Old Josh, in: Ole White Magic (1869))Pure Nigger: 2nd Series)) Episodes: 27, 28 & 29))

Old Josh, in:
Ole White Magic (1869)
Part I of III (Episode #27)


(This is a story about Old White Magic, an old timer in Ozark, Alabama, a Negro, who was a favorite Blackman among the white race, the chosen one, the black folks, used to call him, he was a clock maker, or fixer, his image really nondescript, but I shall try boldly to describe him now and then, throughout this sketch, and two more of him. He was so black and ugly the black men of Ozark didn’t look twice at him, and the white folk laughed holding their bellies looking at him. He was something of a legend in his own time, he came from the unfathomed jungles of the Congo, from Africa it was said. And up until his death in 1870, no one knew his age, or thereabouts. He had old papers showing he was a free man, and thus, some fifty years from the year 1869, he had come to Ozark, a stranger then, came out of nowhere it seemed at the time, and opened up his shop.)

Silas: He come from Afr’ica like you pa, maybe he knowed your pa? He as ugly as de bulldog, and black er den de rich soil in de Hightower garden!

Josh: Yessem, he still cant speak but ten words of de English, but he can count de money well!

Silas: Da only thing diff’erent I sees in he since de dey I wuz born is he done changed his cloths a few times, but de white folks like him.

Josh: Mr. Clayton, he likes Ole White Magic, dat some of it…

(A mild man he was Ole White Magic, it seemed in 1869, he was about to die and be buried, he bought a plot of land in the old cemetery, his clocks were not selling, and folks in Ozark, thought maybe he’d take his own life, he seemed to be depressed. He joined the Presbyterian Church, but that was back in 1850s, yet seldom did he attend, and folks said he had money, but he never seemed to spend it. So it was a life he led of secrecy. But he and the Clayton family got along well with him, especially, Anthony Clayton.)

Josh: I done told him ‘bout a hundred times, enjoy wha’ you hab, kaze you jes look at it and den you die… (Meaning money)

Silas: Pa, you should hab pulled his chestnuts to he foot, he jes a fool of a man

Josh: I mean no offence son, he ain’ no bad man, he jes secret; a man can be worn out in three score and ten, I think he six score and twenty, he look it anyhow, maybe he jes come to Ozark an’ dont knowed how to die.

Silas: I is jes curious…

Josh: He come in so long ago to Oark, folks dont remember da year, he tells men to go takes care of dere own private affair, I think he is right, who care how ole he is, he jes taken a long time to die.

Silas: Who signed his paper pa, his free paper?

Josh: Some General called Washington, I sees it one day…dats all I knowed of him, he wuz a boy den.

2-16-2007

Old Josh, in:
Ole White Magic & De Rat house (1870)
(Episode #28/Part II of III)



(Josh’s Conversation with Silas)

Josh: Human nature an’ self interest son is de debil-bird singin’ in de ear whn yous doing nothin’ (said Josh to Silas) adding: Yessum, de debil-bird if you don’t knowed him, you is better to stay in bed, you is safer…

Silas: Ole White Magic die, guine now on six month’ pa, no one can find his money, da say it in de walls some place…! He ain’ had good sense … wha’ you think he did wit de money?

Josh: When da die, everyone think dey leave money here and dere…da paper say he 120-year ole, when he die, dat he a boy when ole Washington sign his paper, dat his pa fough’t in de war, de first war, his pa a hero wit him…!

Silas: He alway’ unshaven pa!

Josh: White Magic—Yessum, he wuz da same old dirty trouser’ he come to Oark with, all de time, but he hab a white clean shirt on for de white folk to see. I sees him tremble de last few days, his eyes ole, ole…!

Silas: Des here is a hot dey too much for me pa, I dont wants to et…

Josh: Yessum, ole White Magic wuz a right hearty eater, until de last deys of his life. I even bring he meat, but he protestin’ to et… He jes say, ‘Josh, it suits me here,’ an’ he sits in de chair in his shop, all clutter, things here and dere, night an’ day. I hear de many de rat in de attic—his house de rat house of Ozark, I hears de foot of de rat, moving here and dere… but I tells myself, I am twenty-years past worryin’ ‘bout such things, let de ole man be, he like de rat, let him hab dem, keep him compan’y. An’ I sees his bed, jes ole tile roofing, a board over dat, and tarred paper over dat. He a quie man, no laundry no nothin’—jes an ole bed…an’ a picture…!

Silas: Wha’ de picture of pa?

Josh: A little white girl, from New Orleans, dat is it…!

Silas: I wonder why de white girl.

Josh: Nothin’ ever looks de same to two diff’ant people…







Old Josh, in:
De Tadpole & Ole White Magic (1871)
(Episode #29))Part III of III))



(Mr. Carter, was Mattie’s Lawyer, they were both on their way to Ozark, Alabama, after hearing the news that Ole White Magic had died.)


Silas: Wha’ de tadpale, pa?

Josh: It a man born to steal—dat wha’ it is son, like de white an’ black folk of Ozark who tryin’ to find ole White Magic Money an’ keeps it for dem self. When dey knowed he have a white daughter in New Orleans coming to Ozark to claim her pa’s things, she ain’ suffern any I suppose, but it belongs to her.

Silas: Ole White Magic like de red grape wine, it makes he live long!

Josh: Dat it did, Siles, he never use tobacca, or liquor, jes de wine, he guin to heaven I suppose kaze of dat, he like de bible too, but he jes cant read it.

(That evening, Josh and Silas, discussed ole White Magic’s life at length, sitting on his porch, twilight appearing, and the blue print of his life was interesting to them…)

Silas: I like to make jam or jelly out of de grapes pa, not de wine, maybe I should change to de wine, lives long like him? Maybe he makes de wine for de white folks, sells it…?

Josh: No, da neighbor folk never sees him do dat, but ole man Anthony Clayton used to go over to he shop an’ dey drink all de day long, a white man wit da nigger, when he wuz in town dat is. De white folk talk, but dey both got more money den all de folks in Ozark, so dey say nothin’.

Silas: maybe pa I will et now—! I don’t reckon Ole White Magic was married ever, but his pa a hero an’ all.

Josh: Mattie Washington Westchester, dat her name, I hears da sheriff call her dat, an’ she a comin’ with de Lawyer from Orleans, called Carter. I sees her picture in de paper, she is white as cookin’ rice… an’ she be here soon…sometimes men got better thinkin’ den women, dey know how to let go of things, dat why Ole Magic send her all de money, kaze, here da guin cause her trouble…!

Old Josh, in Hightower's Death (Episode...#26)) Part I of II))

Old Josh, in Hightower’s Death (Episode…#26)) Part I of II))



(1880) When Hank discovered his father’s death he was motionless, stood erect over his father’s body which was on the bathroom floor, I should say, between the bedroom and the bedroom, it looked as if, as if he was trying to pull up his pants up, they were halfway up, when Hank found him, and seemingly, it looked like the old man had, or must had died from a stroke or heart attack, he leaned, Hank leaned, forward, for a moment, just a moment, his mind escaped his helpless body, like an eclipse (likened to the moon covering the sun for a moment, just a moment). He stood there for a time, it felt as if the morning was drawing on, moving forward without him, no expression found on his face, it was as if they (he and his father) were crossing the plantation fields, the four hundred square acres they owned, the Hightower family owned since the mid 1700s, and he said, “I reckon I better go and get help.”
He, Hank Hightower, had been in what some folks might call, or thought anyways, to be shock—for a short spell. He went down stairs and asked Granny Lula the cook, if she had a slice of bread, coffee and oatmeal, and sat in a chair in the kitchen against the wall. Granny said, “I git along all right wit yu Hank Hightower, but I ain’ heard you say nothin’ to me dis dey, is yu mad?”
That is how it was, the day Charles T. Hightower died. Hank was 55-years old then, thereabouts, and his father was 80-years old, born in 1800. Granny had been on the Hightower plantation a long time, perhaps over 35-years; no one knew her age exactly,
Nor would she tell, but she was several years older than Hank, and came from the Clayton’s plantation, where she had worked for several years prior to her arrival on the Hightower plantation. And when she had arrived there, she was perhaps the same age or older than when Josh, had arrived at the Hightower Plantation, and he was perhaps seven to ten years old back then.

