Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-07-26
ABE'S
CONVERSION
3, ELMER TROOP SAWYER
Copyright BY American Prsas Asso-
citation, l2i1.

ro,s,tv of -. one evening. desiring to
.end note to q young girl who lived
some distance back Of the college build
,nrs. 1 asked ABB. the sweep. who
took care Of my room. to take It for
me-
r'm In a hurry for . reply to this.
Abe.r I said 700 straight back over
The campus and thruugh the grounds
beyond. ana II wcnS taks Jon half an
hour to 20 and conA
.Yea, sahr' replied Aba. and. taking
the note. be departsd
waited an hour for him. ct the
epd of which dime b came In pant
ing.
@were you kept waiting. Absr'
asked.
mo. sab wasn't KEEP waitin'."
'sThen why were you gone 30 IongT
'T didn't 60 the way 20 told me to
CO. sah."
why notr
II nebber go dat way. sab. had
bad sperience on dat route once"
Experienced What kind Of an ex-
perienceT
~ don't mind tellin' you about It II
70 won't tell any OBJ de students. Dey
don't b1eibe 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 statuesT
Eyes. sab. I'm swine to tole 20
about one OBJ 'em. He make me q
good man. though own mp to dat
But hain't got conscience enough to
60 that way any mo- uohow.
II war de wickedest man anywhar.
war a liar and q thief and every
thing that was bad To know Pro
lessor Barnaclef He was student den.
His fader had chickena All u mig
gers hub chickens and watermillions.
When de broiiers git plenty big used
to steal EN-. and when de chickens
war big and de wltermiilions war ripe
used to 30 home past tho Barnacie
place, and ! take . chicken under one
arm. with INA nnger pressed on Its
throat 10 keep II from aqua wkin. and
under de udder arm had q water.
million.
when ia committed these depre-
dations lots oh times Mr.. Barnacie
be says to me. Abe. what 20 stealth
our chickens for Go long says: i
hain't got no use To- yo' chickens
Well Abe. all hab to say Is dat l
heard clatter In de chicken house one
night and went out to see what was
de matter. saw somethin' dark
walkin away and follered IL ! saw
II 20 into yo house
70 Gawd. Mr.. Barnacle. hainft
teehed chicken meat In year. Is too
poor 10 buy EN-. and Is too honest TO
steal en-
ABE he said. 'yo're sacrilegtous.
II larfed when he said dis. To- !
wasn't convicted OBJ sin. as de minister
says, but | got convicted sho enough
mighty quick after dat Do water
millions war gittin' ripe. and one night.
passin' de Barnacie place. I TUX big
watermiilion under my arm. and
thought how good fried chicken would
taste To- breakfast. Den I went into
de chicken house to git one OBJ en-
Dere war no much squawkin' dat ! lit
out To- awhile and hid In de bushes
saw somebody come out OBJ de house
and look around. den 60 away.
waited 10 awhile: den ! sneaked In.
got ma chicken end went OF 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 AbeT
In OBJ INA legs.
"'Drap de chicken says de statute.
hain't got no chicken
DE right arm OBJ do statute raised
and frowed somepin at me. 1 heard II
splosh on de yroun'. l reckon It was
an egg.
Il was 30 sktered at seein' Dc statute
frow somepinf dat I LEI 60 de neck oh
de chicken. aid 1t began to sQuawk.
Aou say W JAIL kOe w SnSeeo'
chr says de statute.
7 didn't SAL nothin' to dia
Drap de chicken and Dc water.
million says 20 statute
7 dropped pm bofs. and De chicken
went OF squaj wkin'.
Abe. say3 be statute, I'm hant
what TUX up inside dis statute TO to
convict 20 OBJ chicken and watermii-
lion stealin'. and I'm gwine to stop 20
dom it.
How you lgwine to do datT says.
I'm gwine\to kill 20.
Dat statute\ he Just lifted up MS
arm ag'in andt fred a pistol. and de
oall sung right mp above ma head.