Rensselaer Standard, Volume 1, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 September 1879 — “Old Si.” [ARTICLE]

“Old Si.”

Atlanta Constitution. “Look hyar," said Old Si, ns he encountered a negro trudging along with his head through the middle of a ladder, “look hyar, don’t ver slew dat ladder round heah so rash! First thing yer knows, yer’ll brush off two or free white folks fram dis pabment, and den dar’ll be ernurinderpendent candydate for de chane-gang suddintly spred round twixt de gutter an’ de kyar track." “Es yer don’t waut ter git dad ole jaw ob youm busted oil ober de leP side yo’ hed, yer better git off in de wagin-road when I cums ’long!" replied the darky ladder-man. Old Si regarded the fellow with one eye on the squint, and then bent down an end of the ladder and held it to the ground with his foot, and the saucy fellow stood painfully in this improved stock the old man said: “Hit ’pears ter me you is er onripe nigger in dese ports. Es you’d bin ’libiu ’round hyar long you’d know’d fore now dat hits equivalent for goin’ ter Memphis ter nuss yellow feber ter sass me. I’se de man you’se heerd tell ’baut what cripple’d dat eierfint in de cirkus las yer by juess layin’ my ban’ on his hack. Dey had ter men’ dat eleflt by bracin’ his backbone wid *’er bar of ralerode iruu, you heah me!’* “I didn’t mean no harm, sho’!’’ whined the darkey iu the ladder. “I don’t speck you dis, but den yo’ mouf ’pears ter be sot on moughty loose hinges. Dis twon hez got sartin rules ob ettiket de frunt wuu oh whutn are dat pung niggers aud furrin mokes mus’ keep order when de ole folkes is passin’ by I” “I’ll do dit, sartin’ —you see es I don’t!" “I kno’s dat yer will, kase I’m gwine ter keep you in min’. Wheneher I heads dat some nigger wid jaws on him like de side ob er 1864 habberstick, an’ er nose like er burnt pine peg mauled In de groun* with er fencerale, an’ eye on him likede knuckle bones ob de Texas steer, on’ wool on his head liker black ram bo’n in er cuckle-burr Eatch —I’ll kno’hits you; an’ when I etches up wid yer I’ll bourn’ yer tlifk Atlanta is sicherwated right in de middle of Yazee City an’ I is de haifbrudder of Gineral Barksdale wider shotgun in bofe han’s. Now, go on an’ sin no mo’—’don’t you’se reddy ter exode simultanter." And the old man raised his foot and passed on contentedly.