2-15-2007

Old Josh (Three Episodes: 23, 24 & 25))Pure Nigger: 2nd Series))

Old Josh, in:
And His Grandson’s Question
(A lost and now found: Episode: 23)) 7-23-2006))
1905 (spring)


(A conversational Sketch with Silas and Josh ((Silas’ son, Caspy, is sitting on old Josh’s porch at the Hightower plantation, it is 1905, Josh is 90-years old. Caspy is four. And Caspy, asks his grandpa a question, but Josh talks about
What happened in 1825))

“Umupuh,” said Caspy, watching his Grandpa rock back an forth on the porch, Silas with a pipe in his mouth, leaning against the frame of the shanty hut, Caspy in front of Grandpa’s legs, looking upward.

“Whut does dey boy look at me fur likes dat?” Josh asks.
“Hes a looking wuh yu-all dont hab de ole cob pipe like me pa,” said, Silas with a laugh. But old Josh was not laughing.
“Naw, suh,” said Josh, his old eyes gazing at his grandson, big old black hands holding onto the wooden arms of the chair, Josh bringing his coffee can to his lips, drinking the coffee in it down, kind of staring at the boy’s eyes.
“Sho…” Caspy murmured with his four year old curious eyes.

“Dey wuz a time me an’ a boy wuz gowin down dat dere road (Josh points to the road in front of the plantation) I gits tired unloudin’ da wagon fur Mr. Hightower, all de dey long, so dat day de Marster, Mr. Hightower passes and he look, and my friend he wuz a schoolen boy, so he writ on a page of paper his school work an’ wes git along fine, he wuz tryin’ to explain to me how to writ, so he turn de other way and I reckon dey wuz a hundred shootin’ soldiers nearby, it wuz back in ’25, he gits hit by a bullet, I knowed the boy fur guine on five year’.
“Did dey kuilt de boy pa?” asked Silas.
“Yessum,” said Josh with a tear in his eye, “you’d better guin in da house, Silas, need you to make somethin’ for Caspy, hes hungry.”
“It was bad times, so I find a hole and I hide in it a while (Josh can hear from his porch Hightower’s phonograph)…I forgeits Ihad his pipe in me pocket, as he writ. De white bos cold writ, so he wants to. Dat writin’ stuff git him in trouble, well, he was kuilt.”


Old Josh, in:
Mule-Ears (1902)
(Episode #24)

“Yes pa, I knowed, she’s right sick, ole Nelly the cow.”

(Two Negroess entered the Hightower born to the left side of Josh’s shanty hut´, it was late at night, or as one may say, early in the morning, it was 2:00 AM, Josh couldn’t sleep, and woke up Silas in the process of trying to get back to sleep. And started laughing for no reason and heard the barn door open, moonlight shinning down, chatter somewhere about.)

“I got ears like de mule I do, an’ hears something in de barn; Silas, it best yu go on over an’ tell Mr. Hightower, ‘efore he blames us for somethin’ we didn’t do…” said Josh.

“I reckon so,” commented Silas, half dazed from his sleep.
“How many robbers you see pa, over dere by de barn?”
“None, but I hears two, I knowed dere is two, moest all my life I hears good as a mule, ain’ no trouble wid my hearin’ jes my seein’.

(…said one Negro to the other… ((the cows in the background, in the far back of the barn moving about, so they moved quickly with agility of apes in motion) “stand still,” said a voice. It was an October evening, perhaps a tinge past 2:00 AM, a chill in the air. Motionless was Hightower standing outside the barn door, with a ten-gage shotgun, the two Negroess drunk, perhaps wanted to sleep the night away in a warm place, but found two cows, and figured they could take them, and sell them, everyone was sleeping and who would be the wiser, so alcohol will dull your senses, and so it did in this case. They overlooked the horses, because they were too much trouble, stomping about, and all that.)

“Hurry on up wid de cow…” said one of the voices in the barn.

(The Negroess stood by the door now, laughing about the cows being so big, and the money they’d get for it, one spat on the cow deliberately. Then he saw two eyes in the doorway, Hightower’s, and Hightower saw four eyes next to his cow, and likened to a hammer blow, the shotgun hit their chests, two shots, that is all it took.

2-14-2007

Old Josh, in:
Skinn’ Bessie (1896)
(Episode: #25)


(There were a few Old Josh stories, made by way of fragments, instead of the usual, sketches and longer conversations; this short fragment of a conversation is an example. I was going to leave it out, but it seemed for the reader to really get to know Old Josh, even the fragments that were meant to be longer, but never got to that stage, might be of interest.)



Josh: Amos wid dat ole gal?
Silas: Wuh ole gal?
Josh: Skinn’ Bessie!
Silas: Wuh he do to git her so mad?

Josh: Yu ain’ heard ‘bout de time Amos token horse meat over to Skinn’ Bessie, she gits so mad she wuz a bilin’ she wuz! She com to meet Amos at de Cotton Mill de next day, on her bare foots its so hot, gus she mule lay down dead in da heat. Well, yu knowed how Amos is he says ‘Bessie,’ an’ she hits him in de mill. He squeal like de pig. Well, she gits so mad, she takes de horse meat, grabs dat meat and cooks it right outside de mill, and slap ole Amos in de face wid it. I reckon he is hurt, he jumps ‘bout like de grasshopper. He run in de cotton mill tore cloths an’ all, fur a while, kaze Bessie wuz jes warmin’ up.

2-8-2007

Old Josh (Three Episodes: 20, 21 & 22)

Old Josh, in:
Battin’ of an Eye (1905)
(Episode: Twenty)



Josh: Silas, I tells yu back in ’57 why de whip falls fur de slave was bad. Yu battin’ de eye yu gits de whip.

Silas: dey likes to hear yu groan—de white folks, yah?
Josh: Yessum, an’ dey wants to punish yu some more. Dey even hangs you in de cold cells in de winter, by you’ wrist—you’ foots jes techin’ de ground—de iron bars of de cell cold…

(Josh hesitates to talk more, a tear in his eyes, Silas, just listen as Old Josh, now 90-years old, babbling on, tries to ketch his breath: Josh rocking back and forth in his wooden rocking chair on his porch ((it is Spring)), Silas, sitting by his side his hands tied around his knees, pipe in his mouth.)

Josh: Yessem, all dey long night in de mornin’ taken down. Den they gives me bread and cold water.

Silas: Does yu have to work den?

Josh: All de dey long, den hung up again, to breaks you’ will. Dont laugh none, dis better to weep, Ole Hightower doesn’t knows des, he give me to de Ritt for de month, an’ he gits even wit me…! An’ I git de ringworram in de back of de neck…!


2-8-07











Old Josh, in:
Hollerin’ Like de Roster (1897)
(Episode: Twenty-one)



Josh: Bo Sam, an’ Messa Whitehead met together today, a funeral guine be tomorrow?
Jordan: Messa?

Josh: Yu knows Messa de white lady in Ozark, but Bo Sam he never come ‘round much so yous never met him, he wuh yu call a bad nigger, but he run into a badder white man—he lookin’ fur a fight every wey he go, an’ he found one he git no fun from…; yessum, I hears ‘bout it today, hes walkin’ down de street in Ozark an’ he stop to ask wuh de pool hall is from Messa, dey done moved it since last been in Ozark, dat a few year’ back…he got eyes liken de crow and walk like de rooster, he does, he stare at de white woman too long, dere ain’t no wild cat left in him I hears when de white men take him…

Silas: He wuz laughin’ pa, an’ every nigger in Ozark wuz puttin’ de eye on him…he foolin’ ‘round with de Amos wife too, tryin’ to anyhow… an’ who no who else?

Jordan: Dere Bo Sam he a hangin’ in de farm yard outside of town, none dem niggers got use fur him anyhow, Bo Sam, dey did hug him over at Fanny Lu Farm, he wuz a hollerin’ like de roster, and I run down to Smiley’s ‘efore de white folk think I he friend.

