The Portland daily press., 1901-02-12
CAKE wALKERs.

20 outdoahs fur de want of shoes Pickles
was squirtin nroun like a young man OF
20 an tellin how cake walks had bin de
salvashun Of America.
"Oae Of de pussons who contested fur
de cake was our Samuel Shin. Look at
him ober dar. He sits all bumped ober,
as IL house had fell on TO him. Two
DAYS befo' dat nonsense he come ODER to
my house an borryed a dollar to git med
icine fur his rheumatic. He limped in
both legs an couldn't straighten his back.
Ny dollar went fur blue suspenders an
freckled shirt, an from de way he twisted
hisself around | couldn't believe he ever
had a pain or an ache. A man so Vars
old ought to hey some dignity, no matter
what his color. but Samuel was playin de
fule as bad as de young folks OF 10.
IAN our Waydown Bebee was dar.
Brudder Bebee didn't come to me TO bor-
ry any money, but it amt ober week
since his wife was tellin me dat he had
consumpshun an couldn't work no mo.
She reckoned dat one Of his lungs was
clean gone an dc odder pullin hard on de
halter to break away an follow arter, an
i had laid away To- bushels Of taters to
help him frew de winter. Yes; Brudder
Bebee was dar, an he was twistin an
dodgin an GRIMM an enjoyin de occashun
bout fo'teen times mo- dan camp meet
in. He was workin harder dan as II he
had an AK in his hand. an ! believe dat he
an his partner cum mighty nigh takin de
prize fur bein de two biggest fules on de
floah. 1t am needless to add dat dem
TO- bushels of taters won't find DER way
to his cabin dis winter.
"As cast my eyes ober de crowd
- IohnGAn Thran
DAYS ago | met him gwine into a pawn
shop wild some beddln, an he told me
woeful tale bout sickness an hard luck.
De money he got fur dat beddin went
into a pair OF shiny shoes, an dem shiny
shoes was Jest slngin deirselves all ober
de hall, like cat walkin on hot stove.
IAN / noticed Kumfut White in dc
thickest Of de crowd. Bout two weeks
ago Brudder White come ober to my
cabin one eavenin an gn me TO under
stand dat he had sebenteen sorts OF dis
eases an was not long fur dis world. lie
wanted me to promise dat he should hev
n headboard at his grave an dat l would
send his bereaved an grief stricken
family gallon of soft soap an bushei
of turnips. | hev bin waitin ever since
to h'ar dat de grim destroyer had carried
him off, an my surprise at seem him
present de odder night was as great as
dat OF de man who runs agin sleepin
hog on de sidewalk. Yes; Kumfut was
right in de swim an had fo'gotten NIL
about his sebenteen diseases. an de ruby
ring on his finger nebber cost less'n seb-
enty cents. | has got turnips an soft
soap In de cellar. but dey am not fur
Brudder Whites grief stricken family
not dis year.
II am one who believes dat all men
an women must hey social enjoyment an
air made better fur 1t. but it grieves me
TO see either white or black folks make
fules OF dekselves an pay an entrance
fee to boot. A cake walk am tomfuie
nonsense. II might do well huff fur
boys an gals, but when grown up folks
go into 1t de case am different. II would
be jest as sensible to play leapfrog or
to stand on yo'r head 'longside de wall.
i amt got de power to stop 'em, an
can't prevent members of dis club from
attendin 'em. but I'm gwine to say TO
20 dat de next Niger who borrys money
of me TO fule away on a cake walk has
got to be nailed to de ai-th or l shall
trip him ODER wild crash.
"Dar was a time when de hun Gull
race was treated as chilen an amused as
chiI'en, but dat time has passed. Yves
growed up an progressed an am supposed
TO hev mo- dignity dan monkey on
hand organ. | amt gwine to do no shout
| in at yo, an dis kentry amt gwine to
spllnters II yo' decide to keep up desc
cake walks. I'ze jest bin givin 70 my In
diyidual opinyun. an | jest want to add
dat IL yo' feel 20 must make fuies OF
yourselves once in awhile or bust Il would
be far easier an cheaper an mo to DC
credit OF de race TO sit on de cellar stairs
in de darkness an bob about an grin al
de empty later bin. OATS all I've got e
| say. an we will now blow out de lamps
~ ' n. QUAD.