The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1926-11-25
SMILIN' THU
BY GORDON COOPER
USE LII WINE FER DE sToMAcHs SAKE"

One Saturday afternoon Doc Bloom, pastor of the
Antioch African Baptist Church, South, had conhded
in Professor Mount at Mercer University, where Doc
was gardener on week days, that they had wine to
use for communion at his church on Sunday. The Pro-
fessor had offered help him out by giving him some
wine he had at his house. This Doc had accepted with
alacrity and gratitude.
On Monday morning Professor Mount called to Doc,
'Was the wine all right"
Doc grinned "Yassuh! Hit wuz jes right"
There was something in Docs tone which caused
the Professor to doubt that the wine had given
plete satisfaction. what do you Just right?
he asked
Doc seemed little embarrassed. oval, sub, ter
4 de truf efen hit'd been any wuss we couldn't
drunk hit; an etfen htd been any bettah yo
wouldn't-a gin hit ter us' And he laughed to hide
his embarrassment
The Professor took it in good spirit "Wel 1 have
to confess you are right didn't like the taste of it
myself, but | figured it would be all right for com
munion as long as it the requirements for the
spirit of the occasion"
"Yassuh! Yo' is right dere" Doc replied, "but yo
know hits kinder de custom fer de preacher ter drink
whut's lef O. de communion wine; de Ill sip whut All
took at de communion all right but wen All drunk
de res O. hit aft de meetn' hit didn't tase good
And he laughed again.
Professor Mount joined him in the laugh and add
L "Then l suppose you not rabid prohibtonst'
Doe stifened "Whut? Me? Nawsuh! All amt no
Anti-Saloon Logger efen dats wuht yo' means! Efen
Jesus thought wine good huff fer i'm ter TURF
tab inter VINE, den hits good nun me- an eHen
Paul de 'Postle tell Timothy ter take wine fer is
stomach's sake den All reckons hit do good, tool!
ooh that's all right far it goes replied the
Professor, but the trouble is that many drink to
excess; they get too much for their stomaehs sake,
Doc nodded his agreement. "Yassuh! Yo is right!
Only jes las O. de niggers in nah chech come
ter me an wanna borry a dollar | ak i'm whit e do
wild is pay, cause jes' git paid off de day befo
An e say spent fl dollars fer gin, an three
dollars fer beer.
"Ah knowed e git ten dollars week, | ak
i'm whut e do wild de odder two dollars An e say
Wal All reckons | musta wasted de odder two dol
larsl :"
After the laugh they both enjoyed at this, Doc
was reminded of the negro moonshiner who had been
arrested 'Min's o de niger whut got put in de
calaboose fer maxim likker. Wen e come up TO de
ledge e say is Joshua.
"De ledge wuz kinder funny, an e say, Is yo de
Joshua whit make de stan stl?' An de niger
say, .Nawsuhl Abs de man whit make de moonshneF
"Ah tells yo', dey amt headin desc hyah mig
GERS Doc after he and the Professor had had
a good laugh. "Dey's gwne git dere lkker or
fodder Ans long dey gotta git hit de bes thing ter
ter do is ter teach em go easy hit An ez fer
ez Abs consarned All thinks iii likker an den
amt gwine do 10 harm, but hits gwine do EN- some
good ies' so long dey doan git too much"
But how you going to keep them from drink
ing much? asked Professor Mount.
"FIuh! OATS easy" answered Doc. "Gib em
gers like eatin mo- dan dey does drinkin MebBe yo
doan BELIEF dat, but effen yo stuff niger wild gru
an offer i'm ikker yoll fin out dat "e amt gwin
near so much. But effen e amt got huff money tie
buy bofe den e gwne git de likker fust.
De odder day dey niger got de stree
cyah, an e purity well tanked up. Dey wuz
white lady got de cyah an she dat de niger
drunk SO she git mad an say ter de conductor mar
Does yo low drunk folks dis cyah?
An de conductor say oh dats all right, lady, S
long yo' sits down an doan make racket"