The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-09-05

4 sns nospisai wagon, NJ Auns ksbe'e ex'
communication haa complsted Rag Jim'a
prostration.
"Ah, how well remember, remember,
remember, +" hoarsely sinss the parrot, still
harping on the same song.
81 ain fo'got" says Rag Jim, reusing.
"Mistah, Of ain too beaby, drag me
|; way fun dat parrot"
you'd better not move. It's only q
bird and doesn't understand what 1t says. :"
"Oh, don't itY Muffin but bird
know you w'its mems doan' b'lisbe nuff n,
but parrot is sutney debbil. 1t blseg d
t. be q debbil. How bird gwine T. talk
wen de Lawd ain mex un dat aways A
parrot is better dan air p'liceman on dc
fo'ce. A place wey I buy rags, dey got
one on de front gallery. He lcok ober my
weigh UNI rightp Did you weigh UNI
rightP En- wen tuhn de scales so he
kin sec he keep on wild dat aggerwatin
Did you weigh UNI right9 Did you weigh
UNI rightp fur ez kin year I'LL.
II went int Mr. Pats sto', en- dess ez I
staht out somebody say: Got anything
you aim pay TO-? Got anything you ain :
pay fo'f' I say, wy, Mistah Pat, you
know wat you put in my baskit.' He
laugh, en- den see hit wuz parrot look
in clean froo my pocket.
"Hit wuz parrot debbil got Mars
Young John rested TO- dat murder. He
so proud O. dat parrot he useter tex um
ride'n en- walkin-'t' gle UNI some free
dom, he say. So wen dey fin Poll on a
hick'ry limb ober de body, gitt'n blood off
he fedders, dey low he owner want fur
off. But no bin git out do cage hesen en-
fewed dere int Postum Swamp t. git no
owner In trouble He know wat he dom. -
"Well, don't talk 80 muoh You're
nearly exhausted now. Save your
strength"
Presently Rag Jim's wandering senses
are brought up again sharply by the bird
"Shes sleeping in the valley, the val
ley, the valley"
"Dass SO; twas In de valley o. do Mis-
sassip, en- my ole marser, ole John Feath-
erhee, wuz king NV it. Me on Mars Young
John wuz chillun at dc brek'n out O. de
wah. We grows up t'gedder, en- freedom
ain paint US tell he halter run away"
when We gathered In the cotton side
by side!'
''Yassar hit wuz in cotton pickin time,
sho huff. Ain tell you dat parrot know
all bout itP En- Of he on'y a bird, how
kin he? Wen freedom come, my uncles
en- aunts all run off en- left mo de on'y
eolored pusson on de plantation. l ain
blalne'n UNI, kase dey ain know how t. tex
kyah deyseff, lot lone orphanless boy lax
me- Dey ain no cohn in do crib t. feed
me, ner no meat In de smokehouse, kase
de freedmen done tote 1t off. But Mars
Young John bog TO- me t. stay, en- stay
plumb tel l wuz grown, heppn wild dc
crap en- dc stock. Dat Dressed boy Farm
me t. read en- write do ve'y fuss ting.
done fo'got it long time, but tain he fault
my haid go thick. Teacher cain mex
muleo wicker lax hawse. How I gwine
stay home after he left itp Icain' ress my
min nohow. My old marser say: Hit no
use, Jim; he done change he namo en-
gone down souf wey nobody kin twit um
TO- wat he neber do. He ain com n home
tel de rale murd rer is foun'' I reply
back t. him: 'Dass all right, sab; I'ze
gwine down sOuf, too, en- ain com back
tel run dat murl'rer down. Now 1'ze
done 1t, en- you kin SON me t de pentenchy
any time you git ready. I know l done
right t hepp my bes frien. How kin de
color mattah? En- doan b'liebe Aunt
Kate cuss gwine wuk dis time"
The officer has been bending lower aud
lower until his ear is at Rag Jim's lips.
GOOD fellow! Brave fellow! Cheer
up, Jim; help is here, and wen do all we
can for you. You won't have to depend
on your own race" Perceiving that con-
seriousness is gone for the moment he rises
to his feet, soliloquizing:
Rag Jim yesterday and Rag Jim today
how different they are! I suppose there
are two men in everybody. Pity for some
Of us If not! Now this loud mouthed,
pestilent fellow is the hero of the town.
I don't believe there's justice who will
sentence him the next time he Is arrested |
as public nuisance"
OF the small advancing crowd one pale |
faced, nervous Tipped man Is ahead OF the |
rest.
"What is this I hear?" he asks in dis
ordered manner.
"John, John" cries the weeping wom-
an at the gate. "The murderer Is found. |
You are cleared at lastl"
"Yes, wife. So I have guessed But |
why and by whomp 1t is the strangest
tale ever heard. And who is this9"
His voice has power, it seems, to bring
back tho wounded negro to consciousness.
"Mo, Mars Young John" he murmurs,
md on his black, greasy, uncouth face
'ests inetfable happiness II done W. at
swear t. do. After fin you keep up
Tid you On dat niggah pooty nigh all dc
line. You ain know me. But know
you, en- de rag bag weigh mighty hsaby
" en YOU lip bow fotch 1t ont Doan cry.
8ubbah. ain killed. Deyll put me in
all heap O. time yit."
He faints again. The hospital nurse
md his aids make ready to lift him into
he conveyance.
"No," says Mr.. Weatherbce, stepping
,efore them. mo hands but mine can
Nurse Rag Jim. New York Post.