The National tribune., 1903-10-08

| for secession effer since | grew up. NefeI
vas anything else. 1 did my pest to get
de State to go out pefore South Carolina
did,
"'Since you started de thing you half nc
right to complain about what habbens.'
"'Of course l half. I am doing my
share to garry on de var. | raised one COM
pany for de Confederate army, and vitted
| it out myself. l am paying more taxes
dan any other man in st. Landry Parish.
| YOost because dere's a var is no reason for
robbing me. Why should | deprive myself
and vanity af de means of lifting as We
| should? l told president Davis and Gen.
Kirby Smith dat dey had no right to in
terfere nit my household and pizness af-
fairs, and dat I vas going to sell my cot
ton when and where l bleezed. l must hat
means to lif properly. I'd not submit to
any tyranny on DER part
"'Your cotton is good, merchantable: 2
asked Zimri.
"'A1. Never bale anything else
"'Vhere is it|
"'On de Bayou Huffpower, 1 told you.
Near de water?
Already loaded on poats, hidden away
in an arm of de bayou | own de poats
myself, and hat kept dem hid up dere to
keep dem out of de- way of de army who
we're grabbing efferything would vlOat to
garry subblies for de troops
What an enthusiastic batriOt.' | said
to mineself.' An idea dat l might do
something NIT Admiral Porter struck me.
How much will you gif to hat your
cotton run OUT? I asked him.
go. apOut five per cent. ought to be
enough, he said. Dat will gif you $4,000
clear
"'Fife per cent? said 1. wrinkling up
my vace. as if smelled bug. You must
! think I'm a dramp hunting a chob and a
meal of cold victuals'
"'Vhy you tamt Chew he PECAN to say;
but | stopped him NIT my bistOl out, and
ready.
"Oxcuse me-" l said cooking my reOyl-
fer. I'm an Israelite chenteman. of a
good deal older vanity dan de Seldens of
Eirginny. We had plantations on de Jor-
dan at de time of de Grucifixion. I'll not
hermit any man to look at me in dat tone
of voice"
~ peg your bardon.' he said glumly.
noticing my bistol. Il didn't intend to east
any reflection. Nor did l come here to
discuss pedigrees, though mine is de very
first family of Virginny. | came here to
see apOut getting my cotton out. Haf you
any way of doing 1t? But you Chews al
ways hat some underground way of doing
things dat We White men
"'Oxcuse me again. Don't you gonsid-
er Chews White men? l had my finger on
de trigger
30, gonfound it. yes. I'm Wiling to
consider anybody white to get my cotton
out
"'Dat Won't do. If We are going to gon-
verse at all, it must pc on entire equality
as chentlemen.'
"'Good God, what straits dis var is
forcing us to. But l must hat my cotton
got out. And l heard dat some of Tay-
lor's men had got to Cheneyville yester-
Il Wall ka., 20 49,. a. Ia
men, all alike. Now, can you get my cot
ton out?
May pc l can. l think can, if hat
sufficient intucement.'
81 will gif you 10 per cent
Il looked as I had smelt another pig
pen.
I'm not a roustabout on de levee.
working for two bits an hour | said.
Go and hire some Of dem. if you want to
get your cotton out
Il turned to go away. Zimri caught on.
"'Dere's no doubt dat Taylor's men are
advancing on Cheneyvilie,' he said 4
heard dis morning dat some Of Greene's
Texans had got dere'
"Mr. Powhatan Selden groaned, and de
color pleached out of his red face.
az will gif you dwenty-fife per cent"
he exploded, as if it vas tearing his heart
strings.
"'Dat would pc veil enough for clerk,
or some one in your employ said, much
more pleasantly, but still as if it wasn't
anything dat cared to listen to. I'm a
chentleman, In pizness, de same as you
are, and haf to lif like a chentleman.
vas porn dat way
II could see him swearing under his
preath, and sending de whole Chewish
Nation, vrom Abraham on, down to de low
est pit, and 1 enchoyed it. 1t is not often
dat you can get one of dose high nosed
Chew-haters on his knees.
II turned again, to walk Offer toward my
horse. Dere came, from far-off, de noise
of musketry, and looking out ofer de
prairie We could see some of our bickets
sllirmisling NIT reppel cavalry.
"'Vhat will you dake to get my cotton
outy' he asked desperately.
we'll said |, turning deliberately, and
studying Offer de thing. very leisurely, and
piznesslike. I'm chentleman porn. like
yourself, and must lif like chentleman.
so | must get broper bay for my
time and talents. You're not going to get
anything for your cotton. unless help you
ont. Pefore 4S hours, Greene's Texans,
who don't like you nor anybody else in
Louisiana for a cent. viii hat purnt your