's
grocery dat gang down dere, Red
Learys gang, dey jumped on me, an
dey was a fight. I suttenly did fight.
Dere amt no mistake about dat, but
dey begun 1t. 1t STAINS to reason dat
amt a-gwine to begin q fight agin
six men at oncet. While we was a.
fghtin de police come down on us and
cotch nearly evy one, an I was one
of 'em. Den dey loaded us into de
hurry-up wagon and took us to de sta
ton house an locked us up. l toll 'em
dat it wasn't right fer me to be locked
up, but dey KEEP me all night, an in de
mornin' all Of us was took downtown in
de van.
I'VE was took into de police cot an
one Of de policemen toll de Judge all
about it, an said 1 was a-fightin'. Den
de judge asked me if l was a-fghtin',
an l said yes, but dat dey began it.
Den de jedge-he's dat one what had
de viii Bill whiskers-he said it was
de fus' time dat had been down dere
an dat he would make 1t only IS or
fifteen days. He asked me If l had
So an / said did. He said dat was
all right, to pay it an could go.
But l said: No, sub; I wants to go
to de workhouse.' He seemed to think
that was kinder strange, but he said If
changed my mind l could pay de IS
an git out any time wanted to. Yo
see, what I thought was like this. l
had been lookin' for work for two
weeks an couldn't git any, an dey
wasn't any money at home so I thought )
might JUS as well send dat S. to my
ole woman, kase if I got out I might
not find any work, an she wouldn't
have no money.
WELL I went down to de workhouse
IN got into my striped clo'es an dey
put de chain on my laig. stayed
iere half day an den somebody come
IN said; Git outen here, an took de
'hain off. Den dey give me back my
street clo'es an I went away. / was
mighty glad to git out, but was CEN
iderable pestered how done it.
when went home my wife was
Iere an had dinner ready for me. I
sked her if she got de money all right
n she said yes, she did. Den I tol
Ter how l was sent to de workhouse
n how got out an how was pes q,
cred kase 1 didn't know how got ,
ut.
Den she laughed an said: We'll, )
o's de foolishest black niger dat I ;
yer see. What yo' s'pose 1 was a. =
wine to do wild dat S5?" =.