Silas: Yaw, dat dey way it is pa, attera while, things git quiet, Bo Sam gone, he a-hollerin’ like de rooster….


2-8-2007



Old Josh, in:
A Nescience for Huntsville, Alabama (1904)
(Episode #22)


(Old Josh went to Huntsville, Alabama once, I mean twice once, and folks kind of felt he was a nescience in their city the second time, stirring up trouble you could say, you could hear him talking down in the center of town, in a little park with the black folk, just a talking away about nothing or something, that didn’t take place, not then anyhow, but some 14-years earlier. He and Hightower went down to Huntsville, back in 1864, he was still a slave then and there was an incident, more like a tragedy, he knew of that had taken place in 1849, but it was old news. Josh is telling his sons about it now, in a conversation ((there is also a poem added here, one Josh had Granny write down, over at the Smiley’s Plantation right after he got back home from Huntsville)) :)

A Noose (Nuse) Fur Huntsville

Ain’t nobody can die twice,
Not even chllun, or de mice
Jes one time, dat all jes one time,
By de rope, lasso, nuse it will do
It will do effin yu puts it ‘round de neck,
Dat dont worry me none, dont fret me atall
I is from Ozark, not Huntsville;
An’ de white folk dey find another nigger
Down her to kill…in Huntsville—
Cuss eyes going home!

#1688 2-10-2007

(Well, as I was saying, this is what he was saying, in the park down in Huntsville, he made a joke of it, a poem as you can see, Mr. Hightower didn’t know about it, or else he would have put a stop to Josh’s inciting the black folks, as he had done in ’49, he must had remembered the poem.)

Silas: Wat happen pa, to gis yu to make such de poem?

Josh: I tells yu son, it’ true as de dey is long, dere wuz dis here nigger girl, ‘I guine take mi chance,’ she say, and talk to de white boy an’ she gits hanged. She talks to him for de minute, an’ de white boy say, ‘Whys you walk on des side of de street, an’ not on de other?’ an’ she say, ‘Cussin I get hanged if I does,’ an´ he laugh, cuss hes from de east, he dont know Alabama, an’ de black gal she say, ‘Yu-all leaves me ‘lone ‘efore dey comes an’ gits me.’ An’ de white boy say, ‘Who guine comes and gits yu?’

Silas: Wat dey do to dey white boy!

Josh: Dey beats him like de egg in de pot, liken hes de robber, dey do, an´ dey hangs de nigger girl.

Silas: Dats it pa?

Josh: Well, de nigger girl she say ‘Yonder dis away to de street…’ and he finds his way, an’ de white folks finds him. An’ he say, ‘Eyes from de east…from Minn-a sota, somethin’ ‘ like dat. Dat back in ’49, it wuz, den in ’64, I goes back to Huntsville an’ I makes dis poem, I done red to yu, an´ de white folks tell Mr. Hightower to gits dis nigger out of town ‘efore we hangs him for talkin’ like he doss, ‘tant no lie son, so he takes me out of town ‘efore dey kills me.

Old Josh, in: A Prayer for Old Josh (1905)) Last Episode))

Old Josh, in:
A Prayer for Old Josh (1905)
(Last Episode)


(Old Josh died, just like that, simple, perhaps too simple. He was sick in bed, his body weak (the summer of 1905), he told his son, “I is sick, an’ I dont wants to live like dis, lits me die, I’m ready…” and he closed his eyes, went to sleep for three days, and when Jordan came to see how he was doing, on the first day of July, he was dead. Jordan called Silas from the barn, and Silas was mad, asked Jordan, “Wuy’s yu wait so long to tells me me pa’s dead? (angry with a tear in his eye).” Jordan looked up at Silas (leanng against the windowsill, near the bed, over looking, down upon his father’s frame, said calmly, “He only die five minutes ago…!” Then they had his funeral, and a few prayers were said, and I suppose a few harps in heaven were sounding :)


At The funeral



Silas: I hear de harps of God,
I Hear de voice er Jesus
Ringing, I hear de ringing
Singing, I hear de singing
Come, my brother,
Come see you’ mother
(Angels’ hands held out)
An’ dere he sees de throne,
An’ de Chillun playing below

(Silas hesitates, gets his composure, and goes on to his second poetic song, a prayer in essence:)


When me ole pa Josh come to die
Wes all so worry ‘bout de condition
He been a talkin’ man, he wuz
He luve to fight Lurd, I knows
But he a quite man at night
When he in his big armchair
Oh, Lord dey ain’t nothin’ all to his talk
He fuss ‘bout nothin’ all day long
Luh he like de donkey, and de fox
An’d de little squirrel who luves to talk
But he ok, he raise us boys fair
Ole Marster Hightower luvs him too
(wuy ever he be)
So please take des little prayer
Dere aint nothin’ de matter wid his
Luve for you…I done axe You—
Here me Lord! Hear me! Amen!



Jordan: wut yu-all thinkin’ he doin’ up yonder now Silas?
Silas: I supposen he a talkin’ to de angels ‘bout yus and me, brother!



2-13-2007

Old Josh, in: The Marsh Angel (1866))Pure Nigger: 2nd series))Episode #19))

Old Josh, in:
The Marsh Angel (1866)
(Episode #19)

Louise Montgomery, a thin tense light skinned black girl born and bred in Ozark, Alabama, down by the bluffs, in a shanty hut, by Goose Creek Wells, a location that has but several huts along the creek, she had sex appeal at a very young age, white and black blood mixed. She liked white folks who had money, older black folks who had influence and young black folks who had time and fancied her. She perhaps was ahead of her times.
She walked the dark streets of Ozark at her young age, and left Mamma at home, at 13-years old, and had her first affair. Old Josh, called her: The Marsh Angel, cause she was pretty, and the opposite of Angel he couldn’t say, so it was a pun on words, she really was, but it sounded better, plus, Silas would have gotten mad, had he not averted the name in his heart out loud.
Josh knew she needed looking after, that she had surrendered to a number of men, and to Silas, his boy.
When she first met Silas, she sat bolt upright, looking at him, as if he was to be her instructor. Silas had a blind spot, he didn’t know, or see her reputation—too close to the forest to see the trees I suppose, it was not good nor evil, but perhaps somewhere in-between, good being unconditional, evil being conditional, she had a quality though, beyond sex appeal, not sure what you would call it, perhaps passionate beauty, mixed with tense expectations, with some kind of edgy secret in her countenance, a glow beyond normal in her fresh composure, depending on who you are, were, and what she wanted.

[Goose Creek Well] Silas felt his father knew about him and Louise, and Josh knew that Silas felt he knew he knew of their relationship, yet still uncertain he was, because it wasn’t mentioned, not out loud anyhow, perhaps by mannerisms, and facial expressions, but to no end, and that was that, the eyes perhaps told a element of truth, he was involved. But that was as far as it went. They met for the whole summer at Goose Creek Well, but when a stranger, a Blackman came to town, a tall handsome Blackman, said he was from New York City, a free Blackman at that (free, not because the Yankees won the war, but free because he was free long before the Yankees stepped foot in Alabama) a romance started up, and Silas was overlooked; his name was Alvina Georgia.
Josh had watched Louise grow up and the New Yorker, whom looked more white, than black, and told Louise he had went to Yale, perhaps to impress her, for who could prove otherwise, Josh often saw them together, standing and touching and all that kind of stuff on the local corner, in the sunny part of the day, in Ozark. It was 1866, and it was Louise’s second fling with Silas, she started dating at 13-years old, now she was fourteen, but she portrayed a woman twice her age. Thus, week after week they were seen together, into the first weeks of fall. “She wants to marry him,” Silas told his pa. And Old Josh just laughed, putting in the groceries onto the wagon floor, Mr. Hightower’s wagon, Silas a bit disturbed. Josh knew Louise would not make anyone a good wife, or so he thought, and didn’t speak his thoughts out loud, perhaps because Silas would take offense, and he’d not have anyone to look after him.
Hightower once said to Josh—and he never forgot it, remembered it when he needed to, “I’ve come to believe Josh, it isn’t all that important what you do, as long as we here in our home (mansion) are comfortable in bed,” that is what he said, and what Josh remembered, Josh of course, never ceased to take advantage of that, took it to the edge of reality you could say, and did only what was necessary.
Josh often thought, why she did what she did was beyond his thinking, so he simply guessed, why she did what she did, and come up with boredom, feeling alive, she even swam the river alone. But as fate would have it, she died in 1867, she died of childbirth. As far as the slick man from New York City, no one saw him after the first or second week of October.


