Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-30
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heavy can't cy'ar II no longer. Den ne
tell me a tale tit to make de har curl
up on your hade Pear Ike on DAT
night when Cyrus and Cicero leave MIN
on de pint he follow de Jack-o' Lantern
In de dark tell all OBJ a suddint he meet
a tall dark stranger standin' like shad-
der 'ginst de gllmemerin' light. De doc
tor hear music playing same ike M
dies at a ball, but he look up In de ele-
ment and amt see nothin'. De stranger
say. polite as a dancin' master, Goou
evenin'. DR.. Nicklus Lightfoot, you COM
in home from de ball? Well, 'spose l
see how a gentleman ob your 'propflate
name. sab. kin skip on de light fantastic
toe: and he glib de doctor a playful little
poke on his shank wild a pitchfork dat
he cy'ar on his shoulder. De doctor say,
Ef you is de Lu-Lah or de debbil you
shan't sass me- De stranger Ian ana
say: Doctor, you and me is friends, Tor
you done me good turns sendin' OBJ SIN
ners down befo' dere time. l don't so
back on a pardner. You hear my band
playin' dat fine ole Virgiuny reel De
Debbn 'Mong de Tailors. don't your
Well. sab, / tell you what, I'll dance
match against you for wager, ana II
win your soul Is mine; eff L lose, you hap
all de wish OBJ your heart, de young iauy
OBJ your likin, and riches, too. lie doc-
tor had been all his life de buck OBJ de
country and pride hisself IN ms uahci ~, 4,
and he study a while. den he say; 'Ef
ycu is Belzebubble hisself l kin beat
you on dat wager if you glib me de lady
and a fine plantation
de stranger say: doctor, | drain OF
dis swamp dry in one day and night ana
fro In q good crap besides
And what bout de Lu-Lah" say de
doctor. No Lu-L.ah nor no bad luck IN
dis world UP here when l got de right
10 glib de orders say de stranger. Come,
sab. here's at you, heel and toe. double
shuttle. pigeon wing, swing corners, set
to your pardner, and | shassay, forward
an back an down de centre
"'Go it, say de doctor. and quick as
flash O. lightnin' de stranger draw cir
Gle I'm de sand wild his pitchfork. de nd
dies fairly talk up in de elevneret or
down below. wherever dey was, and den
dew had IL. De doctor cut de double
nlein wing wild bofe feet up in de ar,
and de stranger make n piroute on one
toe and swing hisself clean round WIG
out techin' de ground. De hddles play
faster and faster, and de strangers eyes
shine like two Goals OBJ fire as he say
sDoetor. I've done got YOU and ootch him
by his hand and mos pull his arm out
swingin' round and round. De doctor
most fall down and glib out, but make
oue last tempt At dat very minute a
rooster crow. A streak OBJ light come
cross dc sky, de nddles stop. and de
stranger glib croah and groan, ana de
doctor he sink down most dead. When
he come TO hisself de ball done over
and he done won de bet.
when Mars Nick Lghtfoot come 10
de eend OBJ dat dreadful tale he look 80
wild dat | take his hands an fan down
ON nv knees and say: Mars Nick, let me
run for de riveren parson OBJ Chicka-
hominy church, but he say Moses
faint no use; 1 bleeve my time Is up
don't you hear it thunder De storm /.
comm and so Is he-good-by'; and hero
| could grab him he go tearin out &c
house into de dark OBJ de night, and no
human amt see him nevermo'. FOLK 10"
dat de ole debbi cotch him alive, BODY
and soul bofe. and OATS all long OBJ has
huutin de Lu-Lah.'