122 



" Oh, I know everything," was the suave response, and 

 the lad went away, leaving the bookmaker greatly mystified. 

 He always believed afterward that a job had been fixed up 

 on him. 



In this connection another little incident comes to me 

 that shows the quick repartee of the old-time Southern negro 

 and at the same time his respectfulness. There was a white 

 man at the track whom a negro had offended in some way. 

 It was nothing serious and there was really no reason for 

 the man's display of violent anger when they met on the 

 track. 



<c I'm going to whip the life out of you," said the white 

 man, preparing to make good his words. 



" Boss," replied the negro, innocently," ef yous is gwine 

 ter do hit please don't do it on de race track. Any whar else 

 an' I won't say a word." 



" Why not on the race track ? " asked the man becom- 

 ing interested in spite of himself. 



" Case, said the negro, " on de race track all men air 

 ekul. Dat is, dar air two place whar day air ekul. One air 

 on de turf an* de othah air under de turf. So you done see 

 you cain't hit me heah wif de propah kerspec' ter youse'f." 



Of course, this caused a laugh, and the result was that 

 the man forget his anger, handed the negro a dollar to buy 

 himself some gin, and they parted the best of friends. 



I remember once standing in the grandstand at the 

 Louisville course, beautiful Churchill Downs. There was 

 an old negress not far away from me. It was a long time 

 until the races were to begin, but I had gone there early in 

 order to see some friends, and I became weary of waiting. 

 So, as a matter of diversion, I turned my attention to the old 

 woman. 



" Aunty, why are you out here?" I asked. " You are 

 surely not going to bet away the money you have worked 

 hard for all winter." 



" No, indeedy," was the pompous response. " I wucks 

 too hard for my money ter gib hit ter er ole gamier. I air 

 heah for de puppus er seein' my Mose, dat's whut." 



" Ah ! Your fellow." 



" No, hits not my fellar; hit's my boy, Mose." 



16 Tell me about him," said I, becoming interested. 



