The Press., 1902-10-30
LEGAL
TENDER
BY ADDISON CLARK
Copyright, 1901, bD Addison Clark
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

/
somed like well kept flower garden.
In those days the white house, set back
from the road in clump of live oaks,
was astir with life and youth. The
and had run for the legislature. Men
had called him Judge Henderson, and
he had walked with his head erect.
| He had had a neighbor then whose
heart was very near to his own, but
the war had come and changed every
thing. Robert Stephens, the neighbor,
had gone away to join the Yankees,
and friendship was changed to bitter
| hatred.
The masters sons, nephews and
| friends had also gone to the war, some
from the north and others from the
south. His slaves had left him at the
first rumor of freedom, and the old
place soon fell into decay.
A thick carpet of crab grass and wild
morning glory vines had spread over
the fields where had once been rows of
cotton and corn. All was silent now in
| the house among the live oaks.
Upon a bed in the large sunny front
room upstairs lay the master, sick and
deserted-no, not quite deserted, for
there was left old Jerry, the last of
| hundred slaves. The old man turned
over restlessly in his bed and, putting
| up thin, bony hand, pushed the gray
hair out Of his eyes.
"Jerry" he called in feeble voice.
A wrinkled black face appeared at
the door. Eyes, Ma'se Tol. heah 1 u.s."
answered the old servant.
"What do you mean leaving me here
alone? Where have you been all this
| timer"
Il amt ben nowhar, Ma'se Tol, 'cept-
in in de kitchen. l amt lef' yo' but
| lille minute"
"You have! I say you have Jerry.
| You've been gone an hour. Why don't
you bring me something to eat? Do
you think that because a mans little
sick he doesn't get hungryY'
Eyes, sab, Ma'se Tol; yes, sab. De
dinnah be ready freely; would "a
ben done, sab, only de hins somehow
don't lay no mo- today-no, sab, not
single aig! An de co'nmeal am done
all gone an de bac'n an de coffee"
Nothing to cook, eh! Not thing to
eat in the house. and I'm to lie here on
my back and starve, am 1, just be-
cause you're too lazy to go to the store
| and get something"
''Yes, sab, Ma'se Tol; yes, sah." said
Jerry uneasily. 'I'ze jes' a-gwine to de
| sto' movies a-gwine when yo' call
me. Yes, sab. Ma'se Tol, but-but de
money done all gone too"
Money! That's what is the matter,
is it? Well, why didn't you say so?
What do you stand gibbering there for
and not tell what you want? Do you
think I'm beggar?" He turned over
in feverish haste. his old hands trem-
bling nervously, and, reaching under
the pillow, took out a large wallet,
which he opened. displaying number
of crisp new bills. Money! There.
take what you want"
A look of awe came over the old ne
gro's face; then he smiled as with
trembling hands he took one of the
bills and folded it tenderly. Eyes,
Ma'se Tol; yes, sab. De dinnah be
ready ,t'rectly," said he, and. bowling
and smiling, he shambled out of the
room.
Two stores, in one of which was the
postoffice; ginhouse and blacksmith
shop constituted the town. One Of the
stores was owned by Judge Hender-
sons former neighbor, who had gone
out joyfully to fight for the Union and
had come back broken, one legged. al
most pauper.
But it was not there Jerry went. He
well knew that his master would eat
no food from that store. So he passed
1t by and went on to the other, where
busy, practical newcomer did gen.
eral merchandise business for cash.
'Evenin', Mistah Ross" said Jerry
to the man who came forward to take
his order.
Good evening, Jerry. How is Mr..
Henderson todayY' asked the proprie-
tor.
"Jedge Hindi'son, sab. am bettah,
tank yo'. He am healthy, sah," re-
turned the old negro. Strengthening up
his bent form and looking with con-
tempt on the questioner.
Can 1 do anything for you" asked
Mr.. Ross.
"Yo' kin, sah," responded Jerry, and
he gave his order as If he were speak
ing to servant.
Eyes, to be sure" said the proprietor
when Jerry had finished, "but excuse
me. All, but Jerry, did Judge Hender-
son send the money? You know we
do only cash business"
Jerry looked at him for moment in
silence. "In co'se brung de money"
-
Begin TO- Ma'se Tol sump'n to eat?"
The proprietor unfolded the bill
which the old negro handed him, and
as he saw what it was smiled In su-
perior manner. "Why, Jerry, this is
no good. This is not legal tender"
said he. "This Is Confederate money.
The Confederacy fell six months ago,
and Confederate notes are no longer
legal tender. They are not worth the
paper they are printed on"
SAINT no good? Yo' say de money
amt no good?" responded the old ne
gro, trembling with anger and disap-
pointment. "Ain't Ma'se Tolls money
good as any money? Amt my Ma'se
Toll Hindi'son ge'm'n? Amt he pay
his debtsY His voice broke to a sob
and tears filled his eyes. "Ain't de
money to buy my po' marster sump'n
to eat when he hongryY'
"Jerry. you don't understand" ex-
planned Mr.. Ross. Confederate money
is no longer legal tender. Judge Hen
derson must have sent the wrong bill.
Tell him If he will send coin or United
States notes we will be glad to serve
him."
The sick man awoke from fitful
slumber as he heard a step upon the
stairs. For moment he lay staring
up at the ceiling and trying to straight
en- out the tangle in his thoughts
Jerry" he called at length impatient
~. You lazy niger, why don't you
come on with my dinner? Didn't /
tell you was hungry"
Eyes sab Ma'Sa YOl heah ia sab ~