Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 August 1888 — A Superstitions Negro. [ARTICLE]

A Superstitions Negro.

Jim Webster, a colored citizen of Austin, Texas, was recently tried for stealing chickens from Col. Percy Yerger. Webster was convicted and sentenced to a short term of imprisonment. Before the culprit was removed, Col. Yerger, by courtesy of the deputy sheriff, was permitted to converse with him. “See here, Jim, I’d like to know how many of my chickens you have stolen at one time and another,” said Col. Yerger. “Hit seems ter me you has got a heap ob curiosity. I ain’t gwine ter tell yer nuffin,” replid Jim, sulkily. “Jim, here is half a dollar for you if you will tell me how many you stole on your last raid.” “No, san; I ain’t gwine ter tell you nuffin for half a dollar. I knows the number perzackly but I ain’t gwine ter tell yer for no half dollar.” “I’d like to know the truth about it.” “You wants ter know de whole troof?” “Ido.” “I ain’t gwine ter tell yer de whole troof for half a dollar. I ain’t no fifty cents on the dollar niggah.” “It seems to me that if you are willing to tell the whole for a dollar, you can afford to tell half the truth for half a dollar.” “What you mean by dat ar?” ‘Til give you half a dollar and you tell me half the number of chickens you stole. Here’s the half dollar. Now tell me half the number of roosters you stole.” “Lemme see. Half de roosters am five.” “Then you stole ten roosters.” “De Lor! How de debbel you find out dat ar?” “What’s half the number of the hens ?” “Half de number ob de hens am four.” “So you got away with eight hens.” “Dat gets me! Look heah, white man, you’s dangerous, you is. Dar’s some hocus-pocus about you.” “What’s half the number of young pullets you took ?” “Huh! I got yer dar. Can’t split a pullet in two, kin yer, when ypu counts em? Half de pullets am six, and one PRllet ober. Now, how’s .yer gwine ter find out how many pullets dar was ?” “So, you took thirteen pullets.” “Wall, I declare! You must hab been dar yerse’f and counted ’em. Dar’s eumfin crooked about dis transaeshun. Heah, Mister, jess take me and lock me /up in de jail. I don’t feel safe out heah wid dis heah negromancer.” And .Tim /was led off in a dazed condition.— •Texas Siftings.