Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 292 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

——— —_- Y GIR turned the nearest corner, then skurried away as swiftly as they could without running the risk of awakening the suspicions of those of the Moke Horner, the Boss Roustabout. 9 met the eager eyes of the comrades as they paused fora moment, The faint hum of voices was mingled with the lively strains of deftly- —_ -- ‘**Deed I des won’t, den!” splurted the yellow boy, yang, te escape, but that iron grip beld bim firm while Moke Horner hastily whispered r to another, then the policeman grimly touched | the yellow boy, with an oily chuckle and wag- | to grasp his hand and gain the honor of being i Shaky Joe on the shoulder, gish twist of his’ fat features. the first to dance with him. And right royally L **T am to have a chance to visit my lodgings Not a very lucid observation, perhaps, but | did he play his part for the next two hours. for the purpose of getting what papers I need, | Moke Horner appeared to thoroughly under- | Never a man in the house danced more grace- 4 you understand?” stand its meaning, and a jolly laugh showed his | fully than the sable dandy, while none there I “T have bidden him give you all the liberty | snow-white teeth. could cut a higher pigeon-wing or do it with - you require, so that he brings you here to- “Dat’s yight, boy Tandy; you did you’ wuk | half the ease and dexterity. > morrow,” coldly said Ward. well, an’ you boun’ to hab you’ pay, too. But | And Yellow Jack Tandy also made his mark. “That's all I ask,” grinned Shaky Joe. | de good Lawd put you down in pickle an’ | Runningover with fun and quaintness, be kept ‘*Come bobby; make folks think you’re simply | saltpeter ef dem fool’ niggahs ebber smoke de | those nearest him in a constant roar of mirth. > helping a boosy millionaire home from his club! | little trick you help play on dem des now! Dey | He was about as graceful on the floor as a Stiffen up and put on style—so!” haul off you’ yalla hide so quick it mek you’ | rheumatic elephant under similar conditions, 4 With a dignified strut, Shaky Joe took his de- | head swim—’deed yes !” but what he lacked in this respect, he more t parture, ‘“Not while I kerry de yabbit foot, dey | than made up for in willingness and main 2 When the policeman and his charge vanished, | won’t!” strength. His dirt and rags were forgotten; Horace Ward turned to the young lawyer, his Tapping his mate on the sboulder, Moke spoke | the fairest and most richly dressed of all the 4 voice hard and cold: gravely: girls, yellow or black, gladly joined bim when =| “You will understand, Mr. Dingeon, that ‘* Don’ you laugh at de rabbit-foot, yalla boy, | asked, and it really seemed as though the two * matters must go no further until this annoying | or I put de black crosson you’ backin a hurry! | adventurers were running the dance to suit question is settled.” ’Ca’se we shet up de eye ob dem fool’ niggahs | themselves, r ‘Tt is too late for that, father!” cried Dru- | back dar, ain’t no hurt to de pure hoodog, Moke Horner was resting for a few moments, silla, her face flushed and her eyes flashing. | You holp me fix up dem ole bar’ trotters, an’ | standing with a really handsome yellow girl Se **Marcus has confessed his love, acting on the | you know dey ain’t no sort ob good fo’ what | near the door, when a hand was dropped i permission you gave bim—” dey as paid fo’ em finks; dey des ole bone an’ | beavily on his shoulder and a harsh voice said: $ ‘*Under a misapprebension—” fur an’ dry meat. Ain’t no charm in dem, ‘*Move along, Sambo! I'll take charge of “For shame, sir!” she cried, tears dimming | Dey wasn’t ketched by a true obeah man ina | this girl!” 2 the luster of her eyes. ‘One would think you | ole grabeyard when de moon was des gittin’ With a sharp snarl of anger, Moke Horner -) really believed all that arrant nonsense poured | full, nur dey didn’t hab de hoodoo spell put on | wheeled, his fist clinched and partly drawn : forth by a drunken lunatic!” um in de makin’ up—you know dat! Dey looks | back—but the blow was not struck. “He is right, Miss Ward,” said Dingeon, | des de same to one dat don’t know bettab, an’ A slender, richly dressed white man was y gently trying to remove her clinging arms. dat’s wuff all de money dem brack boys paid | facing him, and as their eyes fairly met, a y ‘While even the shade of doubt remains, I can | fo’’em, But dis—hede true rabbit-foot!” draw- | gloved finger was shaken slowly before his $ be nothing to you—you so pure and innocent!” | ing a dingy article from his breast and rever- | face, the intruder speaking sharply: t “And you, a king among men! And even | ently touching it to his lips before replacing it. Hands down, my fine fellow! Iknow you, - higher than that—my love, my soul, my heaven Yellow Tandy was sober enough now, and his | Moke Horner. You call yourself a free man, s