Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 128: what you’re looking at

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

118 what is goin’ to make ’em plum’ frog-eyed when they sees ’em, Tell ’em that lil ol’ raid hat that you is weahin’ is jes’ a sample. ‘Tell ’em I has a hat fo’ ev’ry woman present—goin’ to give ’em to the wimmin free fo’ nothin’! Only makes one stipula- tion—men folks has to load mah ship!” IV. SLIVER blinked and faltered, baffled by the flood of Sassafras’s English. But the germ of the idea penetrated to his under- Standing and he loosed his tongue. Sassafras smiled and bowed whenever a pause in Sliver’s speech afforded the slight- est opportunity. The interpreter finished and a chattering tumult arose. But Sassafras raised his hand with an impelling gesture and restored the calm. He strode into the hut and brought forth four gorgeous bonnets. They were a riot of spring hues. The babble arose again with sharp ac- cents of admiration. The seaman’s hopes ran high. He addressed himself to the lady wearer of the iron necklets. ‘“ Stan’ ’roun’ heah, sister. I done selec’ you fo’ mah demonstratah. Lookout, I ain’t aimin’ to hurt you! Sliver, you ’splains mah honor- able intentions. This heah gal’s mos’ tur- ruble shy.” Sliver explained and the model conformed to the exhibition. She was reluctant at first, but the spell of the hats worked its fascina- tion until she posed and preened and strut- ted with almost professional effect. “More hats were brought out as the en- thusiasm mounted. There were squeals and shrieks and hysterical bursts of laughter. One woman was overcome by her emotion and had to be led away by the guards and dashed with water. As a fitting climax, Sassafras placed a glittering gold cloth tur- ban upon the model’s head. “ Oh, boy!” He stepped aside. ‘“ Done made mah pitcher! Slivah, now’s the time to ast ’em. Ast ’em effin they ’cepts mah proposition. Tell ’em ev’y woman gits a bonnet. All they got to do is to agree that the men folks loads mah ship!” There was an immediate response—an eager, Shrill, soprano chorus. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. ““Wimmin favors,” Sliver interpreted. But in the moment’s silence that had followed a bass voice croaked a dull in- terrogation. “What the man say?” words were tense. Sliver explained. The gentlemen of the community had raised the question as to just where they came in in the sharing of this reward. sassafras did not falter. ‘‘ Co’se, now, they gits their reg’lah wages. ’Sides that—” He smirked and scraped and raised his brows with impressive innuendo. ‘““I would sugges’ we leaves that lil mat- tah ’tirely wid the ladies. Whah I comes from, we gent’men makes our off’ings on the sh’ine of beauty widout no talk of ree- wa’d!” Sliver interpreted to the best of his abil- ity. There was an earnest consultation. When the voices lulled it was patent that the community was divided. A woman arose, a person of obvious weight among her sisters. She began to talk. Her enthusiasm mounted until it was necessary to drown her voice with the roll- ing of the tom-tom. “What she say?” Sassafras queried. Sliver shrugged. ‘‘ Wimmin favors yo’ plan.” =S “How ‘bout the men?” Sliver wagged a doleful negative. Sassafras scratched his chin. ‘“ Oh, well, effin I knows wimmin—” A smile spread cunningly across his features. “ You ’dress yourse’f to the ladies, Slivah. Tell ’em I’s on their side. Tell ’em I stan’s heah ready to len’ ’em ev’y ’sistance. Ise a great be- lievah in the ’bility of the suff’age pawty. But tell ’em effin they wants mah bonnets they has got to reso’t to ’suasion; got to convince their gent’men frien’s that the proppah course to take is to return to labah. Sooner mah ship gits loaded—quicker the Wwimmin gits the hats!” The meeting adjourned in some confu- sion. It was a strange night that followed in the grass hut village on that usually tranquil shore of a tropic bay. Love songs were chanted; there was a constant drone of sugared, coaxing voices; black men of Africa had never known such tenderness. Sassafras’s COTpmicooolkkSse©