The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-01-24

.lHdnfn TonSHf"iion.

Of the ncrro a,d wa~ Il race trait And
that cheating in trade was a race
trait in the Jew, aud Gcnlilcs We
white iolks DO not call it cheating but,
say lie GOT the advantage or he gut the
best ui the bargain, but this aiyar-
Gaze is generally got by deception or Il
suppression Of the truth. The negro
Smooih> his sin over by calling it
taking things just ao our cook once
said to me when complained about
her stealing lard and tlrur and rice
and ~uch things: "lIr Major, don t
think you mis-, what takes. Well,
didcnt very m,iy., but it annoyed
ne very much !ci her to think She
wa fooliyr ne when She wascnt. But
that same negro would sit up ali night
with Il sick member Of the family and
was always good and kind to our
children. Now the white man rarely
steal, anything and the negro as rare
ly cheats you in "a tra'ic Before the
civil war the negro ) most frequent
crime was stealing chickens and lie
got so expert in that business that Il
law was passed making it Il penal Of
Tense for anybody to buy chickens
from Il negro even though he had
raised them in his own yard. We
could buy foot mats and brooms and
baskets, but We must not buy chick
ems. Law or no law, he continued his
midnight vocation, and if the com
mandmcnt had said thou shalt not
cuvct thy ncighbOr chickens it would
have been all the same to him. First
covct and then steal was part :" his
religion. was Illuminating about
this because | bought turkey ycstcr-
day from negro for a very low price
and wondered where he got it. |
didn't question him, for | didn't want
to hurt his feelings. When l was in
North Carolina friend told me about
an old darkcy who was On trial for
stealing turkey and the proof was
positive, and yet he did not seem to
be alarmed. His lawyer was discour-
aged and said, "Unclc Jack, it looks
like they have got you" "No, dey
aint, Mas John; dey aint got me yet
and dey aint agwine to get me. Tell
you how it is, Mas John. De jedgo
seten up thar was my young master
when de war broke out and not gwinc
to send me to de pen. No, sir; ne
aint, he aint done forget what / know"
But Mas John had lost his confidence,
for he knew that the judge would do
his duty and execute the law. In
short time the trial was over and the
judge asked Uncle Jack if he had any
thing to say in extenuation of his
crime. The old gray-hcadcd man got
up with 4 grunt and looking around
upon the spectators and then at the
judge, said: "Nuflin' much, Mas
Judge, muffin much. Only dis. you
know all about dat old war which We
all got whoopcd and you laint forgot
how l went oud wild you to dc army
for you was a cappcn and old master
told me to 60 long and take kccr Of
you, and you knows l did dc very bcs'
could for four mighty long years and
how one time you got wounded and l
staid by you ontell you was we'll again
and how anodcr time you took the
measles and me, too, and I stay by
you and nus you and how anodcr time
dem yankees cotch me and [ got away
in dc night and come back to you and
how sometimes you get out of money
and out Of sumfen to eat all ut de
same time and you call me up and
say, Jack, you mus 60 out foragin'
and get us sum6n' and 60 out late
in de night and bring you chiokons
and rostin' ears and one time l bring
you turkey, and you ncbcr AK me
muffin about whar got him and you
never Civ me any money to buy him,
did you, Mas Jcdgc. You call it fora
glu ucn, dlGcnt you, MAS JcoSc, ana
if it was foraging den how cum it to
be stealth now?"
BY this time the courtroom was
convulsod with laughter and the judge
could not conceal his emotion, for his
recollection of the old darky's faithful
ness was revived afrcsh. He wiped
his brow and his eyes, and said: "Nlr.
Sheriff, adjourn court. Uncle Jack,
will pay for that turkey, but you must
not do so any more. When you need
anything you must come to me. l
haven't forgot you"
1t is amazing to read our peniten-
tiary reports where we learn that there
are over 1000 negrocs in the State and
County chaingangs who are there for