Historical Notes: Louise Montgomery, Negroess, died of childbirth in 1867. Was raped in 1865, at age 13, and had several affairs in-between, got PG in 1867, after a fling with Silas, and Alvina Georgia (who had changed his name after he got his freedom) from New York City; born, 1847. Written 2-13 & 13-2007, at home in Lima, Peru, and at El Parquettos in Miraflores.

Old Josh, in: The Tale of Asha & Dat Slick Nigger (Parts I & II)

Old Josh, in:
The Tale of Asha (1901)
(Episode #18, Part I)


(A poem Josh had Silas write down for him,
in 1856 ((the year now being 1901)) he found;
He had been looking for it, and found it in his old sack of papers under his cot, and had it in his pocket, as he and Silas rode down to Ozark, in Hank W. (Wally) Hightower’s wagon to pick up some supplies.)

(He brings up Asha, first before he attempts to read the poem, fussing about looking for it as the wagon bounces up and down, the unpaved road.)


Josh: Is you hear de tale ‘bout Asha?
Silas: Wuh Asha?
Josh: You’ Asha!
Silas: Wuh Tale?
Josh: She act like she ant got no sense fur ‘em—men!
Silas: I ain’ pay no head to nothin’ like dat, mens is mens, ain’t dey pa?
Josh: Sho’ is.
Silas: Wuh de tale?
Josh: Asha been de pear in de white folks eye, an’ de nigger too, an’ whn she guan fr church on Monday, cuss she dont go on Sunday, she done disappear fur an hour an’ de preacher disappear too, nobody know wey, all de niggers look fur dem and wer de finds her, wit no cloth on, dey ask wat she doin’ (Josh hesitates)…
Silas: So wuh she doin’ pa?
Josh: De man run like de wild cat, no one nower, no one axe de preacher cuss he never sho up at de Church de next Sunday; Ole Tom and Amos ask her again who de man wuz, she guin up to dem and do somthin’ an’ dey comes back and say, ‘Leaves her be, Asha ok, dont no one bother her no more, dats wha’ de say all right. Wut yu thinks ‘bout dat?
Silas: Effin dey say she ok, she ok pa, dot go a fret-ten none!

Josh: Des here horse liken dat man in Orleans, de big educated nigger, lazy as de day is long… git on up dere Dan!

2-12-2007




Old Josh, in:
Dat Slick Nigger (a Poem)) Part II))
(Episode #18)

(A poem Josh had Silas write down for him,
in 1856 ((the year now being 1901)) he found;
He had been looking for it, and found it in his old sack of papers under his cot, and had it in his pocket, as he and Silas rode down to Ozark, in Hank W. (Wally) Hightower’s wagon to pick up some supplies.)


Down in Orleans, back in ‘56
Dis slick nigger, I knows him
An’ all he trys to do is git an’ git.

Hes a sittin’ out of work…
A sittin’ by de church
An’ he trys to git an’ gits
De ole slick nigger, who hates de work
He beggin’ an’ beggin’ all de dey long
An’ hes free, free, as de bee
An’ hesa lughin’ at me,
At mi face, askin’ for money.

He an educated nigger, he is
Liken to de rattlesnake;
I suppse de schoolin’ help
Him make a heap of lie an’ lazy
An’ he puttin’ all kin of notion in
De chilllun head…!

I says to him ‘wuy yu is so lazy?’
An’ he says to me:
“I makes more moey den you
Brother, doing nothing”
An’ den he calls me de black er
den da ace of spades.

Yessum, dat dere wat
De ed-ucation give to de nigger.



#1690 2-12-2007

Note: There was an old boy, a rich beggar I met, and so I added that into my story, (the experience), along with New Orleans where I had visited once, along with of course living in Ozark, Alabama, over 30-years ago (for two years), and came up with Josh’s poem. So if you are wondering where it came from, there are elements to each story and poem, a story within a story you could say. Another point of interest might be (that influenced this poem-story), while living in San Francisco, in 1968-69, I used to say hello to an old bum that lived in the cellar of an old building. The manager of the building let him live there if he kept the basement clean, and swept the outside. When he died, I read in the paper back then, he left near $300,000 to the hotel. So looks and acts can be deceiving, and such are all around us.

Old Josh, in: Horses, Turkeys and Mr. Ritt (1899) 2nd Series

Old Josh, in:
Horses, Turkeys and Mr. Ritt (1899)
(Episode #16)



(In the downtown area of Ozark, Alabama, there was an old framed wooden building built in the 1840s, that had been at the time a barrel making factory, but had stood for years vacant, a windowless building. Mr. Ritt, the banker bought it up in the 1860s, and made it a stable, with many stalls to it, he purchased young colts, and sold them there. Old Josh was rented out to Mr. Ritt that summer of ‘64 to tend to the stable work, Ritt was short on hands; it was in the summer of 1864 to be exact, and a hot summers day at that, when Old Josh was cleaning out the stable, one day, and a stallion got loose and ran out of the barn, ran crazy like through Main Street. Tyrone, the big Blackman, who assisted Josh, had been working prior to Josh coming on that day. And now Josh is recollecting this old happening, and telling it to his son Silas, as they sit on the porch of Josh’s shanty hut in back of the Hightower mansion.)

Josh: Dey have de agvantaage er me dey been too much against me, a dey all ‘em lie liken dey wuz trained to do so. I tells dem someone left de stall open…he say, Mr. Ritt, I do not, dat ole scoundrel holds mi respect, tell Marster Hightower. Mr. Ritt say “Dat dere nigger of you’ is trouble maker, and I’m goina wup him good, he done left my stallion loose.”

Silas: Dere’s more den God saw maybe.

Josh: Well, I goes hide, an’ Hightower finds me behind de cow in de corral; he shoot a turkey an’ when I gits back out er de corral, I sees a gobbler on mi porch, I tored dat gobbler insideout, he say dat a big nigger let de stall door open, dat I ain’ nothing do do with it.

2-10-2007

Old Josh, in: Camp-fire by Acorn Bluff (Pure Nigger: 2nd Series))Episdoe #15))

Old Josh, in:
Camp-fire by Acorn Bluff (1869)
(Episode #15)

(Josh, Jordan and Silas, are down at Acorn Bluff, fishing along side Goose Creek, with a small fire going on; it is about 7:00 PM)


Josh: Wey Jordan? (to Silas)
Silas: I ain’ known fir sho’, I think he went to git some wood downa-way, by along de creek
Josh: Who wid him?
Silas: He twentynine yer ole pa, he ain’ wid nobody, he by his lonesome
Josh: He sho’ not wonder ‘bout dese here woods by his lonesome, de alligator gits him, or de moccasin, or de rattler… or de wildcat! I recken he must er had some trouble, or else he come back (?)

(All of a sudden Jordan appears and is all muddy)

Josh: You’ sho’ looks like de tramp, liken you fightin’ wid de fish or de alligator, or de bear.
Jordan: De alligator! Pa… (Silas and Josh start to laugh); he as big as you’ ego pa!
Josh: Uuh! You stink to my nostril! You cant fool no nigger.
Silas: Look er pa, wes got to wash dat dere vomick off Jordan!
Jordan: De big snake tackle me pa, long as de alligator he was, an’ I crawl around him like de buzzard pa, yous knows how dem big one are!
Josh: back in de slavery time, way back wen Toby wuz aliven (old Josh stops to think)—‘efer Toby, back in Af’’ica, dere was a nigger boy likes me, he falls into a snake trap, fall deep down ‘bout twenty foot deep, den with folks catch me and you’ grandma…do one sees de boy

(all of a sudden Josh forgets what he wants to say, a tear comes to his eyes, and he wipes it…)

…yessum, I forgets his name, wonder if hes’ still a livin’… I done made me a poem back den for him (he memorized it and tells it to Silas and Josh as they all sit quietly around the fire):

Josh’s Poem

An’ for deep in de ground
De lonesome boy lay
I hears de singing
Of his lonesome spirrit…
Wuh’ de boy, wuh’ de boy!
He roam the countryside now
For near fifty-year’
Looking for ole Josh
But ole Josh change his looks;
But he roam de Afr’ica
Looking for ole Josh, still,
For fifty-year’…!

