The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-10-02
Why You Reckon" ''; :, s., St., &c, s:.''''
By LANCSToN HUGHES

the other fellow jerked him in
and by the time he knew where he
was. we had that white boy back
yonder behind the furnace in the
coal bin.
Don't you holler.' I said on the
way down.
There wasn't much light back
there. just the raw gas comm on,
Of jet, kinder blue-like, blinikin
in the coal dust. Took a few min
utes before we could see what he
looked like.
Edward the other fellow said
don't you holler in this coal bin"
EDWARD JUST SAT DOWN
But Edward didn't holler. He
just sat right down on the coal.
reckon he was sorta scared weak
like.
Don't you throw no coal neither"
the other fellow said. But Edward
didn't look like he was gonna
throw coal.
What do you want?" he asked
by and by in nice white-folks
kind O. voice. Am / kidnapped"
Well, sir. we never thought O.
kidnappin,' reckon We both
looked puzzled. could see the
other guy thinkin' maybe We ought
TO hold him for ransom. Then
he musta decided that that weren't
Mise, cause he says 10 this white
boy. mo. you amt Kidnapped"
he says. ave amt got no time
for that. Yves hongry right now
so. buddy. gimme your money"
The white boy handed out O. his
coat pocket amongst other things
a lady's pretty white beaded bag
that he'd been sent after. My
partner held il up "Doggone." he
said, my gal could go for this.
She likes purity things. Stand up
and femme see what else you got"
SEARCHED HIS POCKETS
The white guy got up and the
other fellow went through his
pockets. He took out a vale;
and a gold watch and a cigarette
lighter and he got a swell key
ring and some other little things
colored folks never use.
Thank you" sad the other guy
when he got through friSkin' the
Waite boy. Il guess III ca, ;omor-
row! And smoke RICH; now" he
sad, opening up the white boys
cigarette case Have one" and
Re passed them swell Tags around
20 me and the white boy, too
What kind Is these be wanted
10 know.
"Benson's Hedges" said the white
boy. kinder scared-l.ke, cause the
other fellow was maxim an awful
face over the cigarette.
We'll. don't Like EN-" the
other fellow said. frownin' up.
Why don't you smoke decent Gig
areties? Where do you get off,
anyhow" he said 10 the white
boy stand.n there in the coal bin
Where do you get of comm up
here 20 Harlem with these kind
o cigarettes? Don't you know no
colored folks smoke these kind o
cigarettes And what.e you dom
bringing !ot o purity rich women
up here wearln' white fur coats
Don; you know rs more'n we
co,ored folks can do 20 get black
tu- coat let alone white one?
I'm askin' YOU question" the
other fe.!ow ssi. The poor white
fellow looked like he was gonna
cry. "Dor't you know" the col
ored fellow wen: on that ! been
Naikiu up and down Lenox ave.
nue. for three or four months tryin
10 hni some way 20 earn money
70 get my shoes hal,-soled7 Here.
look q. en-" He held up the
palms O. his fee. for the white
boy :, see There were sure big
holes in his shoes "Looka here"
he said 20 tina: white boy And
still you 80. The nerve 70 come
up here 20 Harlem all dressed UP
n tuxedo sui: with a stiff shirt
on ana diamonds sh.nin' out o the
front o il, and a silk muffler on
ard 4 big heavy overcoat! Gimme