Letters of Major Jack Downing, of the Downingville MilitiaSmith, Seba
History
Letters of Major Jack Downing, of the Downingville Militia
Smith, Seba
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 -- Caricatures and cartoons; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Humor
of 'em, I would send 'em all to Massa-chews-its! Peepul who are so
anxus to have other folks overrun with free niggers ought to be willin
to share sum of the blessins themselves. So let all that are here in
Washington be sent rite off to Boston." "Yes, that might do," ses
Linkin, "but then, ef they are entitled to their freedom, they orter be
allowed to go where they are a mind to." "But," ses I, "sum States
won't have 'em at all, an they can't go there. So what's to be done?"
"Wal," ses Linkin, "I tell you what it is, Majer, this is an almighty
tuff subjeck. I know somethin about splittin rails, and what hard work
is ginerally, but this nigger questshin has puzzled me more than enny
thing I ever got hold of before." "Wal," ses I, "Kernel, I kin explain
the resin why." Ses he, "Let's hear you, Majer." "Wal," ses I, "Kernel,
where do you carry your pocket-book?" Ses he, "What on arth has that to
do with the subjeck?" Ses I, "Hold on, you'll see." "Wal," ses he, "I
always carry it rite there, in my left hand trowsers pocket." Ses I,
"Didn't you ever have a hole in that pocket for a day or two, and had
to put your pocket-book in sum other?" Ses he, "Majer, I have." Ses I,
"What did you do with it then?" "Wal," ses he, "I put it in my right
hand pocket, but it kinder chafed my leg there, cause it warn't used to
it, and it also felt mity onhandy. So I put it in my side coat pocket,
but every time I stooped over it would drop out. Then I put it in my
coat tail pocket, but I was kept all the time on the _qui vivers_,
afeerd sum pickpocket would steal it. At last, in order to make it
safe, and sure, I put it in the top of my hat, under sum papers, but
the hat was too top-heavy, and over it went, spilling everything. I
tell you I was glad when my pocket was fixed, and I got it back in the
old spot."
"Now," ses I, "Kernel, that's jest the case with the niggers. The
minnit you get 'em out of ther place, you don't know what on arth to do
with 'em. Now, we've been here all the evenin sarchin over the map to
see ef we can't find sum place to put 'em. But it is all no manner of
use. You've got to do with 'em jest as you did with your pocket-book.
Put 'em whar they belong, an then you won't have any more trubbil."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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