Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1910-10-14

forgetfulness in the cafes Before one
in particular the crowds were SWARM
ing like flies over molasses. Within,
a woman, she looked to be an Ameri-
can at that, blonde and figured,
singing an atrocious French song with
an even more atrocious Maine accent.
Between verses she mingled the cake
walk.
Let's get out of this" said Larry.
John, look at the negro over there.
Did you ever see such a Colossus in
your life?"
More than the two newspaper men
were watching the negro in question.
He was nearly seven feet high, mag
nifcent in his proportions, and dressed
In immaculate white duck. His fea-
lures were typically African, but ne
had the bearing of ancient kings and
nigh intelligence lurked in his eyes,
and was planted at the corners of ais
mouth and in the lines along his nos
tIils.
Standing in the corner close to the
stage, he was regarding the pitiful
thing that gamboled there with the
same impressive pity that man
watches butcher Kill a little squeal-
ing pig. The pig is NOT worth much in
the aesthetic scale as life goes, but
through him life may be sustained.
One pig more or less to feed the mass
es benefits the masses, and is very
good for the pig. 1t let's him out of
being pig, and provides for his trans
mogrification into another shape.
AS the two Americans turned to look
at the negro he was leaving the cafe
All eyes turned from the dancer to his
coal-black pulchritude. The dancer,
noting this waver of allegiance, lurch-
ed forward and kicked into the air
with deft aim. One gaudy red satin
slipper flew directly through the crowd
and grazed the giant on the back, fall
ing within foot or two of the two
Americans.
That was a good shot!" calculated
Johnny. Larry Morris was watching
the muscles working in the Africans
face as he stopped to pick up the Slip
per.
Because I'm black" he heard the
man mutter, in pure English. BE
cause I'm black"
Straight through the crowd strobe
the black man, and up to the stage,
oveTturning half of the tables in his
way as he went. At the footlights ne
leaned ovec held out. the shoe and
beckoned for the dancer to place her
foot within it. But the women, with
the whimsicality of her sex, turned her
head away and sInote the African
twice across the cheek.
The black man Strengthened himself
up like steel bar, uncurved in a
white hot furnace. He took the shoe
and flung 1t at the dancer, lightly but
accurately. 1t struck her across her
painted mouth. and the steel plate on
the heel tore the gentle skin of her
full lip. The blood streamed down in
a tiny thread over her chin and drop
per on her white shoulders.
The hahitues of the cafe could not
endure this treatment of their fayorite
was loosed. Bottles,
lamps, glasses, even chairs, they hurl-
ed at the retreating figure-of the Afri-
can. He was cut and bruised in
dozen places and almost overcome, for
LAiO SlISnSlH VI HERCULES COuIQ not
have resisted such onslaughts. John
son and Morris had gone out of the
door when the riot began, and were
turning down the street when the
black burst out, winded, painting, and
closely pursued.
By the curb stood an automobile
a great red touring car; 1t belonged =
the Associated Press man at
Algiers. A weak, dissipated little fel.
low, Suiveler was at that moment the
foremost in consoling the dancer.
Larry Morris thought quickly. He
knew Suiveler well; they had worked
together in the States, and the negro
Interested him.
Crank her, Johnny" he cried, point.
ng to the automobile, and while Johu-
~ cranked the machine Morris hus-
led the black within the ear, threw
rom his perch the dazed chauffeur and |
n three minutes the black, Larry Nor |
is and Johnson, in Suivelers car, were |
ieaded for the desert with the mob
lowling hyena-like behind them.
"All right, old fellow; weu helm
rou," Larry had whispered in the |
'lack's ear as he hurried him towards |
he motor. Larry had had to do it. for
lowned as he was, the black instantly
made a motion of resistance towards
.nything that smacked of captivity.
(To he n0okiuuadN