Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-07
"My grandfather" he replied.
And before him." I asked again.
'tNy preat-prandfather


And before him." I asked again.
My great-grandfather."
Right there is where 1 quit. 1 was afraid
If l continued to throw question marks
at friend Scribe that I'd learn that Chris
topher Columbus was on the original free
mailing list.
remember that in some of Bill Nye's
foolishness he tells tales of a country town
out west and quotes some of the signs he
saw in front of horse-shoeing parlors, hard
ware saloons and the like. One of them ad-
vertised for sale chocolate caramels and
tar roofing" 1 could have sworn that
William the Genial painted that sign and
others with his own brain brush. l know
better now. He told the truth. if anything
understated it. I've seen signs and kindred
crack a rocky smile.
Farmville, Va. furnished one. 1t stared
me in the face as the special pulled over
on a siding. and l made mental and note
book entry together 1t was painted in
good style, and read
The Peoples Meat Market, Barber Shop
and Dry Goods Emporium. Undertaking a
Speciality"
Here's one from Blackstone: Horses and
Mules Shod With Dispatch. Wallpaper
Rale;gh-an obscure side street OF the
town, to be sure-furnished this one:
embarrassing. Carpet Laying and Kalso-
mining Also Cigars and Tobacco"
And there are dozens of others that I
have stored away in my mental attic. III
tell you about them some day, if you're
good.
Let's Jump back to Petersburg. l clear
forgot to say word concerning what, to
me at least, was one of the most interest
ing things about the town.
Did you ever hear of a lynchinG in Peters
burg. or a burning or an up-to-date Geor-
gia scalp dance? Nevair. Not for min
ute. All the race troubles of Petersburg
YOU could carry round in your hat and
then have room enough left for a ham
sandwich. There's a reason. Some good
folks of the town told me that the negroes
in Petersburg were the stay-at-homest lot
in the south. They're born in Petersburg,
they live in Petersburg and they insist on
diving in Petersburg. Consequently all the
white folks know all the black folks, and
all dwell in mutual esteem and good will.
And the wartime aunts and uncles that
dwell in Petersburg. You can see them on
the street at any time o day, white-k!nked
MATES and all. 1 walked up the main
street of Petersburg with d leading mer-
chant. If he wasn't Marse Tom'd'
dozen times and made the target for as
many bows then I don't know the taste of
prunes. Which is manifestly absurd.
A little incident in the mayors court,
where l went to look on for few moments
during an otherwise busy morning. gave
me the best insight into the Petersburg
brand of race disturbance. An old colored
man had been arrested the night before
a suspicious character, and when searched
a big revolver. empty and wrapped in red
flannel, was found IN one OF his pockets.
That's serious offense in Petersburg and
everywhere else in the south, and it looked
as If Uncle wouldn't have to pay his
board for while
He told his story. He had saved ''thuty-
five dollahs' and he carried the gun to
make sure the money remained with him.
But the revolver wouldn't do you any
good empty, uncle" suggested Mayor
Jones.
MIGHT Scara a Few