The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-03-18
OBEYING ALL ORDERS
BY {. L. TAFT.


claimed old Jim, a venerable darky'
putting his head in at the back door
one morning Just as his master a
farmer, in South Carolina, was sitting
down to breakfast
"What's the matter Jim?" inquired
Anderson.
"De prize OK is done took sick and
is layin' down"
Mr.. Anderson went with Jim to the
pasture to see the invalid OK, and 10
gether they exhausted the whole range
Of remedies known in bovine com
plants. Decoctions of herbs, spice
wood, pine tags, etc, were resorted
to, but though copiously drenched with
all these, the OK did not rally nor
could six men with fence rails gain
sufficient leverage to pry him up from
the ground where he lay respondent,
After spending the whole day in fruit
less attempts to relieve the apparent
" dying animal, Anderson gave 1t up
as bad job about sundown and
turned to 20 home, remarking to jim
as he started:
anyway, | don't want to lose his
hide, so you must come down here
and skin him the first thing in the
morning
The following morning Anderson
rather expected Jim to appear Wild
the hide at breakfast time. over an
hour passed, but still the negro ana
not arrive.
"That pesky animal must be hard to
skim" commented the farmer. At
length, growing restless, he resolved
to 20 and see for himself what the
hitch was. AS a matter of fact he
felt somewhat uneasy over old Jim
prolonged absence, and feared tha'
he might have met with some mlshap.
| The colorod gentleman in question
WAS not overburdened with brains, but
his faithfuness was beyond doubt II
there was one thing that Jim prlded
himself upon more than another, II
was his accuracy in carrying out IN
structions.
With jim, to hear was to obey, and
he was never known to waste time III
Unnecessary argument Therefore
Anderson reasoned, something extra
ordinary must have occurred to delay
his trusted servitor. Great was his re-
lief then. when halfway between the
house and the pasture he met Jim, the
nerspiration standing in big beads OF
his shiny black skin, the OK hide waV
ing. trophy-like, in his hand. while
lcok of beaming complacency over
spread his face.
What in the world made you take
so long, JIM" asked his master.
"'Cause it was awful job to ketcl
him. NISSAN Anderson" came the re
ply.
"To catch l.im," repeated the farm
er. with a look of Mortified surprise.
"Yassah. He done glib me heap oI
trouble, dat OK did. l done chase HIN
ober de pasture seben times lore III
let me git him.
"You-chased- gasped Ander
son, family
"Yassah," continued jim, proud o
, his efficient management. Den
knock him on de haid an Kill MIN
an den | skin him, same as you toi'
re. 1t am a nice hide, too, Missal
Anderson. Dere amt no niggah ol
de place could a finer skinnin'. fo'
kin alters pend on ole Jim to do VIVA
; yo' tells him"
Visions Of his favorite OK, as he az
| peared in the heydey Of his prize-win
ming triumphs, arose in Anderson
mind. and the volume of his wratl
swelled until it almost choked him
: He stood for an instant, figure
dumb, righteous rage, unable to iin'
words to do justice to the occasion
+, At last he found his voice and, ao
: vancing a step, shook his fist in jim
| sable visage.
, Eyes. indeed he said, in accent
i husky with uncomfortable bitterness
81 can depend on you-curse you
black hide.
Then, as though afraid to trust hin
self further, he thrust his clenche'
hands desperately into his pocket
and strobe swiftly away. Jim stoe
watching the retreating figure, hi
e mouth wide open and an expression o
deeply injured innocence stampe
uDon his crestfallen face