on earth! See—by this I seal my perfect faith | voice was very meek as he made reply: but, for all that, one word from my lips will and love!” “Deed an’ double ’deed I wasn’t makin’ no | send you to work on thechain gang, ou've s She pressed her warm lips to his, then turned | flings at de charm, Moke. Cross my heart, I | bad your innings, so be off with you, or take $ to her agitated father, her words coming rapid- | meant des what I said. J tote de yabbit-foot | the consequences.” "4 ly, ardently: now, an’ no low trash hurt me /” _ The fickle beauty who had so recently been e ‘You see how thoroughly I trust and love “Ole har’ foot, I tell you, boy! You can’t | listening with blushing delight to the honeyed : him? I will never believe he can be akin to | buy nurI can’t sell or gib way de true rabbit- | words of the F So gle roustabout, instantly gave that disgraceful wretch, but even if he was, | foot—only de obeah king can do dat. Some day | him the cold shoulder and accepted the prof. o still would I not shrink from him. I would | 1 show you to him, mebbe.” fered arm of the young gentleman, The music I love him even though his birth proved to be Tandy was obliged to be content with this, | struck upa waltz in obedience toa nod from among the yery dregs and offscourings of the | and drawing aside where they were hidden | the young man, and Moke Horner was left i earth!” from view of any chance passer-by, the two | alone to nurse his angry feelings, “ Drusilla—my child!” huskily muttered the | tricksters speedily came toa financial settlement Half a dozen young bloods, out “ doing the e merchant. which appeared to be quite satisfactory to them | town,” had come to Maum Jinny’s almost as a 4 ‘“* My father—dearly as I love and honor you, | both. matter of course, and before them, the colored t I cannot listen to what you would call reason “Now we go see de fun at Maum Jinny’s,” | men had not the ghost of ashow. Freemen or : when the clouds hang over him whom I love as | chuckled Moke Horner, as they came out of the | slaves, it was all the same. A word from those 8 a true wife should love. ‘You gave him permis- | dark alley and moved on. “‘Heap o’ mighty | bloods would be taken as gospel writ by any sion to woo me. You told me you would prefer | likely gals dar, boy Tandy! From brack to| magistrate in office, and the offenders sent n him for a son to all other men. It is too late | yalla an’ a’most white, ou nebber dar, but | incoutinently to do penance on the ah Sen 4 now for me to take back the troth I plighted so | dey all know Moke, an’ dey smile clean from Yellow Jack Tandy was also frightened gladly, so entirely. Ilove him—I love him! I | year to year on any boy what come undah ho | away, and as be came up, Moke moved toward bi could say no more though I spent the whole | wing—you see I tell you des so, ole fatty!” the outer door, it night in searching for words to express my per- ‘*Nebber you fret fo’ ole Tandy,” grinned the “De fat’ in de fiah, now, fo’ suab!” muttered s fect faith!” jolly fellow as he waddled along beside the | Tandy as they left the building, ‘ Reckon we 8 ‘“*Marcus—Mr, Dingeon,” huskily uttered the | ebony athlete. ‘He ain’t so much fo’ good | done darce enough, eh?” - merchant; “ I appeal i As sense of right and | looks an’ fine clo’s as some, but when it comes ‘Dance enough, mebbe,” growled Moke Hor- ) justice, This foolish child is beside herself, and | to swingin’ de gals—g’way niggah! dat’s me all | ner, savagely, as he glanced in at the open d ows not what she does!” _,, | Ober? window ary 3 which he could see the fickle W Stooping, Marcus Dingeon pressed one hot kiss “Ef dey ain’t none ob dem funnelly white | yellow girl closely embraced by the arms of oO upon those true and loving lips, then with gen- | goats a-buckin’ ’roun’ de gals, we hal fings all | the wine-flushed youth who had so coldly sent . ll tle foree unwound her arms. our own way. Dey do come, sometimes, wid ; him to the rightabout,. ‘ l, “‘Tt must be, darling—Miss Ward,” with a | dar ’way-up airs an’ lofty notions, des to see |\ “But suah as I kerry de rabbit-foot! I ain't 2 d choking gasp as he corrected himself. ‘ Until | what sort ob fun dey is goin’ on in colored | gwine to yun away an’ leabe dat cussed up- i i) I can stand before the world free of this horri- | s’tety; an’ den de low-down niggah bucks has | start boy ‘to slobber dat gal all be wants! I } ) ble charge, you and I are separated by a vast | to take de wall in a hurry,” the Boss Roustabout | gwine to git eben, if it takes he bide off!” | gulf. Good-by—to-morrow—” added, in a tone that was half sullen, half Yellow Jack stared at him in open-mouthed e He placed the nearly fainting maiden in the | defiant, as though he spoke from personal expe- | amazement. He could not believe his ears, ‘¥ | arms of her father, then rushed from the room | rience. He would as soon think of thrusting bis bald - ee and