Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-08-17
ABE'S
CONVERSION
b. ELA.ER TROOP SAWYER
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

send note to a young girl who lived
ings. | asked Abe. the sweep. who
took care OF my room. to take it for
me.
I'm in hurry for a reply to this,
Abe" | said. go straight back over
the campus and through the grounds
beyond. and it won't take you half an
hour to 20 and come
yes. SAX replied Abe, and. taking
the note Re departed
waited an hour for him. at the
end Of which time he came in pant
ing
Were you Kept waiting. Abe" 1
asked.
mo, sab wasn't KEEP waitin'."
"Then why were you gone SO long?'
81 didn't go the way 20 told me to
go. sab"
why not?"
81 nebber 90 dat way. sab, had
a bad sperience on dat route once"
Experience. What kind Of an ex-
perienceY'
II don't mind tellin' you about it if
yO' won't tell any OBJ de students. Dey
don't bleibe nothin' about hants. and
dey laugh at me But / tell you. sab
dere hants on dat road. and dey get in
side de statutes in de park and raise
de debbil"
Get into the statues?"
Eyes. sab I'm gwine to tole yo'
about one oh 'em. He make me a
good man. though | own up to dat.
But hain't got conscience enough to
go that way any mo- nohow.
81 war de wickedest man anywhar.
l war a liar and thief and every
fessor Barnacle? He was student den
His fader had chickens. All us mig
gers Tub chickens and watermilliOnS,
When de brOilers git plenty big | used
to steal EN-. and when de chickens
war big and de watermillons war ripe
used to go home past the Barnacle
place, and take chicken under one
arm. with ma finger pressed on its
throat to keep it from squawkin. and
under de udder arm | had water
million.
'When ia committed these depre-
dations lots OBJ times Mr.. Barnacle
he says TO me. Abe what 70 stealth
our chickens TO-? Go long | says; l
hain't got no use TO yo' chickens
We'll. Abe. all | hab to say is dat
heard q clatter in de chicken house one
night and went out to see what was
de matter saw Somethin dark
walkin away and follered it. saw
it go into yo' house.
"'Fo Gawd. Mr. RarnarIe. hain't
teched chicken meat in q year. rs too
poor to buy EN-. ana is too honest to
steal EN-
Abe be said. 'yore sacrilegious.
81 larfed when he said dis. TO |
wasn't convicted OBJ sin. as de minister
says, but | got convicted Sho enough
mighty quick arter dat. De water
millions war gittin' ripe. and one night.
passin de Barnacle place. TUX big
watermilliOn under my arm, and
thought how good fried chicken would
taste TO breakfast, Den | went into
de chicken house to git one OBJ EN-.
Dere war so much sQua wkiu' dat | lit
out TO awhile and hid in de bushes.
| saw somebody come out ob de house
and look around den 90 away.
waited TO awhile; den sneaked in.
got ma chicken and went off towards
ma cabin.
Il war paSsin' de statute OBJ General
Somebody or odder who fit 70 dis state
in de rebelution when de statute called
out:
Halt thar you Abe
II stood still as could fo' de shak
in ob ma legs.
"'Drap de chicken says de statute.
II hain't got no chicken
de right arm OBJ de statute raised
and frowed Somepin at me. | heard il
splosh on de groun. / reckon II was
an egg
Il was so skeered at seem de statute
frow somepin dat lie 80 de neck OBJ
de chicken. and it began To SQuawk.
"'You say yo' hain't got no chicken.
eh| says de statute.
Il didn't say nothin to dis
"'Drap de chicken and de water
million. says de statute
Il dropped EN- bofe. and de chicken
went of SQuawkin'.
ABE. says he statute. I'm a liant
what TUX up inside dis statute TO TO
convict yo ob chicken and watermil-
lion stealth. and I'm gWine to stop yo'
dom it.
How you gwine 20 do dat: says.
I'm gwine TO XIII 20,
Dat statute he just lifted up his
arm agin and fred pistol and de
ball sung right up above ma head.
".Fo Gawd. Mr.. liant. says.
L promise not to steal chickens or
watermillions no mo- If yo'll spa ma
life
Abe said the hant, .yo' not only