The Ordway new era., 1910-04-29
JIM POLES
TAVERN

the travelling groceryman. that | had
become shy Of tackling 1t. and one
day meeting on the road darky who
was on his way somewhere driving a
bull hitched to q wabbly wagon on
which were loaded dozen or so sticks
Of l!ghtwood, thought it might be
we'll to see II he couldn't give me
some Information as to the probable
fate that might be in store for me at
the inn lying in wait at the mountain
town l was approaching. l stopped
him and asked him II there was a
good hotel there.
THE darky leaned forward with his
elbows on his knees. looked at me.
cooked one eye UP toward the sky as
II he was pondering on the subject |
had brought forward, and then coming
back to earth gave his bull whack
with the gad he carried and exclaimed:
"'W'oa. yo' p'intedly OIL hoodoo.'
'The bull hadn't stirred since the
darky stopped him in the road and he
didn't stir under the whack Of the
CAD; SO l assumed that this little
show Of disciplining was but divert.
ing habit of the bulls owner. l was
on the point OF pressing my question
when the darky rested his elbows on
his knees again. and turning to me
said: I reckon yo' nevuh did know OIL
Jedge Gillian. wat kim frum ovuh yon
in de Chowan kentry?'
II replied that l had never known
Judge Gillian.
but co'se yo' done heah bout
him?' said the darky.
mo said I. I never heard about
him ether
THAT seemed to surprise the darky
not little.
"'Shoo! he exclaimed after staring
at me a while. 'Whah yo' done come
FUN, sah?
Il told him ! was from the north.
and oven that didn't seem to excuse
me for not having ever heard Of old
pondering attitude half . minute or
30. and then looking at me again as
II was something Of a curiosity. he
gathered up his lines preparatory to
starting on his way and said:
"'Jim Pole. he done kip hotel up
yon. suh.'
but hold on! said. I don't care
who keeps the hotel. Is 1t good
one? And what has old Judge Gillian
got to do with it?'
THE darky leaned forward with his
elbows on his knees again and he
Srinned as he said:
81 nevuh did stop at Jim Poles.
sub. in my life. but OIL Jedge Gillian
10 hi H~ 10.
down de law du'in' de cote time. an
he stow hese'f away ut Jim Poles.
Zone O. de baddes' nigguhs dat
bean 'roun' hyuh den he bean fotch
up befo' de ol' jedge. Dat nigguh he
bean bad un. too. an dey fine him
guilty de wuss kyne.
"'Or Jedge Gillian he bean stoppin'
den. two. free days at Jim Poles. He
lookin' desput sot in he mind wen
dey fotch in dat po' nigguh wat dey
foun' guilty.
""stan' up dah. 20 nigguh!" he
say.
HE stan up. mos skeeuh to den.
""Nigguh." de ol jedge say. dis
hyuh a monst'us ting yo' done bean
foun' guilty TO-! My haht it bean des'
lack stone ag'in you an I mighty re-
gretful to find dat de law an de con-
s'itution, dey standin' in de way O my
'nictin' on yo' te'ble punishment I des'
pinin' to give yo'.
""Ef de law an de constitution dey
didn't stan in de way O my dom It.
! shore done sentence 20 to stop one
whole week at Jim Poles tavuhn. des
sho's yo' bon! Ez case It done stan.
dahfo'." de OIL ledge lay 1t down to dat
po' shiv'n nigguh. Il CANT do It, an
do wus' kin do to yo' Is to SEN yo'
to de pen'tenshry TO- ten yeahs!" de
ol' jedge say. an dey done took dat
bad nigguh away
THE darky on his load OF light
wood rolled his eyes up at me. while
his grin spread wide across his face.
and continuing. he said:
"'Cose. nevuh did stop at Jim
Poles in my life. sub. an SO CANT
say wevvuh de hotel bean a good un
or no. but heah folks declar, many
times, dat OIL Jedge Gillian he sutten.
ly do let dat nigguh of mighty lucky
hull and went on his way. As I gnzed
after him he glanced back and I heard
him say:
"'Nevuh did heah of OIL Jedge
Gillian! Sho! Dat shore bean mon
sous queeuh!'
There was another tavern in the
place. and | didn't stop Mt Jim Poles
but. relying on the darky's tale Of old
Judge Gillam's opinion. II this one
wasn't branch of Jim Poles, then
the proprietor must have learned ho
tel keeping from Jim Pole. and Id
have been willing to bet on it,
Look out for your eyes and they vii
1.,,l, ,,,,t for v,p SNpff cni1-uat I hI