The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-07-19
Catastrophe in Church.
From the Youths Conpantor

THE most embarrassing thing that ever
happened to me-" said Mrs. Peters when
the 1bsen club was exchanging narrowing
experiences, happened, of course, in
church while 1 was wearing black for nv
father-tn-law I was leaning forward DUR
ing prayer one morning, when my new
heavily-trtmmed hat fell off, dropped TO
the floor of che pew ahead and rolled out
OF sight
fortunately, 1 had an umbrella Get
ting down as fiat as l could reached un-
der the next, reached out with. the
umbrella handle and ashed for the hat.
When my hand finally touched it | knelt
in my place, closed my -eyes-I suppose I
reasoned as an ostrich does that If 1 could
see nobody nobody could see me-and tried
to look as devout as IL my mind had never
been off the service.
With my eyes still devoutly closed I
pinned that wretched hat in place, using
a hairpin because the hatptn was missing,
and feeling quite proud Of myself that I
had managed the affair 30 we'll.
When we stood up for the last hvmn
I suddenly became conscious that all the
women in the congregation were staring
at me and trying hard not to smile Tho
moment I got outside I took that hat Off
and loked at It My .dears, 1t wasn't my
hat at all I had helped myself to little
Flossie Slocum's bright red sunshade
trimmed with i~nfant!e white datsies-and
me in blackl'
-
A White Man With a Negro Woman
In the June American Magazine Ray
Stannard Baker tells more stories of race
difficulties in the south. He went to the
police court in Atlanta and sat on the
bench with the Judge-so that he might
look into the faces Of the prisoners and
hear all that was said. Here is one OF Mr..
Bakers police court stories:
IAN old white man, much asdtated and
vPrV nala. was hrOtt~hf .hafnYa fro I,,1oa
With him came O much younger, ~cornely-
appearing woman. Both were we'll dressed
and looked respectable. AS they stood in
front OF the Judges desk the old man
hung mis- head, bu, the woman looked up
with such an expression, fearless and
tragic, as I hope I shall not have to see
again.
What's The charger asked the Judge.
Adultery said the officer.
The woman WINGED, the old man did not
look up.
9Th Judge glanced from one to the
other In surprise.
Why don't you get married? he
asked.
The woman said the officer, is a
niger"
She was as white as I am. probably on
octoroon; I could not have distins7!tshal
her from a white person and she deceived
even the experienced eye nf the Judge.
lis that so?' asked the Judge.
The man continued to hang his head,
the woman looked up; neither said q word.
1t then came out that they had lived to-
getaer as man and wife for many years
and that they had children nearly grown.
Some nefghbor had complained and the
ma and woman We're arrested,
lis this all true?' asked the Judge.
Neither said e. word.
You can't marry under the Georgia
law said the Judge; IN have to bind YOU
over for trial IN the county COURT
! They were led back 10 the prisoners
rooms. A few minutes later the batlifs came
out quickly and said to the Judge:
1.-The old man has fallen In a faint
Not long afterward they half led. half
carried him out across the court room"
Treating Him Mi like !. Private.
Brighten. Andrew S. Burt of the United
States army Is an enthusiastic sportsman.
Fills hobby is baseball. Prior to 1888, when
he became a brigadtar. he was the COM
handing Officer OF a negro regiment of
regular infantry. Each company had Its
ball team and the colonel was an enthus-
iastic rooter at the games.
One day q contest was on which was
marred by the poor playing OF a member of
one Of the teams. Burt, dis
! gusted, volunteered to take the place of
the Incompetent No one objected. At
the bat the colonel was given q base on
balls. IIe noted that the men on the
coaching lines kept silent while he was
on the bases. and after re had made the
circuit he demonstrated.
See here" he exclaimed, slipping out
of his coat. "r've taken off my shoulder
straps now and you fellows want to treat
me Just as If was a private
Again Burt was at bat. He hit the bali
and started for first
Run, you g,inpy legged. sawed off mud
turtle. Run, you - - miserable -
=" howled one of the cuachers
Burt reached first safely turned and re
garded the coaeher for an instant, then
left the base, walked over to where his
discarded blouse lay and put 1t on. He
said nothing, but the negroes understood.
1t was too nuch--Desroit Free Press.