"And how did you get such a dreadful sentence?"
"I ent do much, ma'm; I des scare a white lady."
A wave of revulsion swept over the teacher, and involuntarily she stepped
back. The negro looked up and grinned.
"De hatchet des cut 'e foot a little bit; but I trow de hatchet. I ent tech
um; no, ma'm. Den atterwards 'e baby daid; den dey say I muss stay yer
fuhrebber. I ent sorry, 'kase I know say I hab to wuck anywheys I is; if I
stay yer, if I go 'way, I hab to wuck. En I know say if I git outer dis
place Mr. Morris'll kill me sho--des sho. So I like fuh stay yer berry
well."
And the teacher went away, wondering if her work--if _any_ work--would
avail; and what answer the future would have for this awful problem.
A Snipe-Hunt
A Story of Jim-Ned Creek
BY M. E. M. DAVIS
"I ain't sayin' nothin' ag'inst the women o' Jim--Ned Creek _ez women_,"
said Mr. Pinson; "an' what's more, I'll spit on my hands an' lay out any
man ez'll dassen to sass 'em. But _ez wives_ the women o' Jim-Ned air the
outbeatenes' critters in creation!"
These remarks, uttered in an oracular tone, were received with grave
approbation by the half a dozen idlers gathered about the mesquite fire in
Bishop's store.
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