New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-19
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hickory stick Of say two inches In thickness
and Ave or six feet long was split at a small dis
lance from one end and before the wedge was
withdrawn the long. hairless. thick skinned tail
was drawn about half its length through the
slit after which the wedge was Withdrawn. The
captor sluns the stick his shoulders.
trimmed his torch. and II not ready to return
home hed his dog 10 another search. Occa-
slonally u negro would return home not too late
for rest enough for the mOrrow's work. with
three four hanging from his pole
The killing was usually postponed to sun
day. During the interval IT was kept In "A box
seat with us open side upon the ground, ana
made firm by heavy stones laid upon the top
ventilated with anger holes II was fed upon
persimmoas mainly. but with addition OF bread
collards. potatoes and other vegetables got from
the negros small garden that lay behind ms
cabin. II really surprising what degree OF
fairness IL would take on In very short time
The killing was after way peculiar TO that
animal In all probability never since Georgia
was first occupied by white people with slaves
did an opo,sum when killed by a NEGRO. meet
death In any other. For this timc-honored
custom he felt respect that would have been
sorely hurt even 10y suggestion of substitution Oh
another The affection he cherished for this
dear object made him scrupulous that when his
end was to come. II must come inevitably.
according TO the destiny of all beings. sentlent
and not IL should be decently in accord with
usage handed down from the ancestors Of both
And a fair Sunday morning, taking him
tendery. yet with sufficient hrmness OF grasp.
by the tail. ne drew Elm from his box into the
light OF day let him go dead for while. after
his harmless deceptive way. and. it may be.
A. 40 ~ ~ no
manner in which he had made himself ready
for the winding up Of this. his last job. Then,
laying down his axe with the hclve across the
Victims neck. and placing his foot upon it
the place OF contact while he kept 1t pressed.
with his two hands he pulled the 'possums tail
until It's neck was broken Already pot Of water
hard by had been made hot for scalding the hair
from his precious carcass by this time become.
as some expressed it, as round as a butter ball
After he was baked and set upon a tray.
nankad satisfactorily with attendant good
things II was interesting to see the rapidlty with
which, using a favored sme among negroes,
It would go down de red lane"
practically, this goes to the root OF the
matter" says Joel Chandler Harris. reviewing
the pamphlet In THE Atlanta Constitution" I'm
the sixties the Blue Dick was known the
Black Jack and It seems certain that It Is a
variety different from the common gray pos
sum Ordinarily they are smaller. but fire.
qucntly a Black Jack was caught weighing from
fifteen to twenty pounds. They are as crafty
as coons and almost fleet. They have been
known to Leaf from falling tree and take to
the fields and give the dogs of mile
two before taking to a tree. and sometimes they
were caught on the ground In an open cornheld.
The hounds used In the days Colonel Johnston
writes OF were the old fashioned ong-eaced.
blabber-mouthcd dogs OF the BLOODHOUND
variety. Later. foxhounds were used as 'possum