Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-08

good medicine Dr. Possum shore is powerful
good doctor. l don't know what emmy body kin
say agin DR.. Possum, poor ole critter like him.
"They say he is lazy, and trifing, and won't
work for living"
"Lasy?-and tifin9 Dey orter seed him
when he wuz husky yOuag nigger workin in
Gle field, wild de best EN-.
"Now,-cause he's ole, an broke down. an can't
work no mo';-and his old Massa what raise
him, not heah to speak good word fur him.
killed in de war:-an de boys what he carried
bout on his shoulders,-bof of EN- gone; one NV
EN- killed at Perryville in sight of here and de
udder one brung back here to die, on de ole
springs crowns whah his nanny danced when
young gain cause day aint here to speak I'D
fur hm,-an his old Miss in her grave out yon-
der in de cemetery, wild broke heart.-day say
he's trifin an lazy!
No Sich thing!
"He cripple hisself! Wild de rumatiz from
Work1n in de cole, an de wet; in season and out
O. season. for his old Massa and ole Miss, an de
young Massas what aint none NV EN- hear to
speak fur im"
For the most part she stood with her hands
folded before her,-her soft tender eyes fixed
upon the face of the Judge, who did not inter-
rupt her, but when she spoke of the cemetery
she looked far away out of the window, with
eyes full of tears, toward the sacred spot which
she indicated with a wave of her hand. And
there were other tears in the audience
Nobody spoke word She being the first to
break the silence. With folded hands she began
again.
mo sur! He amt trlf11n', tho cose he is OLE
an can't work,-to say a0OrE-but he does the
bes' he kin He's industrious as he kin be- a-geth-
erin of the leaves an de yarbs what our good
Lawd has give us fur de healin Nv de nation;-
de good book say so; an eff DR.. Possum don
gather de leaves an tings, put here spressly fur
u.s. whose a gwne ter do dis heyer work what
hes gagin in fur de blessed Marster?"
Who's begrudgn dis po ole down trod mig
ger (what would had by rights,-ef nothin had
happened,-a seat in his Marsters chimley
wi tO uhatc tn him
now, like he a po ole dog?
Il don't grudge him his dinner when he fetches
me my medicine:-an | don't know any White
folks. what | ter EnO1C, as would grudge
him emmy ting to eat"
Shaking her head sadly, she took up corner
of her apron to wipe the moisture from her
cheeks and went on:
"Times is change, Massa Jedge. I dunno whah
de sponsibility lais; at whose do, but want to
axes you-ef hit is Judgment jestice to throw
desc ole broke down niggers out,-de town is full
of em-when dey aint able to work no mo-?
Den rest EN-, and fetch EN- inter COTE and thro
EN- inter jol an put EN- in de brin sun, on the
rock pile in de work house in de winter
cayse dey cant work mo? Desc here old mig
gers what was shade in de summer and back logs
in de winter for deir marsters whats gone,
too po to take keer EN-.
''Is dis de freedom what wuz promise EN-, when
they took EN- from whar dey blonged?
"Ise nothn but po' colored woman, but Use
got feelings fur my own color"
There was deep silence in the court room dur
ing this able defense of DR.. POssum bp Sylvia.
She had warmed up with her subject and so i'm
pressed her hearers, including the judge with
the justice of her plea for the poor old homeless