The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-28

While dey wuz a-makin' of me. wonders why de mischief dey didn't put white skin over my DO little body7
 Receiving no reply to this question, nor expecting any, for Jake was alone In the stable loft, he continued In q very discon- tented voice. 'Dis ole skin of mine is the worriation of my life. I kin nebber be de Presydent; kin nebber be anybody duz well ernuh ter play wid Frank en' Nelly til compny cums, den hits Jake, you mus go in de back yard nowl' en' hits all on account of me bein' black. jus wonders how kin mek myself white"
 After much thought on the subject Jake crowded: "I don't keeri l don't want no white skin. Dem white chiliern haz ter wash en' wash, en' wash time en' ergin ebbey day, but dirt don't show on me. I don't want white skin nor no moneyi Hits a good ching l don't want hit, fer nebber haz no money nor nebber 'spects ter hab none. Nanny dnn tole me yeattddy what she gwine ter do wid my wages when gifts big erngft ter workr'
 From the distance came clear, loud call, Jake, Jake, Ja-a-ke'eI" repeated time aad again, after frequent paases to listen for an answer.
 Curling himself comfortably Into a fittic ball on top of pile of soft hay, broad griu ulunined the round face of discontentc< Jake Hilton, and his eyes twfnkied merrity he assured himself, with many a chuckle, 'sMammy kin call me ti she gtts tired morc'n onct. I ent got no aigs yit en l ent gwine ter look fer none tn l gifts ready Frank en Neiiy's havin' dey pleasure wid dem city children in de parior. lakes gwine ter pleasure hisscn in de hayf'
 The afternoon was waxm, and to Jake's ears the call for him soanded further and Ep&r tanu VI ao si in hA tie fellow felt as if he were fnsling on the hay, 50 he rolled further away from the edge, lest, by some chance, he would fall through a hohe in the floor of the loft near which the hay was piled. Once when be experienced the fnIiing sensation, he was amazed to ses gentieman come to his rescue and seat him upright on q bin that held corn for the horses Jake had never seen gentleman dressed in the style worn by this stranger, and he ~obened hts eyes wider aud wider until the | little old msn begged him to quit stretchdns them 50 wide, lest they burst from thcil | sockets.
 Bat, marster, nebber see no geneimens | dress up in red coat, wid silver dollars fes | buttons, en he hat made outen green velvet trim ali round wfd big gold moneys-I tus 'biige ter open my eyes! You mus hal money to burn, mnrster. Shore nebber sef no mems wear strings of gold money round dey necks don't ax me not ter open ms l eyes, mtsteri"
 In his excitement and surprise at seeins the curiously dressed old man, it never oe l cured to Jake that 1t was any thing out oi the common to meet him in Mir. Ford's sta ble loft, nor did he think 1t strange that such rich looking man should be talking familiarity with a ragged, dirty little darky.
 ~Jake," said the old man, didn't heal | you say just a few minutes ago that you didn't want any money. nor white skinT' Yes, marster."
 | grapes to you"
 Sour grapes, marsterT
 ''Yes, sour grapes That means that yos said you did not want white skfn nor none, just because you thought you eoatd not gei | them Now can make you whttein min l ute if you will swallow this nttie pill In m hand
 '-rhsak de L.ord narcsi Do, M.rster