Page:The New Negro.pdf/138

110 “ 'Nother thing," cut in one of the men, "Spunk wuz cussin' a blue streak’to-day 'cause he 'lowed dat saw wuz wobblin'almos' got 'im once. The machinist come, looked it over an' said it wuz alright. Spunk musta been leanin' twards it some. Den he claimed somebody pushed 'im but 'twant nobody close to 'im. Ah wuz glad when knockin' off time come. I'm skeered of dat man when he gits hot. He'd beat you full of button holes as quick as he's look atcher.”

The men gathered the next evening in a different mood, no laughter. No badinage this time.

“Look, 'Lige, you goin' to set up wid Spunk?”

“Naw, Ah reckon not, Walter. Tell yuh the truth, Ah’m a lil bit skittish. Spunk died too wicketdied cussin' he did. You know he thought he wuz done outa life.”

“Good Lawd, who'd he think done it?”

"Joe.”

“Joe Kanty? How come?”

“Walter, Ah b'leeve Ah will walk up thata way an' set. Lena would like it Ah reckon.”

“But whut did he say, 'Lige?”

Elijah did not answer until they had left the lighted store and were strolling down the dark street.

“Ah wuz loadin' a wagon wid scantlin' right near the saw when Spunk fell on the carriage but 'fore Ah could git to him the saw got him in the bodyawful sight. Me an' Skint Miller got him off but it was too late. Anybody could see that. The fust thing he said wuz: 'He pushed me, 'Ligethe dirty hound pushed me in the back!?He was spittin' blood at ev'ry breath. We laid him on the sawdust pile with his face to the East so's he could die easy. He helt mah han' till the last, Walter, and said: 'It was Joe, 'Lige—the dirty sneak shoved me ... he didn't dare come to mah face... but Ah'll git the son-of-a-wood louse soon's Ah get there an' make hell too hot for him. ... Ah felt him shove me...!' Thass how he died.”