The Lambertville record., 1926-10-07
WHERE THE GALLoPING poatNoEs
PRowI THRU THE JUNGLE

~ * h0neS dean ne = me,
prp An goes bastl"
"Fade me- al4srer cause Abs walkin' shadder,
an yo got ter have goe& eyes ter met The light
of battle WAS IN rsv Browns eyes as he ratified the
dice in a rhythmic eatter that suggested the beat Of
breakdown daaee,
Faded is de opy thing yo' amt got nothin else
but" replied a dusSy of ham he slapped a
GRUMPY ragged dollar bill over Tiges four quarters
in the centre Of the cellar floor.
Tire rubbed the dice lovingly against his cheek
and then cupped his hands about them he shook
them Justify beside his "What does All hyah? An
gels music, devils chanting? Sing me a song o
silk socks an college coes, cause All needs me new
rament! Angels music hit is an de gallopin dominoes
is gwine dance de Compartment! Wham!
One dice settled with four, and the other
danced another foot and registered three Seben hit
is, an All leaves de two bucks lie Fade me, Niger
cause Abs galopin' wild, an dey amt money kin
stop mel"
'Yeh! An yo's is gwine galop yo'sef ragged an
broke! replied the other as he peeled two more
ragged bills from his roll and threw them the floor
'Keep gallopin! Cause de mo- yo galops de rag
geder yo gitsl
Tge rubbed the dice in his kinky hair until you
could hear electric crackles resulting from the friction
Cit yo brans dice! Git yo' brains right outa nah
haid Git yo brains an learn whut Abs tellin yo!
He swung his long in rhythmic sweeps about his
"Take yo orders an bring home de bacon cause All
Graves ter ride de hawg! Wham!
six and five proclaimed the good news "Read
em an weep!' he chortled "Read EN- an weep an
come ter poppa cause All leaves de fo' bucks lie!
Fade me an kiss yo money goodbye! Yo' amt gwine
see hit till yo' goes on hight
"Lemme dem dice" growled the other negro in
suspicious voice "Lemme try dem dice an see does
dey talk straight All done heard bout de spcous dices
whut yo' plays wid"
Tige settled on his launches and glared back at
his opponent els yo' snuatin dat Ah amt homes! he
asked in a nasty voice.
''Ah amt sinuatn' nothin" yelled the other negro
"On'y All fergot ter try dem dice wen we begin ter
play an hit looks spcious de way dey rolls seben an
lebenl An dey amt niger whut kin skin mel"
"Well, efren dats de way yo' feels bout hit dey
amt awastn' time yo'," replied Tige and
he reached for the four dollars the floor
Nav, yo' don't| roared the other negro and he
grabbed Tige's arm to prevent him from getting the
money dat stays right dere till All knows fer
suah dat yo' dice is regler."
Tge wrenched his arm from the others grasp and
the battle There wasn't much room in which
to stage a fight and most of the struggle was catch
as catch can they wrestled about the narrow con-
fines of the cellar of of the buildings of Mercer
University where Doc Bloom employed as gardener
during week days On Sundays he preached at the An
tioeh African Baptist Church, South and of his
efforts in this capacity had been to convert Tige
Brown But the latter hardboled, and lately Doc
had despaired of ever numbering him as member OF
| his flock.
The struggle between Tge and his dusky opponent
attracted Does attention the campus beside the
building. He down the open cellar stairs and took
in the at a glance. He knew Tge well enough
to figure out the situation, and when he spied the
money on the floor he figured that he about to
collect the two dollars Tige had owed him for over
a year
Both contestants putting like porpoises. Each
was trying to keep the other from the money and
the quarters and the three ragged dollar bills lay
unprotected and of easy to Docs itching palm
Before they knew he there Doc had grabbed the
| money and retreating up the cellar stairs.
A howl went up from Tige and the other negro
when they the money fading away. They scrambled
after Doc with blood in their eyes. But when they
reached the top of the stairs they to sudden halt
and made a udicrous attempt to look casual. cor
who had always been friendly with Doc had stroled
around the grin spread Does face, and
he turned his face toward the two discounted negroes
| with tantalizing leer.
'Howdy, Mister Lannihan!'' he called to the cop
"Yo is ies' in time ter doin good bus
! mess. Yod be sprised ter know dat Tige Brown is
gittn friendly de chech All es' elected two bucks
whut e owed me- an e feelin generous dat I
done gi' two mo- dollars fer de chech mortgage
! fund"