"What you bin doing, Paddy?" asked the
sub-inspector. "You bin hammer 'em Topsy?" Paddy, at the salute--"Yes,
sir, please sir, me bin hammer 'em that fella. That fella too flash; me
no bin hammer 'em all asame black-fella. Hammer 'em all asame white
man, alonga strap." Considering the customary means a black adopts to
correct the indiscretions of his spouse, Paddy's offence was judged far
too trivial for punishment. Topsy, too, was quite vain that Paddy had
chastised her with all dignity and indulgence of a white man.
"AND YOU TOO"
Two ladies, who were wont to meet at infrequent intervals, spent the
delightful morning in the settlement of arrears of gossip, while two
black gins sat in the shade of a mango-tree, smoked incessantly and did
nothing placidly. At dinner-time the latter began to chatter volubly,
and the mistress of the house, in an outburst of vicarious energy,
called from the verandah--"Come, Topsy--come, Rosey. You do nothing all
day. You two fella talk all the time."
Rosey--"Yes; me fella yabber, yabber, plenty--all asame white woman."
PARADISE
The beliefs of blacks on the subject of "the otherwhere" seem to be
varied and adjustable to individual likes and predilections.
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