Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 January 1891 — SWEET TATERS FUR SEED. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SWEET TATERS FUR SEED.

A doctor was called to see an old who was reported as “mighty po’ly,” and found on examining him that he had been shot in the legs with bird-shot. After considerable persuasion. the old man told the story of the shooting. “Dar’s er mighty mean, common sawt er white man, name er Johnson, suh, whut live des dis side er whar de road forks er cornin’ sum town, snh. He raise de bes’ sweet ’taters nb anybody, an’ he done tell me laung

time ergo dat he gywne ter lef me have some far seed. I wuz er cornin’ sum town, suh, las’ Saddy night. I nuver knowed de time, suh, but de stahs look ack it wuz ’bout ’leben er fo’ o’clock. I come ter Mister Johnson’s place, an’ I say I’ll des go ter de house an* ax ’im fur de sweet ’taters he done promise me fur seed. Ez I wuz er gittin’ ober de fence de dawgs tuck arter me an’ I ’uz ’feared ter go on ter de house ca’se de da wgs ’ud bite me, suh. Den I say I’ll des go ter de patch an’ grabble de sweet ’taters fur seed dat ’e done promise me. an’ termorrer I’ll come ober yere an’ tell ’im. It ’uz mighty dark, suh, an’ I hatter git down an' crawl fur ter keep de'dawgs ,-&un er learin’ me, ca’se I ’uz feared ’ey ’d bite me es dey did. Des alter I gets

in de patch, an’ fo’ I grabbles mo’' ’n seben en nine ’taters er gun went off bang, an’ I feel de shots hit me in de legs. It skeered me, suh, an’ I riz an’ run. De dawgs tuck arter me, but I des outrunned ’em. Co’se Mister Johnson think it wuz some low down niggeh er stealin’ ’is sweet taters. Dat’s de reason he shoot. He nuver knowed it ’uz me des er gettin’ de sweet taters fur seed dat he done promise me. Es ’e knowed dot it ’uz me he shoot, he’d be mighty sawry. It ’u’d mos’ breck he heart, an’, ca’so it ’u’d. I ain’t nuver tol’ nobody ’bout it ’cep’in’ it uz you, suh. Yer ain’t gwine ter say nuttin’ ’tall, Tiout it, suh, ca’se Mister Johnson ’s er good man. an’ yer don’t want ’im er griebin’ hisse’f ter death fur er shoo tin’ me, suh.”

HUGH BLAKE WILLIAMS.