Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 16.pdf/122

 Ezekieis Alibi. "An' yo' honah axes 'Zekiel, Des to state, in his own way, 'Bout de chawges brought agin him, Eb'rything he hab to say; So dis niggah, as requested, 'Fo' de jury an' de jedge, Say he sartin am not guilty, As de ditement dar allege. "Ef Ole Zeke wah stealin' chickens, On a sartin time, to wit, Den he wah not pullin' milyuns, Sho—dis here you mus' admit; 'N' ef he on dot time, to wit, (To de Cou't I does appeal), Wah a-takin' watah-milyuns, He wah on no chicken steal. "Foh it is a fac', yo honah, Dat de milyun, full ob juice, Nevah perch hisse'f wid pullets 'Way up on de chicken-roos': An' de chicken say it isn't Des ezactly in his line Foh to be diskivered growin' On de watah-milyun vine. "So, it 'pears to me, yo honah, When dis ditement chawge so loose. Dat dis niggah's in de milyun-patch. He is at de chicken-roos'; When it say he's stealin' chickens, Sho—it's plain dat he's not nigh, Kaze he's den among de milyun vines— So I pleads de alibi."