The Ordway new era., 1913-12-12
Was Hard to Catch

"Bad newc, Nissan Anderson. ex-'
slaimed old Jim. = venerable darky,
putting his head In 1t the back door
one morning just as his master,
farmer, in South Carolina, was sitting
down to breakfast.
whats the matter, Jimf" inquired
Anderson.
"De prize OK Is done took sick ana
IL 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 resorteo
10, but though copiously drenched wish
all these, the OK did not rally nor
could six men with fence rails gam
sufficient leverage to pry him up from
the ground where he lay Respondent.
After spending the whole day In fruit
,ess attempts to relieve the apparent
ly dying animal, Anderson gave 1t up
as a bad job aboht sundown ana
turned to go home. remarking to jim
as he started:
Anyway, I 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 with
the hide at breakfast time. Over an
hour passed, but still the negro did
not arrive.
"That pesky animal must be hard 70
skin," commented the farmer Az
length, growing restless. he resolved
to go and see for himself what the
hitch was. AS a matter OF fact, ne
felt somewhat uneasy over old Jims
prolonged absence. and feared tnat
be might have met with some mishap.
The colored gentleman In question
was not overburdened with brains, but
his faithfulness was beyond doubt.
there was one thing that Jim prided
>'mself upon more than another, II
vas his accuracy In carrying out IN
structions.
with Jim, to hear was to obey. and
he was never known to waste time IN
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
perspiration standing in big beads on
his shiny black skin, the OK hide wav'
Ing, trophy-like. in his hand. while 2
look 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 ketch
oim. Missah Anderson" came the ~
ply. I.
ITO catch hint. repeated the farm
er, with look OF horrifed surprise !.
E"Yassah. He done glib me heap ob
trcrbIe. dat OK did. done chase his
,ber de pasture sebtn times fore he
let me Kit him"
"You-chased-hi gasped Ander-
son. family.
"Yassah." continued Jim. proud OF
ais efifcient management. Den
knock him on de haid an kill him.
an den>I skin him. same as you tole
me. IT I'm nice hide. too. NISSAN
Arderson. Dere amt no niggah on
de place could finer skinnin'. You
Kin sIlers pend on ole Jim to do what
20 tells him"
Visions Of his favorite OF, as he ap-
peared In the heydey of his prize-win-
ming triumphs. arose in Anderson's
mind. and the volume OF his wrath
swelled until 1t almost choked him.
He stood for an instant. figure OF
dumb, righteous rage. unable to find
words to do justice to the occasion
At last he found his voice and, ad-
vancing step. shook his fist in Jim's
sable visage.
"Yes, indeed" he said. in accents
husky with uncomfortable bitterness.
II can depend on you-curse your
black hide.
Then. as though afraid to trust HIM
self further. he thrust his clenched
hands desperately into his pockets
and strode swiftly away. Jim stood
watching the retreating figure. his
mouth wide open and an expression OF
deeply injured innocence stamped
upon his crestfallen face.