house—hastening to his doom! “Dey git in ole man’s way, he sot down on | head between the armed jaws of an alligator as : two or free—dat settle dar hash, suah!” laughed | rebel against the will of one of the superior cb CHAPTER VII. the jolly glow boy. race. y MOKE USES HEAD, HANDS AND HEELS. A brisk walk of a few minutes’ duration ™ pret you foolin’, boy!” he muttered, SHAKy Joz made a shrewd guess as to what | carried them to their present destination; a | affrightedly, 18 would follow after the departure of Moke | long, low, rambling building situated in a “You see how dat foolin’ turn out, boy,” was e, Horner and Yellow Jack Tandy from the Tri- | retired back street. The windows and doors | the stern reply. “Come dis way a bit. You color. The curiously-match confederates | were wide open, and many gayly-dressed figures | got to b’ar a han’ in dis—” d P 1e | police who might chance to be encountered. fingered violins, and above all came the mellow | in bis reluctant ear: y 4 Yellow Tandy kept twisting his fat neck in | notes of the master of cereronies calling out the “Til work de rabbit-foot on yer ef you show d watching the back track, but Moke Horner | figures. de white fedder now! You won't be hurt—dev vi it | kept straight ahead as though he had most im- Satisfying himself that there were no white | won't netber know you hed nuffin’ todo wid s st portant business on the other side of town. | intruders, the Boss Roustabout entered the | it, "less you tell ’em you’seff. An’ des you ey And as the Tricolor was left further and further building, followed by the ragged, greasy, devil- | do what I say, an’ Pll gib you de rabbit- 8 ly behind them, the short, oily chuckles which | may-care yellow boy, whose broad grin and | foot!” *, D. occasionally punctuated the panting puffs of | easy carriage showed how little he was abashed | _‘‘De suah enuff yabbit-fut? You won't fool mY e the fat mulatto, grew into a full-fledged guffaw. | by the fine feathers of the company in which he | dis niggah wid any ole har’ trotter?” doubt- es I | Hoo! you long geared niggah, hol’ up while | now found himself. fully muttered Tandy. i id a vody kin ketch he breff des once. De good At that day, few persons in New Orleans ** Cross my heart—hope to die!” :4 is Lawd! ef dar ain’t a fo’ty poun’ bullfrog hop- | were better known than Maum Jinny. There| Yellow Tandy was convinced, and though his \q in’ up an down in dis *coon’s froat, den it’s | were more stylish and select dance-houses to be | nerves were all of a tingle, he lent an attentive | ok mighty funny—deed it des is, honey !” found, for even then the “quadroon balls” | ear to the whispered speech of his bolder ccm- a oy “You too ugly fat fo? any sort o’ use, boy | were included in all lists of the city sights, but | panion. Then, with a sigh of relief he re- .. ut Tandy,” sniffed the Boss Roustabout, coming | Maum Jinny catered for all—the rough river | plied: ; to a halt, after a keen glance back in the direc- | men as well as the aristocratic blue-bloods, ‘“T do it, ef it takes de hide off! But I gwine ag tion from whence they came. ““Des a little | Her god was money, and no man who could | hab de ginewine yabbit-fat, suah enuff, now? cy | lazy sa’nter like dat didn’t ought to faze a man. pay for the privilege of dancing with her— | No foolin’?” l See me! I | dat up from day to night an’ | more or less—fair guests, was refused a place. Moke Horner thrust the prized package into lis nebber turn a ha’r! . There was nothing repulsive or really immoral | his eager hand, and then Yellow Jack skurried oe “ An’ you might des go an’ go an? go, fo’ all | about the place. It was simply a house where | away hot-foot to carry out his share of the plot of ob Tandy, des so all de money we pull out o’ | one might dance with whom he chose, by pay- | which revengeful Moke had devised. er dem fool’ niggahs didn’t keep a-goin’ at de | ing for the refreshments for self and partner | It was no difficult matter to find the allies he ; same time. You too mighty | t oot, Moke. | at the end of each set or turn. needed among the more dusky of the girls. As ly ] you whack up de plundah, an’denef youn | A cheer of picemire and a shower of eager | a: matter of course, the bale drake: bloods ve bigger hurry to git to Maum Jinny’s dan ole | greetings told how popular was the ebony | would dance only with the handsomest women le- Tandy, des pull out. athlete as Moke Horner entered the ballroom. | in attendance, and these were to be found ex- a he You fink I play gum game, eh?’ with a! Like bees around a piece of honeycomb, the | clusively among the few quadroons ard the mu- } ir. See wou etka de omen, from deepest black to faintest yellow, | lattoes, and as no negro man dared take the a. yabbit-foot, honey,” grinned w flocked around the Boss Roustabout, ea i eager floor to dance while the lordly whites were in EComicbooks:com : ee ‘ . ‘fe a® « r | | | F as