The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-06-12

1t had all happened in flash; that
Vs. In a space OF time utterly incommen-
surate with the Importance OF the
event. The far suburban dwellers had
been startled by sudden wild yells,
heavily running feet. pistol shots, and
demands for surrender. indicating the
not pursuit OF criminal. Then they
saw from their doors a confused mass
| OF black and white humanity struggling
and fighting. Bold. strong and alert, the
! negro had kept six men at bay. had
| wounded two and killed the best police
man on the force. who cried as ne fell,
| Take him; never mind me-" The in
stani's wavering would have given the
| hunted man his chance had not Rag
Jim dropped his scales and jumped on
| him from his cart. A final shot entered
! Jims thigh, but that he knew is
| doubtful, 50 full was he OF a strange,
| overmastering passion.
Now got you wey bin Want'n' you
ais long time" he pants. who Kill
Jedge Long. in de Massassip? You
know. and you gotter tell"
! Hello cries the officer WITH The
| handouts, himself a MississipDian He
is so confounded that another officer
steps up TO do the Handwriting.
| wait. for Gods sake" says the
other, excitedly. give Rag Jim
| chance. Wen close up to prevent an
| escape. But those two nlggers know
something, and we must know IT. too."
That's all right enough, but hand
cum him. now we've got him"
You can't know niggers very well.
Once In the clutches OF the law, he'll
| turn sulky and won't confess to save
| his own life. But now | believe
Rag Jim will get II out of him. Not
regular? OF course IL isn't: but when
you've been policeman as long as / have
your lind many ways 20 nab crimi-
nal
The two negroes are struggling at
| their very feet, totally oblivious TO ev-
erything save each other. Both are
stronger than the common run OF men:
but, desperately as the murderer bat
ties. there is something inexorable i'm
the motive of his assailant that gives
him an advantage, wounded as he is.
Now Rag jim is atop. and his ponder
Gus fists descend with such fury and
rapidity that fear for his own life has
driven every other consideration from
the criminals mind.
Who kill Jedge Long," is the ac-
compartment Of each blow. You neber
git up from yere tel you ans me dat
you tell me troof on lie. Member me on
d. witness-stan'2 | could tell you all.
but de very lick dat kill um You ready
{ tell?"
"Yass; doan hit me no mo-. / done il.
XIII Jedge Hsfe. swear tl,3 H ei4-
he saunt me up TO ten years"
With a wave OF a great black hand
Rag Jim calls the spectators to wit
ness.
Tell all bout II. track you fur ez
Possum Swamp. Wat you do DEM"
II went on after "A 'possum. en- see
Jedge Long in dere. hunt'n' vanilla 70
he tbacca. i slip UP benin um en- Kill
um."
"One mo- wud; how you kin um."
'Dess lax kill 'possum: how else
you speck me I do it?" And strange
as it may. sound there Is the pride of
the expert in the agony OF his voice.
The officer shudders. for he knows
how the rice-field hands slaughter an
opossum. Placing the sharply whitfield
end OF a stout stick at the creatures
throat, and his own heavy foot at the
other end. he then takes the forepaws
in his hands and breaks the neck by
one powerful and scientific jerk, Less
than FIVE years ago a Georgia negro
named Sanders slew his wife In rhe
same manner. In the meantime the
triple murderer is secured. But Rag
jim does not rise.
why. he is wounded. That last shot
must have struck him. Hereto the
crowd OF colored people. standing
attend to him. some of YOU,
III leave word at the hospital
They hasten away with the prisoner
and the dead. The only whites left are
the Mississippian and a wild-eyede wo-
man at the gate in front of which all
~ 1.
Rag Jim's hurt-an ugly flesh wound
and is not surprised TO see the strength
now slipping from him.
Where's his bome?' he asks rising
but meets only sullen, scowling glanees
"Ef he got home. | ain't see IT," one
replies: zen ef he had. you reckin we
all gwine tech dat niggah?"
Because he helped arrest another
niggah. eh? See here; every one OF YOU
knows the prisoner to BE- a criminal of
the deepest dye; there isn't a man here
VINO isn't afraid of him. though OF his
own color. Didn't Rag Jim do exactly
right2 Come now: wouldn't he have
done right il the man had been white?''
who dat try'n' L medger de black
man cohn by de w'ite man bushel?"
asks old Aunt Kate. "A street-preacher,
crowding TO the front. "Coon dog amt
got no smeiler 70 possum. Wen YOU
see turkey buzzard dut (dirD he own
ness? Wen mok'n bird fight de hawk,
de hawk warn de udder hawks ef he
kin; he in hepp ketch um."
Listen to the mocking bird.
croaks the parrot on the woman's
shoulder. thus reminded OF his favor
lite song.
oh Lawd, dere's anodder parrot
beddil." says Rag Jim. looking that
way with every symptom OF extreme
terror lin dat family. too. wey dey done
nun meanness long time ago. Missus,
you better choke um TO he do mo- mis-
chief
DE voice de Lawd speakn' by he
creeter!" eXclaims Aunt katc. aston
ished at this unexpected backing up.
while her hearers eye the accomplished
bird with doubt ana distrust. For ths
Southern negroes are as firm believers
I'm the Satanic origin of the parrot as
OF the occult power OF a graveyard rab-
bits foot. or the efficacy of a libation of
poured I'm a cemetery road 80
keep of ghosts.
Traitor TO yo' own race! You gwine
lay dere. and de buzzards pick YOU
clean befD' air cDlCrel han's rise