Reading Time: 4 minutes [653 words]

LEO M. FRANE. 247

write?” I said, “Yes, sir, I can write a little bit,” and then he give
me a pencil that he got off the top of his desk, and told me to pnt
on there, “dear mother, a long tall black negro did this by hiseelf,”
and when I went to put down “negro” I put it “n-e-g-r-0-8” and he
said don’t put no “s” there, he said that means negros and he said
now rub the “s” off, and I rubbed the “s” out, and he said “It means
jest one person like youreelf,” and he told me to write it again, and

written it, and he looked at it and slapped me on the back and
said, “That's all right, old boy,” and he said “write it again,” and I
written it for him threo times, Then Mr. Frank takes out a cigarette
for himself and handed me the box, and I taken out a cigarette and
lit it, and saw some money in the box, and he said that was all right,
I eould have that, Then Mr, Frank looked around at me and held
up hia head towards the top of the house and said, “Why should
T hang, I have wealthy people in Brooklyn.” I didn’t know what
be was talking about, I didn’t have any idea in the world what he
was talking about, and he waa winking and rubbing his hands
together and touching me on the shank with his foot and took a deep
breath, he said, “Why should I hang?” and shook hia head and
rubbed his hands together. Then he asked me where was Snowball,
and I told him I didn’t know, and he asked me, did I know the night
watchman, and I told him no, sir, I just knew him by passing him,
and he asked me if I had geen him in the basement at any time, and
I told him no, air, that he would have to ask the fireman about that,
for he was down in the basement more than any of us was, and when
I told Mr. Frank that he stuck one finger in his mouth and said,
“See, that’s all right,” and then Mr. Frank told me he was going
to take that note I had written and send it off in a letter to his peo~
ple when he wrote, and recommend me to them, because I was a good.
working negro around there, and he liked me, and when Mr. Frank
eaid that I said “Don’t take out another dollar for that watch man,”
and he said “All right, I won't,” and he said, “I dou’t see why you
want to buy a watch, because that big fat wife of mine wanted me to
bay her an antomobile, but I won't do it.” Then he reached in his
pocket and pulled ont his wateh and said, “It is nearly time for me
to be going to dinner.” Then I asked Mr. Frank if that was all ho
wanted with me right now, and he said, yes; but all the time,
though, he was talking and jollying aud going on with me, and [I
began fo think it was something, for a while man to be playing with
a negro, and daring the time he cast his eyes up to the top of the
hhonse and said, “Why should I hang, I have wealthy people in
Brooklyn.” Then Mr. Frank said, “I will see you Monday, if I live
and nothing happens, James,” and I said, “Well, is that all you want
for good Mr. Frank! and he said, “Yes,” and'I saw him go to bis
desk and take out a brownish-looking scrateh pad, and he took his
penei] and made a mark on it. I took it to be an “M,” but he ahut
the tablet up and looked at me and told me that was all he wanted
with me. I pulled the front doors to as I went out, and I went to
the beer saloon across the street and opened the cigarette box, and
it had two paper dollars in there and two silver quarters, and I

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