The Wrong Man — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

20 THE WRONG MAN. ie Orders dem off, under extreme penalty ob de rigor ob de w.” “ Suppose they refuse.” “I swells up wid righteous indignation and makes a speech.” “Make a speech! What can you make a h about?” “ Tells’em "bout de glorious country dat dey am disgracin’ by dere opprobrious course of conduct in de face ob de opposi- tion, and de worldly endearment dat am from time inculcated in all de animadversions, moreover, also, and so forte. Yah! yah! What Vink ob dat speech ?” Whether Overton thought it humorous or not, he laughed very heartily, and seemed mightily pleased. “T call it decidedly rich, Cato, decidedly rich, I say. f spose such a speech is pretty sure to convince them.” “Not exactly. Doesn’t always care for Cato’s cloquence.” “What do you do then?” “ Tells’em I'll be under de painful necessity of inflictin’ sum- corporal chastisement upon dere personal selfs.” “ And suppose they still refuse ?” “Den I tells’em dat either dey or myself must lebe de premises.” “ And if they remain ?” “ Den I lebes, ob course. Yah! yah!” Overton seated himself a the ground, threw back his head and laughed most heartily, as though he never before hed heard of such strategy. “You appear very funny, Cato, this morning. Somethirg must have happened to put you in good-nature.” “Cato is allus good-natured. Massa Overton seems mighty pleased about sometin’ too.” “ Yes, pleased most d——,” muttered the hunter, who seemed _ to despise himself for the mirth he had counterfeited. “ Nebber notice Cato oder times,” continued the negro, who was cute enough to see that there was something behind these actions of the hunter. “ Mighty good-nawred, dis morning, Massa Overton.” “ “N Ha so very good-natured. How long since you left home, ato ? “’Bout an hour, more or less.” “ Folks all well?” , “Dey was kickin’ ’round purty spry when I left,’spacially - Massa Sedley.” “ And wh aseome' Sirage ” _ “He gib Catoa ck, to show dat his strength hadu’t left him Doesn't ithas, Yah! f What did he kick you for?” Jam exercise, _ “Tt couldn't nee I know Sedley is very Xind hat was it now? You might as well tell your old frien.” KR eg SS comichooks:com () eee a - » 12 Seer ok. ee ee el