10-Story Book, July 1931 — page 54: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

wee 10-STORY BEGINS ITS 30TH SUCCESSFUL YEAR! business, Kid called on Crystal. That dame had heard of the affair. | “You needn’t be hangin’ up yo’ hat lak’n you esspects to make yo’se’f at home ’roun heah, till after we sees who is de bestest man, you o’ Goodtimes, an’ x Kid interrupted. “It’s easy to see who is de bestest man. I can lick dat scrawny nig- gah wid one han’ tied behime mah back. I kin va It was Crystal’s time to interrupt. “I ain't meanin’ who’ de bestest man lax a ox 0’ a mule, I means wid brains. Now you run ‘long. I ain’t lettin’ Goodtimes fool ’roun’ heah till dis matter is decided, and I ain’t gwine make no difference twixt you. ‘Sides dat, I’s ’shamed o’ de way you done Mistali Pete. I done heerd ’bout dat, an’ dat ain’t he’pin’ you none wid me.” ARLY Saturday morning there was a strange gathering at Phil Rozier’s office. Goodtimes Harris was the first to arrive, and he came in response to a message. Shortly after Pete, and a long, thin negro that Goodtimes recognized as the muchly wanted Potlicker Dan showed up. “I wants to buy from you, Mistah Potlicker Dan,” Goodtimes commenced, but Pete didn’t let him finish. ‘“‘Befo’ dey is any buyin’ done dey mus’ be some payin’ dun,” he an- nounced. Rozier laughed. ‘“That’s right, Good- times,’ he announced. Half a minute later Pete rammed 200 dollars down in the bottom of his pocket. Then Goodtimes turned to Potlicker Dan: “I wants to buy yo’ land’.” Potlicker Dan scratched his head. “I ain’t got no lan’.” Goodtimes almost dropped. He whirled on Pete. “You done swindled me. You tol’ me ‘ “T ain’t told you nothin’ what ain’t. I done said I sol’ dat lan’ to Potlicker Dan, an’ I done so. I ain’t said nothin’ ’bout whut he done wid it after I sol’ it to him. An’ you ain’ axed me whut he done wid it.” “Whut did he done wid it, den?” “He don’ sol’ it back to me—and Pete was interrupted by the entrance of Crystal and Kid Scoot. “An’ now you’s got de lan’, an’ you gotta sell it to me!’ Goodtimes exclaimed. But Pete moved further away from the angry Goodtimes.. “I ain’t got it—I done sol’ it.” Both Goodtimes and Kid Scoot started toward Pete when he made this assertion, but Rozier stopped them. Then Crystal got in the conversation. “Dis yeah thing seems lak it’s kind 0’ mixed up. I jes’ got to do a little esplainin’. I done bought dat lan’ fum Pete mahse’f, an’ I’s got de deed all ready to sell to Kid, if Kid’s got de money. Is you, Kid?” ‘Sho’ is!’ exclaimed the dazed Kid Scoot. Kid, hardly understanding what he was doing, paid the money to Crystal, and was handed a deed to the land. Crystal in turn handed two hundred and ninety-nine dollars to Pete, taking up a note and mortgage held by that individual. “You see I jes’ paid Pete one dollah on de lan’,”’ she explained. ‘““Now den Pete, you pay me dem two hundred dol- lahs whut Goodtimes give you foh findin’ Potlicker Dan, s’eing’s as it wuz me what foun’ Potlicker Dan for you.” ‘“You’s de one whut tol’ me to give Pete dat money foh findin’ Potlicker Dan!” ex- claimed Goodtimes. Crystal laughed. “You’s de one whut made yo’ brags ’bout you wuz gwine marry me an’ git de money you heerd I done saved up,’ she retorted. »» HEN Crystal handed Potlicker Dan twenty dollars. “Dis is to pay you for stayin’ hid out till us wanted you. Now Pete you owes me fifty dollars dat I loaned you to take up dat paper Goodtimes hel’ against de lan’. Heah’s de paper you gimme foh it. I gwine give you ten dollahs foh yo’ paht (Conchided on page 64, bottom) EORNICOOOKS.EO mn