#1672 2-4-2007

Old Josh, in: Ole Grandpa Shep & Acorn Bluff (Pure Nigger. 2nd Series)) Episode #14))

Old Josh, in:
Ole Grandpa Shep & Acorn Bluff (1899)
(Episode #14)



(Josh and Silas laying back at Acorn Bluff, fishing out of Goose Creek that runs by the Bluff, and the many oak trees that have the hard fruit, just fishing and resting against a big tree, among the Acorns, Josh has his fishing stick stuck into the ground, Silas, sitting up a bit, waiting for Josh to tell his story.)


Josh: I got a tale yo—all ain’ he’rd before son, listen up a spell…
Silas: Wha’ it pa?
Josh: It ‘bout Ole Grandpa Shep back in ‘29, when my first boy, Toby, was not
yet born, an´ Shep use-to go catch dem dere fish, down her Acorn Bluff, in dis her’ cree (Goose Creek). I been to de Smiley house dis one dey, de white folks’ dere come in wid a big catfish—I’clare, ef-en he ain’ big as you son. Ole Shep, he wes liken ole Granny back den, an’ I sees him talkin’ to de fish, an’ he ask dem kitchen folk, why de not bitin’ much down at de Bluff.
Silas: An’ I suppsen de fish talk back to ole Shep, haw pa?
Josh: Wuy you say dat?
Silas: Cussen yo-all guin to tell me so.
Josh: I sees dat big fish, an’ I ain’ never seen a bigger catfish—I’clare, an’ de white folks give it to de dog, and de white folks say, “It for de nigger or de dog, wuh git it?” an’ de dog git it. Wat yu got to say ‘bout dat? Den he sees me, and say, “Josh, I catch you annudder one tomorrow, an’ I gives it to yu,” and laugh. Den him an’ me part comp’ny. He ain’ have big ‘enough fish to feed me to stay. But dem big fish guin away nowadey…!

2-10-2007


Note: Grandpa Hightower [Shep Hightower] 1734-1829

Note: Josh had three children, Silas, Jordan, and Toby; Toby was born around 1830, died at the end of the Civil War, 1865.

Note: Asha Wash [works in Smiley’s house as housemaid, daughter to the cook: Granny Wash of the Smiely’s plantation, a neighbor to the Hightower’s; — Granny worked for the Smiely’s for 30-years, she was born in 1800, died at 66-yearsold. Her daughter Asha Wash 52-years old, was born to Granny when Granny was 14-years old, both are mulatto Negroess. Asha Wash dies of childbirth in 1867, gave birth to Toby, Josh’s son. And Granny was the father to Granny.

Old Josh, in: The Brown Toad Race

Old Josh, in:
The Brown Toad Race
(In-between Episode)

There was an Episode #19 that fell between series one and two. This is it. Series one being 18-episodes of “Old Josh (From Ozark, Alabama)) created in 2005 and 2006)) Series 2, “Old Josh, in: Pure Nigger” created 2007))



“Dat’s right,” said old Josh, “it aint no fun unless yous bet!”
“Got me toad already, yessum I do, fifteen dollar I paid for des toad, he goina be de winner tomorrow at de toad race” said Silas.
“Dat dere nothin’ son,” said Josh, “wut’s we gont er do is bet on da side, in case you’ brown toad git lazy on us…!”
“How?” asked Silas, hesitant.
“Givme some dat dere rum?”said Josh, “cussen I dont git too excited! Wes give de toad some, and light his foot with de firewood.”
“I can make him run pop, no need fer de wood!”
“Yessum, I dont ‘isblieve yo son, I done git athinking on this toad...de minute I puts my eyes on dat dere toad it put me in mind of…iffen—

(Josh couldn’t think of what he wanted to say, hesitated for a moment, so there was a long pause, then abruptly was going to continue, when Silas was about to say something:))

lit me finish son…”
“Then finish pa…”
“…it put me in mind of an old pigeon I used to have—I near well forgot him.”

(They both stopped, looked at each other, gently almost in a dreamy manner, Old Josh, 83-year old ((1898).)

“Dat dere pigion, back in ‘22, was long ‘efure, you’ born son, down in Orleans.”
“…you were so young bank den, an’ so fur away,” said Silas “wat dat dere pigeon do pa?”
“He walk liken he de king pigeon, and no one de better, an’
he lazy as de day is long, liken dat dere toad of you’ yo thinken will win de race, he looken like de proud pigion I have.
“Yup, pa, I git thinking dataway too,” commented Silas.

(As Josh and Silas talked about the toad race tomorrow, and the toad, and Josh’s experience with the pigeons when he was young, the toad jumps out of the cigar box, Silas was holding.)

“Wuh he do dat for pa?” Asked Silas, looking about over the end of the porch.
“He goina find his way to de race while we talkin’, he a bored toad, jes like me pigeon.”

1-24-2006

Old Josh, in: An Ozark Hamlet (1878))Pure Nigger: 2nd Series, Episode #13))

Old Josh, in:
An Ozark Hamlet (1878)
(Episode #13)

(Josh and Silas, sitting back on thier porch listening to Jordan play the banjo, and Silas asks his father a question, it’s a hot summer night in July, of 1878 :)

Silas: Pa I wants to be like Marster Hightower, rich an’ all not a poor
nigger all my life
Josh: Den you gots to ride ‘about in de automobiles, pick up young
cheap girls, takes them to de road-houses to eit, den tells them cok an bull stories to make dem hapy, goes to church and tells the Lord yo is sorry, and talk to you’ friends about making money, goes to golf all de time, , go to de Ozark Club, an’ talk likes you a man of de world, its all foolishness Silas, no time for “moon” whisky, and goin’ fishin’ down at Goose Creek. Ole Hightower his legs grow loose and flabby cause he walk and talk and drink all da dey long. Aimless’ he be, same ole road each day, ugle deary livin’ dat wut it is son, you is hapy, ole Hightower was weary, and his boy weary, dull lfie, wat you wants dat for?
Silas: I hadn’ quite made up me mind pa, de way yo-all describe it, I gits as tired as a dog listen’.


Note: Charles Terrance Hightower [1800-1880]: died of heart attack after hearing about his son], his son Charles Jordan (Hightower Jefferson born May [?] 11861, 19-years old, when his father died.

Old Josh, in: Big Alligator by Goose Creek (Pure Nigger: 2nd Series))Episode #11))

Old Josh, in:
Big Alligator by Goose Creek
(Episode #11)


(9:00 PM, on a Sunday, the Hightower plantation, Josh is going to talk to his two sons, Silas and Jordan ((calls them from the barn where they are working)), and they come to see what he wants, Josh has got a jug of “Moon” Whisky by his side, sitting outside on his porch, in front of his shanty hut, tells the boys to relax, and listen to his story)


Josh: Is you all here I ‘bout to tells you today a story
Silas: Ya pa
Jordan: Ya pa
Josh: Wha’s de matter ail yo-all?
Slias: Wes tired pa, work all dey, got more work to do!
Josh: Yo sound like Ole Smoke Skin O’Keef
Jordan: Who he pa?
Josh: Yaw see, you dont know nothin’ cuss yo-all dont want to listen to me
Jordan: we is here pa
Josh: Smoke Skin fight de big alligator, he did back in ’62, he big too, sixteen feet he was, and he weigh near a three hundred pounds, his boy was back in de swamps and dey brinin’ home de fish down by de Goose Creek, and Smoke he git in a argiment with his wife, and she tore his shirt an’ de boy six year’ ole, an’ he is half naked and he is barefooted and wid yaller mud gits him stuck, and de ole alligator sees him and is hungry an’all dem niggers goes down dere and no one sees him in de swamp bak in ’62, and dat’s wey dey have catfish, an’ de fish-fry, an’ no one help de boy, or sees the boy, too soused (Jordan adds: ‘…pickled yo-all mean pa´), and when dey argiment stop, ole Smoke and his wife look for Babe Bell, and de alligator growlin’ out de water, ‘bout to eat Babe Bell, and Smoke talk to de alligator do no good, run a pole into his side dey fight and dey fight all day long, dey would er kilt one annudder, but Babe Bell, gits out of de mud and runs to his mom, and I ain’t here no more ‘bout ‘em since.
Silas: Wuh Smoke have a white man name pa?
Josh: Wuh you git my name son? Cussen he’s half white, dat’s wuh!

