Roanoke High School - Acorns Yearbook (Roanoke, VA)

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Ca11't say that I have tl1e undeniable pleasure of knowing that worthy ge11tle111a11, l1e lied i11 a far-away voice. Do11't know Marse john, jedge, don't k11ow Marse John? Ah suttinly thot dat evahbody war 'quainted wid l1i111. lrle's de lines' g'C1Tl1'1l21.11 i11 dis ine- trop'lis, Wfell, suh. as l was 'spostulatin', Al1 cu111 back by lllarse Johns 'long erhout leben o'clock an' de 1110011 war -ies' right foh to see ghos'es. Marse Johns a good frien' ob mine an' Al1 don' like ter see no ll2L'1'1l cu111 ter l1i111, so Ah jesl slipped 'roun' ter his he11-roost ter see ei a11y no 'count niggah war arter his chickins. Dey XN'2111.lj nobody dar but Ah seen dat ol' roostah o' hissen a-settin' dar all by hissell an' l1e look so lonesome an' poh an' ol' dat Ah say ter 111al1seli, 'Dat ol' roostah done seed jes' C1'l3OU'E all o' dis ol' wuld dat he gwinter see: l1e IHUS' be inight' nigh as ole as dat ole 1119.11 i11 de Bible dey call Methuseluni, Marse john don' want ter keep no sech fowl as dat 'mongst his fine chickins, an' he's mos' too ole an' tough foh white folks ter eat. Ei Marse john jes' kills dat ole roostah ter git rid ob l1i111 hit Won't do nobody no good, an' he would hab de 'sponsibility ob dat lowl's death o11 l1i111. Hit wo11't make a speck ob trubble foh 111e ter kill hit an' at de same ti111e I takes de 'sponsibility offen Marse johns sholdahs an' puts it on 111al1 own, an' de 111eat will do er l1eap ob good ill 111al1 pol1 la111'ly.' So Al1 took dat ole roostah offen his perch an' slipped l1i111 undah 111al1 coat an' slipped o11 QlON'Vll de alley, tenclinl ter 111al1 own bizness like a11y udder 'spectable colo'd ge111111a11. But 111al1 luck ll3.Cl do11e gone visitinf foh jes as Ah crep' roun' de co'nah er great big pe-t1'olyu111-111an grab l1olt ob 111al1 11eck au' hollers, 'lNot yer got i11 dat coat ?' -Nlllllllll, suh, llllllllll 'tall 'ceptin' er few ole clo'es dat Marse john done gib IHC., He de11 yelled, 'You'se lyi11', you black spalpee11,' an' he tuk 111e erlong ter jail. Now, jeclge, ef you tl1i11ks dat Ah oughter be hung hit'll be all right, 'cause Al1 ai11't 1HL1Cll 'count nohow. But, jedge, Ah sho would like ter lib long ernuf ter pay 3'l211'SG,JlLlll'1 foh dat roostah. Ah th'ows mahself o11 de lg'I1O'ZUlCC ob de cotef' You black rascal, wl1at do you 1116311 by the lg'1'1O1'Zl1WCC of the court?l' KLNLI-lllllllllll 'tall, suh, Ah jes' thows mahseli O11 de consid- de consola- shun ob de cotef' MBI'-1'-1'-Tl ! ! ! I reckon l'll have to Send you up lor life, old man. lVell, yoh honah, el dat's de way you look at hit Ah l'CCliO11 Ah'll hah to go dar, but hit sho do seein powahful l1al1d on a poh ole 11igg'al1 dat aint got long' to lib nohow. ' SS

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fiiaskus jolynsorafs jlrirst 'Experience in 'jflolice Court 'fRastus Johnson, roared the gray-headed police justice, who felt in a particularly good humor that morning and seemed to think himself a minia- ture king with the power not only to depose but to dispose as well. A moment later a big, red-faced sergeant escorted a short, bow-legged, Q Air? P ,lf f 41, f if Jlfg ,fri 1-1 K L -, ,.4,fzg:,,.. ., 'lil fri' Mex- QQ? Tir: Zifvh I aff: .r L.: :avf':fn1v! Hit Wizggff LA. '-!ff?r,v11.,i,e- 1 We 1 -1 ' - ' '.fL H-'? Q.. 1 ' M .- 14 4- ' Jltlft -eu .-y . .Zig .,...7 nz I .. , Q 2. . FE big-lipped, gray-haired negro into the presence of his I-Ionorf' The judge, although sympathizing with the old darkey, lowered his eyebrows, as the thunder clouds lower before a storm, and frowned on the prisoner a full minute before speaking. Then in a voice like thunder he roared, Uncle, what do you mean by taking up my valuable time? Don't know, suh. Begs yo' pa'don, suh, but ef I's er takin' up yo' valu'ble time Ah'll leab dis yuh place dis minit, suhf, XNait a minute, uncle, hold on there. I have a little business to transact with you first' All right, Kunnel, all right, suhg ef you has any gahden wuk o' Hxin' up to do Ah'll be glad ter fcommodate you, suhf' Now, look here, uncle, this is no joke. You are up for a very serious, I may say a preposterous, violation of the legal statutes. De Lawd hab me'cy on dis yer poh niggah. De good Book say dat de sinnah is gwine ter be punished but Ah nevah knowed dat he 'ould be hung jes' foh takin' a ole roostah dat wa'nt htten foh white folks ter eat, nohowf' Now, Rastus, you were caught with the goods and things look mighty bad for you-mighty bad. However, there is a bare possibility that you might escape death. I want to give you every chance there is for your life, and I am going to let you tell me the story of your atrocious crime. Please begin and be sure to omit no details if you desire mercy. IAfell, jedge, I kinder disremembahs zackly howcum Ah took dat ar fowl. You sees, Ah was ovah ter Brudder Nicodemuses de udder night ter see erbout er 'vival an' as Ah was ercomin' back by Marse Iohnys-you knows Marse john. don't you, jedge ?', 57

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Uncle Rastus, I might let you off this time on condition- 1'Yassuh, yassuh, thankee, suh, I's much ableeged ter yer, jedge. Knowed yer would do hit, suh, you is de hes' man in de country. Bettah dan Pres'dent Wfilsonf' Hold on a minute, uncle, not so fast. I said on condition-and that con- dition is that you return that rooster at once and promise never to steal another thing as long as you live, or, if you do steal anything, don't let them catch you, or Illl have to hang you by your old, skinny neckfl Ahlll nebah steal anuddah thing as long as l lib, jedge, ii' ef Ah does Ah hopes de Lawd will kill me on de spot. Uldfell, Uncle Rastus, we have had a very enjoyable morning, and since you are so poor and too old to work, I reckon I can give you a dollar to buy another rooster with. 'lThankee, suh, thankee, suh. Always said dat you was de bes' man on earth an' Ah rituates dat compulment now, suh. May de Lawd hress you, suh. The comical old man shuffled through the door and down the street to the nearest saloon as quick as his decrepit old legs would carry him. He chuckled to himself all along the Way and shook his dollar in his pocket as if it were a hundred. ' uE.3r.,'n Q' ear- ' 1 i g mf? ,na ,-Aigig e ,c . . 1 ,- , - fist ,as A .:Xl.l!5f.::, 'op 1512. . .- ,. -3525 1 V X il 4: 't.1:j.'5,f:1 , .. f -- - . ,E 'i'-it ,- X .ffft - w: W-nr 59