Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1904-10-05
Old SilaS' Version Of
Uncle Toms Cabin.


Ef you'll 'scuse er ole niger for writ
in >er you, Tse gwine ter teke dat liber-
ty, ter ease up my min
Mis- Ma'ay gwine ter writ hit down
jes' Ike I tell her
wants ter 'splain bout er picture
what dey calls "Unc' Torms Cabin" Dat
l seen in Washington whar went on or
'skursion las week
Hit was er gret big picture on de side
nv dc fence NV er log cabin jes' like mine
en- Dilsy s-Dilsy shes my wife. Den
dere wuz a dawg mos es big es er COW
de mos curisome lookin' criiter ever
sot eyes on. En- may De good Lord
strike me dead. ef hit ain de gospel
trufe.-der was dc picture uv er big
white man-de spiten image uy de one
whar bruns &c blood outer my naked
back wild his raw-hide TO- lie war les
bcatin az er niger same es me.
1 wuz drest up in my sunday cloes. en-
when gifts dem on, tries 70 have like
Marse John. cause dey wuz his'n: but
hit warn no use. Wen I seed dat man
who cut the blood outer me. lookin' so
nate hel like ies bleeged ter double up
my is' en shake hii at him en- call him
low-litel thing.
Bout dat time er likely lookin. cent
man comes crl0n- en- sez ter me
Pore ole man. that es er true picture
es hit not my frien's
Den Sez, yes suh. dat es de very
man dat mos kilt me onct. lie gin me
nine en- thirty lashes on my bare back.
Poor ill used creature Tell me er-
bout tibet cruel master er yours" Den 1
sez.
Hi mister mau, who say enything
bout Marse John bein' cruele" Den I
gin i'm real good look. en- low ter my
self he war'nt sho' 'nough quality. or Le
war'nt Cwine Ter 'buse Narse John. Den
he say:
My frcn', am yo' Northern brother.
en- my heart bleeds for yo' pas suIerins
en- wrongs.
Narse Editor. dunno why he done
hit. but dat man sh0relv wuz arervatin'
en- ie> 20 on and 'buse Mals,er scanda-
lous. doe l tells i'm dat Marse John
neber teched one or his nic-ers in his
life, en- lat none er dem cher cot whup-
ped, ceptiu' 'twuz me, en- dat wuz Wen
dat low down half-s,raiucr Yankee Com
de Nort. who wuz ober-seein' we ais
plantation. mos beat de life outer me.
tOle i'm en- tole i'm. en- 'Splained how
Wen Mar,e John hyern NV hit, he made
big Rufus en- fat Billy tie Mister Jones.
/ i'm wuz de oberseer. en- den he tu'n ter
me wild his face right white en- his voice
er ,rimblin' en- seq.
"Silas. how many times did thet man
strike YOU:
An SCI thirty-nine times Narse John.
Den he han me the same raw-hide
whup, en- say right slow like.
strike him thirty-nine times"
En- did Marse Editor. YOU see |
knowed how.-Gawd Suh, Wen she;s
my eyes ken hear dat man holler plum
ter dis day,
Den Marse John made dem loose i'm
en- flung er roll NV money on de croun'
en- tole i'm dat he ain gwine let i'm dis
grace lie Souf by beatin' Of his nigrer,
en- ef he seen i'm in de State OF ersimy
ergen. he wuz gwine ter shoot i'm.
En- Marse Editor. dat man run Norf ST
fas' dat Mollie, my possum en- coon
dawg, whar ken bresh up en- cotch er
fox real spry-lke, couldn't trail i'm ful
mo den er minute
Yes suh, he shorely did run, low.
he Is settin' on DO top Nv de Norf Pol,
right now frozen still en- stark: 'caus,
his teeth wuz chatjerin' Wen he ler ",
allS place, en- dat wul the furSt Nv JULY
cause black berries wuz les gittin' ripe
Now sub, after I 'splains all dat te
i'm. dat man he jes' keep on scandalizin
MarSe John mo and mo.
Den l dunno nuttin' 'twell wakes ul
in lie piuilentiary-jail wild my Suuda,
cloeS all toe of er me, my beaver hat e
smashed in. EN- my bran new umbrella
plum broke all ter pieces
Hut dcy tell me dat man frum de Nor
wuz wuIzer oil den me. dat beat in
mos Ter death
! duno how twas, but l calkerlate da
, dc Lord TUX er han in dat fight. For q
Bible pintedly say:
De arm Nv de Lord am nightly te
save Gaw0 done hit, shoes YOU bor
he done hit; least ways he sisted me te
save Marsc Johns name from onsult.
Cause ole MarSter belongst ter BE Lor
! enyhow. He ben wild i'm in glory te
. years come Christmas time fur me e
j Billy holp tote i'm ter dc grave.
F. Mis- Ma'ay, Marse Johns daughter
seen hit all in dc paper en- sont Mars
Henry ter fOtch me home.
ain 'blieye dat de top crus Nv quai
e i,y in 5e Norf e. gwine ter believe del
lies bout Marse John cause quality Z
= quality Mort er Souf. But wen l lowe
\. ter Mis- Ma'ay wuz right smart peste
ed in my head 'bOut hit on dat hit youl