2-9-2007

Old Josh, in: Amos and Josh: Darkies/1897(Pure Nigger:2nd Series, Episode #12)

Old Josh, in:
Amos and Josh: Darkies/1897)
(Episode #12)


(Amos and Josh, used to hang around together, years ago, in early 1860s, Josh worked on the Hightower farm and Amos on a neighbor’s farm which is close by. They used to go downtown to the ice house, to fetch some ice for each of their masters, down by the railroad, in Ozark, Alabama. And one day they were bringing their ice back to the plantations, and they saw a Magical show. Jordan is sitting on the porch playing his banjo right now, and Silas, drinking some “Moon,” whiskey, and Josh is about to tell his story… :)


Josh: Silas, Jordan, here is a story of ole Ames an’ me back in ’62, wes comin’ back from Ozark wit de ice Betsy Clementine ask me to pick up for her pa, and Amos for de Marster, and dere was a big Blackie down dere with magic tricks, he say: “…come her nigger, I got a trick for yoo-all. Amos pull my arm say: “Dat dere nigger goin’ hog tie yo good…” Den that Big Blackie say: “Come here, brother.” (Jordan intense looking at Josh, waiting for the next word, unknowing playing a few cords on his banjo)…I say, sure, wut yo want? An’ he say, “I can make dat der ice of you’ disappear…!” An’ I say, no brother, dat not possible. An’ he come to talk to me an’ Amos, dere some more niggers standing ‘bout, I don’t b’liedven in no magic, he look me in de eye, and smoke come all ‘bout, and de ice was gone. An’ I tells him, “Where de ice?” and dat Big Blackie say, standin’ up like a snake ‘bout to bite me, “Magic brother, it is magic, gone to de other side.” Th oder side I say, wuh is dat? And she say, “Brother it is way back yonder, if yo want to go der I can help yo-all.”

(A long pause, Jordan and Silas look at Josh waiting for the end of the story.)

Jordan: Well pa, den wat?
Josh: I end up b’lieven in magic and anit guina fool wid no magic no more, an’ Amos and I leave, effen dat dere man git mad, we be on dat other side too, and I didnt want to go, either Amos.



Note: Betsy Clementine Hightower [1835-1869] Suicide at 34-years old

Old Josh, in: Sponge, Nelly and Josh (Pure Nigger: 2nd Series))Episdoe #10))

Old Josh, in:
Sponge, Nelly and Josh
(Episode #10)


Sponge (no one ever knew his last name) chewed tobacco, and often took his wife Nelly May down to Goose Creek fishing, eating sandwiches and home made Alabama “Moon” whisky and Josh, his friend for some twenty years, would go along to Goose Creek, build a fired out of driftwood, and catch some catfish. That was back in the late 1860s and early 186070s.
There they’d sit on a Sunday afternoon and talk about the saw-mill, where Sponge worked. He had a half-dozen kids it seemed, Josh lost track of there names, except for Bugs. One day Sponge got his leg cut off at the mill. He had to spend $200—dollars on doctor bills. His oldest boy, Bugs, went onto New Orleans, about a year after that, found a job, and worked for a man named Buck, came back a year later and bought a farm, enough to plant a cornfield. His pa and Ma moved on the small farm with him, and the rest of the kids worked here and there, two of them for Mr. Beck’s son in Dothan (Bugs bought the small farm from Mr. Beck himself, for $5000 dollars, no one knowing where he got the money, I mean, it was a lot of money for a years work in New Orleans for a man with no real skills, and a Blackman at that; Mr. Beck was a neighbor to the Smiley family, and owned a big farm down towards Dothan Alabama. The old man died around 1876, the same year Sponge died.
After Sponge died his old woman (who really wasn’t that old), his wife, sat around the farm not doing much, going fishing down in Goose Creek and catching catfish now and then, and drank her “moon” whiskey quite a lot thereafter. She had never fooled around before, but now when she got bored she got soused, and she found herself in a few unknown beds. She was still a woman of a good shape, and her looks we not too bad, just a tinge old, not as old as Sponge, he was twenty-five years her senior, and Sponge was 71, when he died, so she was in her 40s.
Hank Ritt, the banker came around now and then, to the farm, took a liking for the old black woman, and so did Josh, that was perhaps about 1877 or ‘78. And Josh and she would go catch catfish. But Ritt didn’t care for fishing, he just took the old nigger and laid her on the grass and rapped her, one day when she was drunk. She had a half white child nine months later, and ended up working for Mr. Ritt down in Dothan. And old Josh never did forget her, and after 1879, he never saw her again, but he wrote a poem once for her, never did give it to her, Silas found it after Josh died in August of 1910:

Josh, Ritt and Nelly

Is you here wha’ Nelly say
Wha’ she tell me?
De Ritt come down to de creek
All dress up an’ shave,
An’ Nelly say:
Ritt, you sho’ is a good
Lookin’ man
You de best lookin’
In all de land
“You think so,”
He say…
I reckon the reason
Wuh he rape her
Because she say nothin’
She pass out
He ain’ say nothin’
But he look like somebody
Guin him a bout er medicine.

#1686 2-9-2007

Note: Hank Ritt [1830 to 1896] Banker of Ozark, and land Owner/Lawyer

Old Josh, in: Old Rattlesnakes's Ghost (2nd Series, Episode #9)Reedited 8/2008/Flash Fiction

Old Josh, in:
Old Rattlesnake’s Ghost

1898

(Advance: ) Hank Jackson, once a slave to Mr. Smiley, on his plantation (Charles T. Hightower’s neighbor), was purchased back in 1826, was called ‘Old Rattlesnake’ by Josh, as they were friends for many years, and he up and died some time in the 1870s; Hank never knew how old he was and was a young man when he was bought by the Smiley’s down in New Orleans; married Lucy, a slave already on the plantation.

Old Josh is sitting back on his porch, thinking of the old days, and Silas just cleaned the barn and is leaning on the wall next to Josh, and Josh starts a conversation, says:
“Old Rattlesnake he done appeared to me the other day, he a ghost, and when I waz restin’ he show up, as the sun hit my head…”
“What is all this crazy talk ‘bout, pa?” said Silas.
He like to talk, talk, talk, jes’ like when he was a-liven, but he done frightenin’ me, he tell me ‘bout the devil. He was in a heap of sweaten´ too, he say the theyall got this corral down yonder, they put the white folks and one they put the black folk in, and whoever git that darn rattlesnake, gits the green pasture.
“Why they got this corral down yonder, pa?” asked Silas.
“Lit them there white folks cool off, I supposin’ so,” said Josh.
“Youall been smokin’ that there local weed pa—that stuff down by Molly’s place by Goose Creek I bet?”
Said Josh, “Nope, I waz jes’ fishin’ down yonder, at Goose Creek…when he show up, I done caught a big one but I had to let him go …cuz Old Rattlesnake surprised me, and that there fish was likened to an alligator, but I let him go home, when I see him the ghost of Old Rattlesnake, I say to him, ‘Whom you is?’ and he say, ‘I is a ghost Josh.’ He say he waz glad to see me but I waz not glad to see him, he can stay dead, cuz he is one ugly nigger; I suppose his spirit be hangin’ round my house now. I wants him to stay dead, old friend or not. He say one thing interesten’ , the devil dont care if you is white or black, that people is people, and he say ‘Tell Old Josh not to pray, cuz we is a waiten’ fer him down here—“ Old Hank was a scoundrel he waz, he never change.”


