The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1911-06-26
ABE'S
CONVERSION
Z 2y E.L.iMER TROOP SAWYER "
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation 1911

LOOK cure "a luy tootu, " lahC ~ Ao'
me.
I'm in a hurry for reply to this
Abe,r said. GO straight back ovei
the campus and through the grounds
beyond and It won't take you half al
hour, to go and come"
Yes, sah!"' replied Abe, and, taksns
the note, he departed 4Es
waited an hour for him. at tht
end Of which time he came in pant
ing.
Were you kept waiting, Abe?'
asked
mo. sab l wasn't KEEP waitin'."
Then why were you gone so long,
~ didn't go the way yo' told me 4
70. sab "
"Why not?'
Il ncbber go dat way. sah. I hae
a bad sperience on dat route once"
Experience. What kind of an eS
pcrience?
~ don't mind tellin you about 1t !
so won't tell any oh de students De,
don't b'leibe nothin' about hants, ant
dey laugh at me- But | tell you, sab
dere hants on dat road. ana dey get IN
side de statutes in de park and raise
de dehbiI"
Get into the statues?'
Eyes, sab, I'm gwlne to toIe 80
about one oh 'em. He make me ,
good man. though | own up to dat
But baln't got conscience enough 4
10 that way any mo nohow.
/ II war de wickedest man anywhar
war liar and thief and every
thing that was bad. Yo' know Pre-
lessor Barnacle? He was student den
His fader had chickens. All us uic
gers hub chickens and watermillions
When de broilers git plenty big ! uset
10 steal 'em, and when de chicken.
war big and de waternillions war rip
used to go home past the Rarnacl,
place, and | take a chicken under on,
arm. with ma finger pressed on II
throat to keep it from sqnawkin, an'
under de udder arm ! had a water
million. ~
"When I'd committed these depre
dations lots oh times Mra Barnaci'
he says to the. Abe, WlArt 90 stealii'
our chickens for Go long says;
hain't got no use fo' yo1 chickens
Well, Abe, alEi hab to say is dat
heard n clatter in de chicken house on
night and went out to see what wa
de matter. | saw somethin' darl
walkin' away and folered 1t. J saw
1t go into yo' house,
"'Fo' Gawd, Mr. Barnacie, I hahn
teched chicken meat in a year. rs to
poor to buy EN-, and Is too honest t
steal EN-
"Abe,' he said, yo're sacrileEious.
"I larfed when he said dis, 70
wasn't convicted OBJ sin, as de mlniste
says, but ] got eonyicted sho' enoug
mighty quick arter dat De water
millions war ,gittin' ripe and one nigh,
passin' de Barnaele place. | TUX a bi
watermilions under my arm and
thought how good fried chicken wou
taste fo' breakfast, Den ! went int
de chicken house to git one OBJ EN-
Dere war so much squawkin' dat i
ont fo' awhile aud hid in de bushes
saw somebody come out oh de hous
and look around. den go away.
waited TO awhile; den sneaked II
got ma chicken and went off toward
ma cabin. rs
II war passin desstatute oh Genera
Somebody or odder who fit TO dis stat
In de rebelutlon when de statute Gale
out.
"Halt thar, you Aber
II stood still as ! could TO- de shall
In OBJ ma legs.
"Drap de chicken says de statute,
81 hain't got no chicken
"De right arm oh dc statute raise
! and frowed somepin at me. heard
splosh on de groun'. l reckon it wa
an egg.
81 was 80 skeered at seem de statut
| frow somepin dat | le' go de neck o
| de chicken, and it began to squawk.
"'You say yo' hain't got no CHECKER
| chr says de statute.
| II didn't say nothin' to dis.
"rDrap de chicken and de wateI
| million says de statute.
81 dropped 'em bofe, and de chicke
| went off squawkln'.
"'Abe,' says he statute. I'm har
what TUX up inside dis statute TO-
| convict 20 OBJ chicken and watermi
lion stealin', and I'm gwine to stop y
| dom it,
allow you gwine to do datT say
Sim gwine to kill yo'.
dat statute he just lifted up b
arm agin and fired pistol. and d
ball sung right UP above ma head.
"'Fo' Gawd, Mr. liant | say
7 promise not to steal chickens {
watermiIlions no mo- IL yo'll spa n
life
/ "'Abe., said the hant. 70 not only
thief; yo' q liar Flow gwine knc
70 keep yo' proniseT
E3'N' I hope may die ef ever do
"'Waal, Abe, I'll let 20 off dis tim
but'if, yo' eber steal or lie agin L
come out lob dis statute and pumm
yo' to deaf. Now yo' kin go on ,
| told Abe be was quite excusab