Penny Dreadfuls, 1916 · page 37 of 400
Tom Anderson, Dare-Devil: A Young Virginian in the Revolution — page 37: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 21: Running Prose This is a page of running prose from chapter "A Counselor" (page 21). A young man confronts an overseer about his abusive language toward an elderly family servant named Ishmael, defending the servant's dignity and warning that his father would not tolerate such treatment. After the overseer leaves with veiled threats, Ishmael speaks with the young man (apparently named Tom) in dialect, mentioning someone called "Marse Troupe" who appears to be away, possibly in military service. The dialogue employs heavy dialect spelling characteristic of the period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A COUNSELOR 21 J - only a boy. Wonder if I’ve made an ass of my- self r”’ He rose and stood with his hands in his pockets, look- ing steadily at the overseer. “My father does know your usefulness. And I know you’ve got some murderous man-apes to control. It’s a man’s job. I’ve no wish to meddle with your authority over those savages. What I meant — and mean! — 1s this: I don’t want to hear ‘cow- hide talk’ to a faithful old family servant, born on the Anderson land, my father’s body-servant!”’ “Yer don’t?” “T don’t. What’s more, my father would n’t allow it. When it comes to threatening Ish, I’d just as soon”? — the live red leaping to his cheek — “‘you’d threaten me!”’ Everything was so still that, as Ishmael said thereafter, “Yer could a-hyurd corn a-sproutin’!— ef so be it had been er spring night, stidder November.”’ “Ongh-hongh! Well,;-mebbe when the Heir gits back I kin find out who-all I’m ter take mer orders fum — over en’ above yer paw! Ef ’’ — casually — “the Heir ever do git back ergin.” This thrust went through and through Tom. ‘The hint at the Heir’s authority, he scorned; but the cruel reminder that Troupe — his dear, brave brother — might never return — what a cowardly blow! As he took himself off, the man muttered evilly: Jes’ ez lief I’d freaten him ez his ole nigger, hey? He’ll take hit back afore I’m done wid him. Be a dead cock in the pit, afore long — he-un will!” Ishmael closed the doorafter Egger with a groan of relief. “Tell yer, li’? Marse, yer come jes’ in de nick er time. I knowed yer’d drap in wid some las’ word ner fer Marse Troupe. While I’m patchin’ on mer ole shoe, we kin talk *bout heap er things. Git ner sole on dis ole shoe, be right smart war in him yit. Cyarn’ go flip-floppin’ roun’ de ’Ar en’ ter officers, git ter camp. Could n’ look ez proud wid mer toes in de dutt ez Marse Ben Taliaferro done, time de British s’rendered ter him.” “What about it, Ish?” said Tom, absently. CORNICMOOO® SS (C©) m