The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-05-13
STRATEGY !;
CHICKEN THE SPO|LS.
While One Coon Raised the Roof in
Supplication Another Coon Raised
Rooster from Perch in Peachtree
Borrow Victims Pot to Boil
the Chicken in.

Borrow Victims Pot to Boil
the Chicken in.
George Thomas, colored, is one 5of
the out-prayingest negroes in the
old town. He lives on the Blue Hill
in the former residence of our old
and much lamented friend, Col. Mike
Cassidy. George bought the place
at Mikes sale. He liked it because
it had large yard and the house
was roomy, giving plenty of space in
which to address the Lord in the hour
and artickle Of prayer.
Tommie Miller and Willie Smith
are fond of rooster meat, and they
knew that George had fine Rhode
Island Red man chicken which looked
fat and juicy. He roasted in a high
pcachtree and the question was how
to get the> rooster without George
getting them. Now some people say
that the negro has no inventive gem
ius, which may be SO, generally speak
ing, but the saying does not apply
when anything is to be stolen. Tom
mie. and Willie proved this early
Sunday morning in this wise:
-Tommie suggested to Willie thar
he fTommie) would call on George
and tell him that he had used a little
profanity the evening before land
had spoken ill of some of his neigh
bors, and had looked upon aZneigh-
bor's wife in loving affection, and
ask George to speak a word to the
Lord about the matter, asking for
giveness. While this matter was. be-
ing transacted, Willie was to climb
the peachtree and get the rooster.
No sooner planned than put into
execution. George felt perfectly at
home handling case Of the kind
told by Tommie and he lent against
oae of his loudest and longest petit
tions. When he got his voice high
enough so that there was no doubt
that it could be heard not only in the
upper kingdom but in the islands
beyond the seas, Willie "clumb" the
peachtree and collared the rooster.
The rooster squalled, and Tommie
heard it, but George didn't and nei-
ther did Mrs. George. To be sure
that she did not Tommie whispered
to her that he thought he heard
something but Mrs. George said not
to be alarmed, it was Mr.. Cassidy
walking round the house which, she
said, he often did at night when
George was praying.
When the stopping place had at
last been found, and Tommie went
away completely whitewashed as
George supposed, Willie was found
with the chicken picked and dressed
ready for definite accomplishments.
For the first time it occurred to. the
boys that there was no place and no
utensils" in which to do the : cook
ing. Another idea occurred to Tom
mie. He went back to Georges and
told him that since he had committed
the awful sins already enumerated,
he had been upable to eat. r but now
that George had. arranged the matter
to the satisfaction of all parties, be
began to feel hungry, and that he
had a. little rice which he would like
to boil i'm one of Georges pots. In
order to keep the Christian pilgrim
on his journey, George quickly got
the pot in which he commonly "biles
the greens" and turned it over to
Tommie. In little while George
was taking a Sunday morning nap
dreaming of the mansions above.
The smell Of the Rhode Island man
chicken, as he boiled with the, rice
in an adjoining clubhouse, got into an
ENHANCEMENT with his olfactories
which transported George almost to
the pearly gates. By the time ne
came back to earth Willie and Tom
mie were as full of rooster as pig
can get of buttermilk. ..-
But just here trouble began. Mrs.
George went out to feed the chick
ems and found the Kaiser of the
chicken yard gone. She located