Jimmie Moore of BucktownTrotter, Melvin E. (Melvin Earnest)
General
Jimmie Moore of Bucktown
Trotter, Melvin E. (Melvin Earnest)
Christian life -- Fiction; Missionaries -- Fiction; Poor families -- Fiction
He took no less than seven sandwiches the first grab. All that
the rest of "der bunch" needed was some one to start the thing
right, so they all took a like amount.
"Leave der rest of 'em for Blind Billy," said Hump, as one of
the ladies started away with one of the plates.
"What's dat yeller stuff comin', Jim?" whispered Swipsey.
"Gee! don't yer know nothin'?" said Jimmie knowingly. "Dat's
hard eggs wid corn mush over dem."
After Swipsey had tasted of it a few times, he turned to Jimmie
and said, "Them's taters, jus' common taters, wid dat stuff
spilt on 'em and they tastes jus' like green walnuts."
More sandwiches, baked beans, pickles, potato salad, lemonade,
etc., were being stored away so fast that it kept several ladies
busy waiting upon them. When they were well filled Mrs. Morton
sent a plate of fried chicken to their table. Mose stood up
and looked at it.
"Look, yuh woman, where dat chicken come from? I'd give my hat
if I had dat ol' ham an' bread out of me. I'll put my share
of dat chicken away if I bust."
They all grabbed at once. Jimmie got the largest piece and gave
it to Blind Billy. "I don't want no chicken, no how," he said.
Two large watermelons followed. They were cut in fancy scallops
and the waiter put them both down in front of Mose. He took
the largest piece and laid his face upon it and laughed until
he cried. "Mah, watahmelon, what am I eveh 'gwine to do with
you. If I eat dat melon, I'll die suh. But I neveh could die
any happier."
They all ate watermelon till they could hardly straighten up.
Then, when the ice cream and cake was set before them, there
was great sorrow.
With tears in his eyes, Stumpy stood up and said, "We're der
biggest lot of d---- fools what ever lived. Here we'se are
full to der neck wid bread and taters and dem cheap beans dat
we'se kin all git ter home and never left no room for chicken,
watermelon, ice cream and all dis here kinds of cake. Somebody
oughter take us out in der woods and kick us ter death."
"An' yer all doin' der same ting every day," said Jimmie. "Yer
gits so full of cuss words and shootin' craps and boozin' and
stealin' and lyin' dat yer don't have no room fer Jesus. Jesus
is ice cream and cake an' watermelon, an' Morton says He's honey
outen der rock. Yer don't git no feed like dis at Fagin's or
no where else where they ain't got Jesus."
On the way home, Jimmie attempted to get his load of cripples
to accept Christ; and the argument they had about "'ligion,"
as Mose called it, would make splendid reading for preachers;
but we will pass most of it by. Jimmie told them that Jesus
loved them all and was able to help them.
"In der picture I see'd of Him, He's got long hair and wears
long dresses like a woman and looks jus' like he's goin' ter
cry. What's He know erbout guys like us? I can't walk er nothin'
and kin a womany man help me?" asked Hop.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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