Argosy, Vol. 123, No. 2 — page 120: what you’re looking at

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

252 fifty whut’s put in applications. Applica- tien fees is two dollahs per each when you makes de application, an’ three dollahs mo’ when you jines. Dey gwine jine to- night. Den when dey gits jined to-night dey’s sev’ral whut’s gwine make ’vestments | anywhuh fum five dollahs to one hund’ed dollahs. But Salted Cuthbert ain’t takin’ no ’vestments till de jinin’ is all done th’oo wid. Den dey’s gwine finish it all up— vestments an’ all.” Pete grunted. “ Dat’s whut he gwine do; finish ’em up. An’ he’s gwine finish 7em good an’ plenty. I got dis to say fo’ him, anyhow. Any niggah whut kin come dewn heah an’ git three hund’ed dollahs out’n deseyeah niggahs befo’ he even gits stahted to takin’ good is gwine prove to be some finisher when dat time comes.” Pete shook his head sadly. ‘‘ Dat nig- gah is a crook, Kid. Dey ain’t no doubt boeut it. An’ I sho’ wishes I could show him up befo’ he bustes mah lodge up un- tirely. I ain’t carin’ nothin’ ’bout de little ‘mount o’ two dollahs per each he is done got fum dese niggahs.. Dey ought to lose dat fo’ not havin’ no mo’ sense. But I’d— sho’ like to keep him fum gittin’ any mo’, Dat niggah is got sumthin’ behime him ‘somewhuh whut I sho’ would lak to fin’ out.” Kid shrugged. but he sho’ kin tawk gran’.” Pete sniffed. ‘‘ Tawk! Tawk! Whut do dat ’mount to? Any crooked niggah kin tawk. Dey’s sumthin’ ’bout dat niggah whut ain’t’ straight, an’ if’n I jes’ knowed whut it wuz in time I could keep de Knights an’ Ladies 0’ de Guidin’ Light fum bein’ busted up.” Kid Scoot nodded. ‘“ Sho’. If’n you could show him up, de niggah’s ’d all be glad to stay in yo’ lodge.” ae Pete said nothing for some time. Final- ly he spoke: “ But how in de devil is I gwine show him up? dat’s worryin’ me right now.” For a short while beth negroes were silent. Kid Scoot broke the _ silence. “Yondeh is Mistuh Phil Rozier standin’ up dah at de corner. I think he called you, Pete.” | : Old Pete raised his head and saw Phil ‘grinned. “ Mebbe so you’s right, Dat’s de question | THE ARGOSY. Rozier, a clerk in the fruit company’s of- fices, standing watchirig him. The old man “Call me, Mistuh Rozier?” The white man nodded. “Yes. Come here. I want to talk to you.” Pete turned to Kid. “I gwine see you later, Kid. I got to go see whut Mistuh Rozier wants wid me.” Then as he moved forward: “I’s comin’, boss man—l’s comin’!”” The Suriname was just pulling alongside the dock. Old Pete, hat in hand, his bald head shining in the soft glow of the late afternoon sun, was standing beside a banana-car watching the passengers gath- ered around on deck preparatory to leaving the steamer. “Huh!” grunted the an negro. “ Dat’s one sho’ pleasant-lookin’ man wid dat red mustache. He’s smilin’ lak de mawnin’ sunshine. I espec’ heah’s whuh I omnes make mahse’f a dollah o’ so.” When the pleasant-faced man’s foot struck the dock, Pete was at his side. ‘“ Boss man, whuh you’s gwine at?” The mustached man smiled. “I’m go- ing to the hotel—if there’s one here.” Pete grinned. “ Yassuh, deys one heah, but I don’ espec’ it’s much hotel; but it’s de onliest one us is got. Boss, I gwine show you de way. An’ if’n you. ain’t in no hurry, us ‘ll go by de -customs-house an’ git yo’ baggage th’oo. Got any trunks?” ‘No; just two suit-cases. They’ll have to go through the customs—” ‘““Yassuh. Sho’ will, but dat’s easy. Let’s me an’ you go ‘long, an’ I gwine show you how to git th’oo de customs-house in a hurry. Dey gwine take all de baggage over on dat train dah, an’ it ‘Il be dah soon as us kin walk over. Us can’t ride on it.” Before half the distance to the customs- house was covered Pete decided that this smiling man was his sort of white folks. The man liked to talk, and he liked to hear Pete talk. —- ‘‘Many American negroes down here?” the white man asked finally. Pete shook his head. “Not many— twenty-five, I reckons. But dah’s lots 0’ COnmmiCcloo SS C©