Note: The short fiction story, was under the second series of Old Josh, written in 2-7-2007, under “Pure Nigger: 2nd Series, Episode #9” ”Old Rattlesnake’s Ghost (1898)” Reedited, 8-2008

Old Josh, in: A funeral for Josh (Pure Nigger: 2nd Series))8th Episdoe))

Old Josh, in:
A Funeral for Josh
(Episode #8)


Elegy for Josh

Asleep in de old Courtyard
Above him de mockingbird sings
Free of de world below—,
Old Josh is dead an’ gone;

He at rest, asleep an’ free,
Born a child, yet a slave;
Guided by de conscience,
Loved by those he loved—

From de cotton fields of earth
To de mansion in de sky.
An’ de white robes of Jesus
An’ de black face of time—

Yes, o yes, in de arms of God
His sins are forgiven,
Paid in repentance full
Sing to de soul dat is flown.

#1686 2-7-2007



(1896; in Josh’s hut on the cot)

Silas: Wakeup pa! yous sleeping in de ole rocking chair again
Josh: Brother Amos was on his knees, son, gallopin’ in heaven—
Silas: Pa yos sleeping again, Marster Hightower back from Ozark, says he wants to see ya!
Josh: I passed out en de clouds, son I her a voice callin’ “come, come, come my brother, come to de angel…” an’ dere Jesus was waitin’ fer me, and He say “Ifen you is weary boy, I am comin’ to you all…” An’ I say, “Lord, I is comin’, Ah yes!”
Silas: Marster Hightower is comin’ too pa, and he is in no mood for de chariot and Jesus in de clouds, up yonder; does yo hear dat voice callin’?

(Josh sits up a tinge, listens)

Hightower: Josh, git on out here, I’m by the fence, stop your fiddling ‘bout, I got some work for you to do, if you remember what that is...!
Josh: Everybody should pay proper respect to de dead, even de white folks. He jus tryin’ to slow down de ole nigger so he goes first.

Old Josh, in: Old Bunker Bridge (1895))Episode Seven)) [2nd Series]

Old Josh, in:
Old Bunker Bridge (1895)
(Episode Seven)




(—Pamela Swiler, born 1847; was 19-years old when she met Charles Hightower, had three kids by 1880; at that time she was 43-years old. She lived in New Orleans. Charles used to see her a few times a year, and often would buy her whatever she wanted, and was very kind to her. At one time, he even hired someone to take naked pictures of her so he could have them on the plantation when he wanted to think about her, look at her.
She remained faithful to him (as a lover) all those years. She didn’t go to his funeral, it was his wish, he was a half century or older than her.
How much money he gave her is not known, but she owns a house in New Orleans, and it is paid for. Her house is not that far from Bourbon Street, Old Josh has seen it, on a few trips with Mr. Hightower, throughout the years, when He’d take Josh with him. It has a barn to the side of it also, and a stone wall around the house for safety. She has painted the wall and the house blue, Mr. Hightower’s special color. There has been a few occasions in which she has gone to Ozark, Alabama, when Mr. Hightower’s wife was visiting relatives in South Carolina to be with him, and once he took her to the Old Bunker Bridge, I say once, and only once. He took her down to Bunker Bridge, Old Josh remembers that day quite well. He told it so many times to Silas, his son, Silas made a poem out of it, and Old Josh has him read it to him, now and then, and today, yes, today is the day, that is exactly what Old Josh wants Silas to do—read it again, they are now under the Old Bunker Bridge. It is down by Goose Creek, it crosses over the creek which is not a big creek, and not a big bridge, made of stone, and you can climb down the embankment, up along side its bank, and rest under the thin old bridge, like they are doing now.)


The Poem


Bunker Bridge

Wid its old stonework
The old Bunker Bridge
Cover’ de ’ thin waters
An’ weeds and pines,
Rats and fireflies
In summer, dat roam
Under it arch
De moccasin and de rattl er
O dem slavery times…back in ‘66
Old pa Josh sees da marster
An’ de girl Pamla
And hooid de sound er snak’
Dang’ous wid de pizen
De moccasin an’ de rattle r
Under de Bunker Bridge
Wid de long tail,
He creep an’ hum de chime
An’ de Marster sees de convict
He hide an’ cry dey help
And Old pa Josh sees da marster
An’ marster gits help…

Old Marster Hightower
Dont know, de tales
And the spooks,
De outlaws
Under de old bunker Bridge

Crimeals gittin’ shackles off
But Old Josh sav him
For de time bein’,
He shoo a varmint—
“Sav by a ign’ant nigger”
Marster Hightower say.
Old Josh wild a mind
Like dat of a cat
“Which way to go,”
De varmint say
“Jes a fool nigger,”
Hightower whisper
I hears him…
But he gits a longer life
An’ old Josh gits food
Another day…
An’ he goes fishin’
Under Bunker Bridge!
An’ Hightower stay away!

#1684 2-7-2007

Old Josh, in: Pure Nigger [2nd Series] "Goose Creek" (1894))Episode Six)

Old Josh, in:
Goose Creek (1894)
(Episode Six)



(Josh and Silas, his older son are down by Goose Creek, in Ozark, Alabama, fishing with a wooden branch, a string, and big hook)



Josh: Yessem, old Granny Wash, was a character.
Silas: Wat she do?
Josh: It was in Goose Creek, wey de white folks likes to go, in de woods, here. An’ I meets her dere ‘way back in slavery time, in ’50s long longtime ‘before Alabama knows they were Alabama when folks (Josh hesitates)… she died in 1877, born before me, some kind of poison.
Silas: Back den de woods was full er game: all kind er wild thing. De white folks like to fish here nowadays!
Josh: I fish here too, even back in da ‘50s, I pay no diff’ence wuh dey think. , I do wat I do.
Silas: I likes this place but I don’t liks too much comp’ny.
Josh: I hear all de birds, in de woods da beast, but I dont care none, not of any live thing—dat one… (Silas intervenes)
Silas: Sho’ of, pa!
Josh: Granny Wash, she tell Sweet Molasses, ‘I knows you likes Silas, but yus too young…’
Silas: Yaw pa, I remember Sweet Molasses, she hides behind data dere
Ole tree dat sand out in de woods, it ant you can hide dere all day, when I fishen, but she does, and I sees her limb dont know wha’ dey say in bark den, or Mr. Hightower, but she comes like a howl like a mule at me…
Josh: Granny say one night her marster send hr back for Sweet Molasses, and she see a boy, by de creek, look down on him and she say you do kind er strange thing…she talk ‘bout de wild day you have, and a baby alligator come by de creek and yous tremble an’ Sweet Molasses crack you’ head to de ground and run like hell (Josh starts to laugh)

Silas: I tell yo pa, I hear a alligator, de mom I think, I jus see da teet’ I do, and I run too.

(Josh is getting a bite on his string, pulls it upward sharp, the worm is gone, and he just lets the hook back into the water, with no worm on it)

Josh: I ain’ forgit all wuh she say, and when I passes dis creek in de day I git laughin’, and wants to fish, but white folks say we oughter stay up stream, I’s hard sometimes to onderstand dere mind.

(Josh gets another bite, it’s a bullhead)



Notes: Granny Wash [born: 1800-died 1877] came from New Orleans in 1810, brought to Ozark, Alabama, and does not recollect anything else; died mysteriously of poison.

Notes: Sweet Molasses [Jefferson] alls in love with Silas: Born: 1856/1872…ongoing; has a child Minerva: 1873]. The child is poisoned, 1874, dies.

