The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-12-22

listened to him with sparkling eyes and
mods Of approval whe he chose to speak ssid
Just as they appreciated fiddle music.
But an ancient philosopher now remarked,
sScipio thinks he gwine reach de promis'
Ian, but he gwine be turned down, when
he rech out hees han same as Moses
quired.
elevation
wants to do what?"
'He aspi'es to identify hisseif wild de
Wants to get up In the world, does hep
"Yas, sab. And a man what's bon
humble CANT commingle wi elevation;
He'll give hisself away, same as de devh
did. Devil put on fine clothes and went to-
showed unda hees c~oattail:, Same way
wild a low bon pusson. De tail gwine show.
| When Scipio went down to de Rock he
| put up at a big hotel. De po'te'. give him
a pape' to read. Scipio was shamed TO
feet cooked up, holdin' de pape'. People
| came along and looked in de window and
seed a big nigge' wild his feet cooked up.
| holdin' de pape' heels upwards; Cose
dey all said, OATS de tail howip .u,
| match the next day eight boys were assem-
bled at the store, me many spectators
were present. Crackers were counted out,
eight piles Of ten each, and a pound OF candy
was placed on the counter, In plain, sight
Of ali. Unfortunately, the day was cloudy,
and Scipio declared, with much use OF
| technical terms, that II would be impossible
to use the camera. But preparations for
| the match went on just the ame
Predictions were to the eject That the
| race would be between Sidney's boy. Willie,
and Dudley Pats oldest boy, Sam Pat:
| The average mar would have been inclined
| TO lean toward the latter. He had a mouth
| which, for the work in hand. was absolutely
perfect. 1t opened with too much hexi-
| bility and scope for a thing OF beauty, but
its commodiousness was remarkable. There
were two rows Of perfect teeth which will
| doubtless 20 with him. unimpaired, TO the
grave. When he laughed a great cavity
Of the color Of a tulip was disclosed.
| given his ten crackers. Then after certain
conditions were explained TO them the
signal to begin wa given. A sharp crash
was heard. They were of.
The few white spectators present instantly
lost sight Of the boys. The audience. was
by far the most interesting feature OF the
| spectacle. The negroes exhibited their
love of a contest by %thronging about the
contestants wit that childish gayety whichis
the one charming characteristic OF the black
man. Many opened their mouths In sym
PATTY with the performers. An old mar
| with a red woollen cap put his hands on his
knees and leaned forward, entranced.
Most Of the younger fellows yelled and urged
sDon' ovacha'ge yo' mouf. Willie, 20
gwine choke, boy. Put DIES a little in at
a time;
ct a cracka'"
Indeed, these two were the chief con-
~testants. The others regarded a cracker
in the hand more toothsome than candy
| on the counter, and took their time. One
| little fellow, looking forlornly al Sam Pat.
and seeing how uneven the contest was,
burst into tears, while another. attempted
TO conceal part OF his ration in his torn
tow shirt. All made the mistake Of pay
ing too much attention to the others, ex-
| cepting Sam Pat. He looked stolidly
ahead Of him, and munched without hurry
ing. A COW chewing its cud could not
have appeared more Indifferent. He had
self assurance, which always, goes with
conscious ability. Sam Pat knew what
he could do. The taunts and jeers OF his
| parents during the ten years or his lie
had not been for nothing;
"Yo' eats mo- dan yo' two brothe's put
togedda," he had been told, and now he
would have not only the blame, but the
candy. =,
Toward the latter part Of the race all
the boys were regarding Sam Pat with
envy, and eating forlornly. All except
Willie johnson. By dint Of wonderful
e1ertion ne was running neck n neck
with the favorite. One cracker remained
TO each, with the advantage In Sam Pats
favor as his mouth was not SO overcharged
as his rivals. Wilie's sorely tried jaws
were forced apart, and his mouth began
10 resemble q beer vat during the process
OF fermentation. His eyes were starting
from their sockets. and he was making
but futile gasps 10 relieve the situation.
Sam Pat bit on another section OF his
last cracker, and there was the sound OF
grinders at work. Seeing this, Willie in
serted another fragment. It. Displaced
numerous fragments, which FELL to the
floor. He was moving his Jaws more slowly.
Sam Pat h0ngrily took the last OF his
last crac er into the well-oiled receptacle
whence ten crackers had disappeared In
less thar eight minutes. Willie Johnson
with the aid Of both hands, crammed his
last fragments into place. ,
But the race was over. sam Pat stepped
iauntily out Of line and paraded before
the semioircle Of yelling spectators. with
wide open mouth, In which there was not a
crumb 10 be- seen. He ran his tongue into
crimson corners and swallowed for a last
time. after which he grinned broadly. Then
he pointed with scorn TO his opponent who
was standing stock still, without a move
meut of his laws. There was Just a yawn-
ing circle mad ever wider 10y the swelling
cracker mas
sHe's done bound up'' declared the self
appointed judges, and To ham Pat was
handed the pound 81 candy
II should H. added. however. that h.
divided the pTizs among all ihe contestants
aud thai each had his supply doubled by
the storeke-p.T, no tina the cracker match