The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-11-10
UNCLE HARDY KNOWS
Says There Arc Blind Tigers In
Lancaster.

Lancaster.
Contributed to The News.
Uncle Hardy sat on tho curb
stone refiectively chewing the cud.
The remains Of late watermelon,
sadly macerated, lay about him.
His bent knees formed a perfect cir
Gle, while his mouth, working with
out a moments rest, put one very
much In mind of the gyrations Of a
concrete mixer.
Uncle Hardy" I ventured, "they
tell me that there is another niger
out here in the country who is older
than you are"
The old darky threw back his
head. His faded eyes lighted with
rage, and his toothless gums gnash-
ed together. dat am a lie," he
asserted, as soon as he could find his
voice. Dat good for nothin', vel
low gal done tole you dat and She
she' he sputtered.
But come now, Uncle Hardy" !
interrupted. How old are you?'
The old negro thought for a mo-
ment. II amt for sartin' sure.
Massa. But dis am de way 1t am.
Befo' dis town war put here. / been
y2nder on Massa's plantation.
Eber hear how dey happin to put
Lancaster heah?" he interrogated
shook my head
'It am funny" he chuckled to
himself, what ignant folks desc
young bukra be. Eber heah bout
Jedge Patterson" I shook my head
again. Wall, one day, he been sent
by de gobernor up heah to hole
court. Dcre wah no town den, and
so he KEEP comm an a-comin'. De
jedge wah a powerful drinker, but
bimbye de liquor in his bottle glib
out. Den he began sarchin' round
for moh. You know dat old grabe
yard what Massa Charlie Jones done
bought? Down dar in de holler wah
de still, and dere de jedge came to
hab his bottle filed. And dere he
stay and hole court. Dat de way
Lancaster happen to be heah."
L took out a quarter and began to
toss 1T up. Uncle Hardy" / asked
innocently, "can / get drink any
where in town."
The old negro eyed me suspicious
ly, and then, satisfied by the scrutiny
he sidled up close. What you
a-lookin' for?" he asked Then he
added. Boss, dere amt no good
liquor in dis town. Nothin' but rot
ten tiger stuff"
Are there any blind tigers here,
Uncle Hardy?" l asked in feigned
amazement. The old negro gave a
scornful sniff. "Massa, whar you
been?" he inquired "Dis town am
full oh blind tigers. Dere am one
ober yonder," and he nodded to one
side, "and anoder behind dat stoah.
and. why boss, de place am full OBJ
dem" .%a%
But don't the officers of the
law"
"Onicers." he snorted, "hain't got
no officers when 1t come to tigers.
Deys blind, and so am the town au-
thorities."
Are the tigers white men.
Uncle Hardy?"
"Dey all looks alike in de dark
boss. But de white men sell de mig
ger, and de niger sell the white
man, and bof gets drunk togedder."
Were you ever drunk" / ven
tured.
''Yas, sah," and he grinned.
"Once before de wah at n militia
muster. All OF US gemmans used to
get drunk, Ole Col. Bailey he so
drunk he slides under de table"
80, the town is keeping up her
reputation" remarked.
mo sab, no sah." broke In Uncle
Hardy. I'VE ulster drink good
liquor den, but now dey drink dis
tiger poison. 1t makes a debbil
outer de Niger, and fool outer de
white man"
The old negro stretched his bowed
legs, and scraped his. foot He was
bowling low over the shining quar-
ter in his hand. "Massa," he whis-
pered, you just go right behind dat
store over yonder, and 'praps you
can find what you am dookIn' for