Old Josh, in: Pure Nigger (Episode Five) "Song of the Slave"

Old Josh, in:
Song of the Slave
(Episode Five)




(Silas and Jordan, walking along the Ozark creek, that runs from Mr. Hightower’s plantation, across his neighbors property (the Smiley’s), and down in back of the cemetery; and as they walk, Josh remembers a song-poem he and his mother used to sing, one he sang long ago, when coming over to America, New Orleans, with his mother as a slave.)



Nothin’ but a slave
Loosed from de boat
Wid shackles round me ankles
Wid a whip on me back
Waitin’ ef dey kills me,
Wid de whip an’ bullets
An’ de dangers in Orleons
“I’ll take my chance, brother…”
I hear my mother say

“Dat is now behind me…”
Dat wht my modher say,
So I take my chance, brother,
And I may run away.

I Dere’s a hard, hard road
Up ahead,
I ain’ got much food or bread
But I’m not dead
An’ my belly is fed.
“I’ll take my chance, brother…”
Dat wut my modher say.

(Written 2-5-2007

Old Josh, in: Pure Nigger [2nd series] "White Folks"

Old Josh, in:
White Folks
(Episode Two)) 1893))






(Josh and Silas sitting, having a cup of coffee out of two tin cans by his hut, on the steps, behind the Hightower Mansion)





Josh: I tells you de news?
Silas: wuh news?
Josh: ‘about de White Folks
Silas: Wuh news?
Josh: Wuh de diff’erece?
Silas: Dey is white we is black
Josh: Brother, ‘tain’t no diff’ence we’is all da same under da skin!
Silas: Wuh de diff’ence, den?
Josh: Yous jus’ ramben’ off!
Josh: Der is a heep er diff’ence an’ it ant much neither, jes de diff’ence like ‘de devil and’ saydon,´dem white folks talk different.
Silas: ‘tain’t non of my business.

(Old Josh stands up leans against the 4 x 4 beam holding up the small porch roof, while Silas, his older boy, remains sitting on the steps.)

Josh: Where is Jordan?
Silas: Makin’ liquer, down in dat cemetery hollerin´for Jesus in dem woods.
Josh: So yous luh dem White Folks, Hightower say several niggers wants de work but dey meddle wid everybody, sees he talk diff’ernt!
Silas: Jordan been down der a good while.
Josh: An’ strange things comen in dat cemetery.

(Josh looks about, bites his lip, puts his hands in his pocket, looks back down at Silas)

Siles: dat´s woy I dont go der.
Josh: I seen a bear in dem woods, he lazy as a mule, jus’ howl like a dog.
Silas: Ant much he can do! Wht kind er religion is Mr. Hightower?
Josh: ‘ em claim to be a Methodist!
Silas: Hope der religion can stand de mud an’ bring de water, I is a true Baptist.
Josh: yu ant no Baptist, better suited to be a Methodist.

(Josh pushes out a great sigh)

Josh: Well, I an’t guh jine any dem religion—et is right you’ not getten out of de white folks hands… (huh…he murmurs)
Silas: You’ safe pa—God knows you try to fool Him wid de prayer. He got sense. You’ run to Him, whn da danger is over you’ go to bed, too late to pray pa—
Josh: I knows a man forgets God when he tired…and I get tired lots.

(Written 2-4 & 5-2007)

Old Josh, in: The Wild Cat (Episode Four))2nd Series))

Old Josh, in:
The Wild Cat
(Episode Four)

(Jordan just arrived home from Ozark (he works part time in the towns grocery store and often sleep the night away as a security person in the back parlor on a cot, but today he doesn’t), and had stopped by the creek on his way to Hightower’s Plantation, where his father’s home is, and now he and Josh, and Silas, are standing by the corral fence by Josh’s hut in back of Mr. Charles T. Hightower’s House; he is puffing from running.)


Jordan: Pa, I heard dat ole fat nigger tell me some lie about a wild cat down by de cemetery.

Josh: “He come from Smiley’s plantation, de ole field by de creek, I sees him de other day, under a log, walkin’ likes he git to business.”

Jordan: “Ole man smiley, he ben dead going on twenty years pa, Mr. Thomas Gene growin’ cats liken his pa now?”

Josh: “Dat nigger say he done killed all dem cats long ago, before he did in ‘74!”

Silas: Pa, Jordan pulling yor leg, dat cat so weak looken’ he’d done lay down an’ roll over dead he see Jordan…acomin’”

Jordan: “Silas, you’ full of it, dat cat wild and start’ crossin’ the creek and over de bank an’ –an’ he cross de field, an’ chase me up this here road to pa’s!”

Josh (looking at Jordan with a stern eye): An’ dat dhere cat saw me, dat wey he quit chasing yah, huh?”

(They all start laughing, and walk to Old Josh’s porch)


Note: Thomas August Smiley [Neighbor to Hightower/has Jackson family as slaves; born 1807—1874; friend to Hank Ritt, banker] Son, Thomas Gene Smiley, son to August, born 1837)

Old Josh in: "Pure Nigger," (-The Cemetary))1893: Part One))

Pure NIGGER


—Forward (a new Series)


A while back I wrote a dozen sketches called “Old Josh”, and got a lot of respectful feedback, liking the series. The story takes place in the 1800s, up to the turn of the century, around 1910, when the old man dies. Josh a Blackman from the south, taken out of New Orleans during a flood, at the age of ten, by Mr. Hightower, a white farmer from Ozark, Alabama, his mother whom perished in the flood, being the main reason. Thus, he is raised there, and has lived there ever since. The twelve to fifteen sketches or so, make up for a short novel at best. But here is another story. The language in itself, I learned in Alabama, in the back of shantytown, in Ozark, in l977 (some 30-years ago). The language is very distinct, and perhaps is embedded in the soil, of long ago, longer than they cared to tell me. It is the English language, adapted here, meaning, a dialect if you don’t mind, but sounds a bit different, or will once you read the story. You may find that several sounds in the same sentence seem familiar, don’t look for rules. If this offends you, then don’t go beyond this; the language is almost a chant here, as I remember it, and took notes on it, in which recently I re-found in my library, much of it.
Living in Alabama in the ‘70s, in this area and talking to the folks by the cemetery, they (the Negro, or black folks) were of an unusually breed indeed, in that themselves were of an unusually high type. Some had white and Indian blood in them. Here are some new sketches, done in the same format.

Old Josh was born in 1815, died in 1930, was born in Africa, and his mother was taken as a slave (when Josh was seven years old), they ended up in New Orleans.



Characters

Josh
Siles
Mr. Hightower
Jordon


-Contents

The Cemetery







The Cemetery
(Part One)) 1893))


(Josh and Siles, sitting on the small porch of Josh’s shanty, in the back of Mr. Hightower’s Mansion, Josh (in his late 70s) talking about his visit this evening to the folks whom live by the cemetery, with his son, while looking at the moon, and being scared by an old timer-friend, as he is himself an older, but seldom claims to be. His friend being in his 90s; in this community, there are many superstitions.)


Josh: “I been sittin’ on de rock lookin’ out to de cemetery jes as de moon was comin’. It was a nice, big, red moon. Look lik a ball er fire. An’ ya ‘gainst de moon dere was a dead spirittis snag on de top , an’ two limbs broke-off and day fall. I seen a frightening’ thing.”

Siles: “Why is you go to the Ozark Cemetery anyhow, dhe ole folks get the supersdition dhere, anyhow?”

Josh: “I see de sperrits snag on de moon and’ de man , old coot, he fighten’ me. Yessem, it was frightenin’. De spirrit, he done look like a buzzard, a natu’al bussard, dey is evil sperrits come to scare me. Ef you don’t believe me, you’ ant git to heaven, dem ole spirrits comes from de swamps, and New Orlens.”

Siles: “Pop, dey is no warnin’ here, an´t dhe ole coot is likene’ to your brother, an’ dont go on look’n’ to know too much ‘bout de spirrits, dey stay in de mind, ‘fore you know it, yous business is dhers.”



Note: Written 2-4-2007, second series. The first series “Old Josh” consisted of 17 Episodes. The second series “Pure Nigger,” (Old Josh and the Cemetery), will consist of about the same.