The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-07-11
lSby' SBuSinesS Adventure
"a story by Cecil G. Brown.1

streets from Qelapldated express
wagon, which hi skinny little pony
could scarcely draw. His Cthe mans
color was the kind of "velvety" black
which everybody admires and which
would dispel all doubt as to his racial
identity; his feet were set in opposi-
ton to each other and enabled him to
push the minutest obstruction from
his pathway as he "shambled" from
one side of his wagon to the other: he
was little better than six feet in
height; his face (Which disclosed a
ten weeks growth of beard), his
broad shoulders and small bead-like
eyes, suggested to anyone, who might
desire to do or say anything to incur
his anger or displeasure, to stand at
perfectly safe distance. The surpris-
ing thing about it all was his absolute
indifference to passers-by He would
not even speak to his acquaintances
when they hailed him. Presently
prominent business man, who knew
him better than anybody else or who
was little bolder than any of the
others who had passed, accosted him:
'lsby, what are you unloading those
boxes there for? What are you going
to do with them?' Isby, with a frown:
"Oh, well, it's none o. yo' business
Now you jes' wait an see. You never
know what ah'm a goin' to do till yu
see me doin' it. All rally jes' CANT
see why so many other folks worry
bout what ah'm tryin' to do" This
seemingly was enough for the inquirer
as he left, laughing and shaking his
head. Now, Isby had always boasted
that he was a member of a family
which claimed reasonable portion of
this worlds goods, however, it is need
less to say that the family fortune
was sadly withered and depleted long
ere it reached Isby, judging from the
fact that the dilapidated wagon and
weather beaten pony were his only
bequests at the death of his latest an
cestor. 1t had been the ambition of
his life to be business man. Back
in Virginia many years before he had
stood in the valley beneath the great
natural bridge and related to a gang
of his playmates that he would some
day be master merchant-able to
give employment to many of their fu-
ture sons and daughters. Now that
he was about to come into the full
| fillment of his prophecy, he was ex-
| tremely happy. He considered him
self sufficiently prepared to launch out
into the business world and break
every record of success and prosper
ity which any one of his kinfolk had
ever made-and he did. CO His loca-
tion was in an aristocratic neighbor-
hood made famous by it's Colored res
idents. Everything and everybody
were Colored. They were glad that
some one had enough race pride and
business foresight to open a grocery
in their community for it was a very
great convenience to them.
Well, he finished his task of unload
ing boxes, gave the pony a scanty
meal of hay and oats (at the same
time betraying his penuriousness, for
the horse had all appearance of hav-
ing been underfed and shamefully
neglected). Referring to the poor
/ beast, a bunch of school boys asked
him if he was not afraid of his "shad-
ow." He did not even look up for he
was too busily engaged with the
thoughts of the great change which
was about to come into his life. With
in day or two the boxes were dis
sected and the erection of Isby's store
house was completed. 1t was veneered
with paper roofing which gave it the
appearance of an improvised shelter
for tools. He was very proud of his
progress so far. He proudly shrugged
his shoulders and walked around his
little shanty inspecting all the corners
and even the heads OF. the rusty nails
with which he put it together. He ex-
claimed "Ah believe All could make
kuh good murchanic. If uh lot o.
these carp'ntuz round hyar was to
come an look at this house 'tould
make m shame" Believing in a sys-
tematic way of doing things, he har-
messed his horse preparatory to driv-
ing to town, but there was just one
thing which proved a source Of worry
to him-he was forced to avoid the
busy streets for fear of an encounter
with the humane officers. However,
he made his way to several wholesale
houses in search of a place where he
might make the cheapest purchases
of inferior foodstuffs. Finally he sue
ceeded and his entire supply of gro
ceries could be loaded on his rickety
wagon. AS he drove back to his store
house it appeared that his vehicle
groaned under its burden and would
fall to pieces at any moment. By get
ting out and walking and coaxing its
wheels as much as he did his pony, he
managed to reach his place of busi-
ness. He unloaded the goods, which
consisted of the cheapest qualities of
staple and fancy groceries and meats.
These he contrived to sell as strictly
first class and at the highest prices.
His steaks and chops were always
tainted; his bottled milk was adulter-
ated to the consistency of water; his
canned goods were old and stale and
his cheese was "as strong as an OK. "
The next morning after he purchased
his stock he hung out his sign: "Redy
Fo' Bizness." That same morning
Mrs. Searcy, his first customer, en-
tered with an air Of dignity and asked
for a nice "loin steak" He promptly
told her that he did not handle that