The Washington herald., 1907-03-14
SWEARS OFF
Rev. Benjamin RankirTakes
Pledge in Court.
WIFE CHARGES ABANDONMENT
Ex-Siave Soldier Preacher Boot
black and Now, PensiOner Only,
of NOnsuppOrt-RecRIIs Days of
'OId Uncle Tom" Before the War.

Old, feeble, one-eyed, and optimistic.
lRev. Benjamin Rankin, ex-slave, soldier.
preacher, and bOot-black, faced .gdge De
Lacey in the Juvenile Court yesterday TO
Ianswer to the charge Of nonsupport. pre-
ferred by his wife of some eight summers
land her several grown children. Attired
in the remnants of an ante-beIlum frock
suit and antideluvian overcoat. from the
lpOcket of which Drotruded a weI-worn
hymn book, this relic of the good old
days OF Virginny" shambled forward, re-
moving one Of President Lincoln's CASTOR
silk hats and thereby exposing a dense
growth of tropical verdure, the front part
Of which was decorated by a near-tortoise
shell comb.
Benjamin. said Judge De Lacey, the
twinkle in his eye belyfng the gravity and
severity of his tone, you are here on a
most serious charge, and I want you to
tell me truthfully all you know about it,
What is your occupation
Use patron Of Uncle sam"
You mean you are a pensioner. What
pension do you get?"
"Ah gets $S6 70 times in de yere."
That's Sl2 month. isn't it?"
(Chuckle) ''Yasseri you sho' is quick at
lfggerin''
Have you any other means OF support
than drawing your pension?"
Forced to ''DisbandOn Preachin'."
In fomah yeres. sab. All use'ter sing
an pray 70 de black sinners, and preach
dc word. Den An was struck an All he'd
ter disbandon preachin' and cultervate
/ de- boot-blackin' business Den desc
yere. form emergrants begun op'nin up
der Shoe Shinin Parlors' an druv de
colored people outn de perfeshion. After
dat All jus quit wOrkin'. Two-eyed peo- /
PIE has er hard time; what kin er DO ole
one-eyed man like me do?"
When did you marry your wife?'
"Ah reckon twas bout eight we're ago.
sab. Mr.. E'munds done foeed me ter
do it."
/ DO you mean you were married under
/ the Eumunds law?"
-Yesser. All never would 'er slip I'D dat
way but fur Mr.. E'munds."
/ How long did you live with your wife
and help provide for hcr?'
TIL bout two yeTes ago, sab. One
/ day All was standin' on de corner. near
NAH abode. thinkin' Of Rothin' particu-
/ iar when Ah was struck"
Struck? Who struck your
/ "(Chuckle) Nobody done struck me
/ pers nally. All was took sudden with
heart pains, kidney trouble bronkiters. i
/ digestion, rheumatic an chilis. Wen
/ dey got me 10 de hospitul dey foun' Al /
was near paralysed- All stayed in de
care Ob de hOspilul pTsckshunerg nigh on /
eight munce. Since dat time an amt /
been able ter use dis lef han ertan"
/ From what I have heard IL seems that /
/ you are able TO raise that hand 70 your 1
mouth without trouble"
Can still Bend Elbow.
"Whut you mean. Mister Judge2r
4 mean that paralsis has not interfered I
with your propensity for imbibIng spiritu- /
Gus liquors
"(Chuckle) Liquors? Vah, yah. yuh! /
All uses dis udder han ter do dat. sab"
And you do it very frequently, don't 1
your
''N-no. sab. An wouldn't say very fre-
quent; occasionally All INDUCES in er III
mile refreshment." More chuckles).
How old are you. Benjamin"
''Ah disremembers persactly. All los /
NAH aige bout ten yeres ago. All he'd il
in er book ob de Word but All los it. /
Seems as how an was some pas sixty at /
dat time
Since yodr illness you haven't been
living with your wife,
No. sah. Ah get me er Ill room fer
SS month and keeps nah 20 old body
kivered wiv' desc rags. and pays nah
laundry and gets nah smokin' and chew
in, and 'nuf ter eat and er III drap once
in er vile, an II All hev anythin' Ief'
over All sens it ter de ole woman"
That doesn't happen very often. does
it, Benjamin.
We'll. sab. All sen her s. long bout
Chrismus. an ernuther five some time las
month, but All disremembers who twas
All sen de money by. She saws she ain
recelbed it, but All knows All sen it,"
Well Benjamin, as you arc an old
soldier, and have nothing TO live on but
your pension, I don't think you ought TO
be made 10 support your wife now
especially as she has several grown chill
dren able 10 provide for her. But I don't
ike 10 hear that you are spending all
your spare money on drink You, who
have been a preacher, oughtn't YOU to be
ashamed OF yourself 10 sell your soul TO
such an appetizer
Balks at Taking Pledge.
'Yasser. Use ershamed, but Ah'm an ole
man, mister judge, and whut you Sc been
dOin er long while is hard ter break