Evening star., 1925-01-18

Are Uncompro msne

, over yet. Dan Abel, befo' you come
I'd been askin' Mr.. Rowley some ques-
| tions, an 1t seems that you took a
bale from the rear of the shed
whereas there were other bales higher
the road, an consequently mo- con.
venient. Why did you do that?"
ut was de same, IDENTICAL bale he
cause to be tooken out of my shed
dat mornin', sub"
II had a mortgage on it," broke in
Rowley, angrily.
Dan Abel, did you know there was
mortgage on that cotton?"
II knowed dere was 'cordin' to his
hggers."
Rowley interrupted again.
Mr.. Kirby, this niger has con-
fessed to stealin' a bale of cotton
I'm busy man. an so are you. I've
got two travelin' men waiten' for me
at my sto'. This ain't circuit cot"
ITS my cot, suh!" said Kirby
AN run II to suit myself. I'm ques-
tionin' this witness. Dan Abel, you
said there was a mortgage, accordin
to Mr.. Rowley's figures. From that
gather there wasn't any accordin' tc
yours. Did he present a bill, and did
you dispute that bill?"
yes, sub, he present IL an I 'spute
it, an ] 'spute it Vigorous. 1 tor him
l pay ev'y cent"
Have you got any receipts?"
mo. sub. I ak him for 'em each
time I pay. 1 'sist on 'em. But he
say he let me see him sot de figgers
down in book. He say figgers CAM
lie"
Can you readT
mo, suh-not fluent"
HE can neither read nor write, Mr.
Kirby" said Mrs. Duncan.
ITO save my life," broke in Rowley
Il can't see the use in all this. Mr.
Kirby, do you give a niger q receipt
every time you have dealin's with
him? You know as well as me they'd
lose 'em or light their pipes with 'em
You just treat 'em fair. same as I do
an" let 1t go at that"
A GAIN Kirby flushed. Rowiey',
a hands in the rear of the crowd
began to grin. Their captain was
getting the best of the magistrate.
Tom Kelley" spoke Kirby, "spost
you put another stick in that stove
Dan Abel. what records have you got
IL any. to show that you paid this
bin?"
"Mr. Kuhby, like mis- tol you, ]
can't neither read nor write. I jus
notch dem payment on a stick"
Have you that stick?"
1T out dar in de telescope in the
kyar."
Tom Kelley, go out an bring tina,
telescope into cot"
When the officer came back with
the grip the old darky, hands trem.
bling, united the strings and removed
the top. He handed Kirby an ole
plaster lath of heart pine. with
notches in groups on It's edges.
"Ev'y notch" declared Dan, "repre-
sent five dollar pay on de bill. See
sub? Dey in group. Oar ten notch es
contagious to one anudder-dat NEAR
pay fifty dollar. Oar twelve notches
whar 1 pay sixty dollar. De whole
aggrivate TO hund'ed dollars"
Did you ever notch any other pay
ments beside those you made to Mr.
Rowley?"
mo, sub. I been 'ticu1ar bout dat
keeps urr payments on anurr stick
1t amt pine stick. but oak stick
| made out'n bow / fashion for mis-
boys. l keep 'em in separate room
| sub. When | come home from payin
Mr.. Rowley l go in by de front do
an notch de pine stick. When l come
| in from payin' urr people 1 go in by
de back do an notch de oak stick
Dis de fus' time in all desc years de
| EI
Dis de fus time 1 ever trade wild Mr.
Rowiey. l call dat cu'ius."
Nov, look here" Rowley started
forward, face pale, eyes blazing
That makes twice this niger ha.
| insinuated-'
Stand back there Kirby haC
risen half out of his chair. Ralph, tn,
lad, stepped between Mrs Duncan.
chair and Rowley. stand back, sir
nnT Tl-ss-
! justice. That's all right, son." h,
| spoke to the boy. 'If yo' grandma
or any other lady amt safe in here
then I've changed nightly these pas
| ten years"
Il beg pardon said Rowley surlily
4 only it's hard, Mr.. Kirby, to have t
take an insinuation off'n a nigger.
| tell you, l amt used to havin' m,
| books disputed. keep 'em myself
an keep 'em straight. I put dowr
every Item with my own hand. II
man buys plug of tobacco. it goei
down specified. If he makes a pay
ment, that payment goes down befo
his eyes. My books are open L
everybody an anybody"
tom Kelley" broke in Kirby, "gt
over to Mr.. Rowley's sto' an fetci
that account book"
THE crowd made way for the office,
when he returned, a ledger unde
his arm.
Now" said Kirby, we'll see how
this book an this stick agree. Here
the first payment-f1fty dollars on tn,
book, fifty on the stick. So far s,
| good. Here's the second-forty- flv,
on the book, sixty on the stick"
The figuring went on. At las
| Kirby Strengthened up.
| There's hundred an fifty dollar
difference on the credit side. MI
| Rowley, what's this seventy-flve dol
lars included in the total debts her,
an not specifed?"
"Mr. kuhby," interrupted Dan
trembling, 'T hope you'll 'skuse me
sub, for imposin dis way. But da
de intrust, suh-de intrust for car
| ryin' me. He 'splain dat. dom
| 'spute 1t; I never is 'spute It. I jus
certifies 1 pay it."
What is it, Mr.. Rowley?" insisted
Kirby.
Part of it's interest-part~ othe
things"
What other things?'
"a suit of clothes, for one"
| Kirby glanced at Dan, who stoot
| trembling with desire to dispute thi
last statement, but afraid to. Under
meath the old mans ragged overcoa
| his clothes showed still more ragged.