Josh [Josh to Silas}: Bessie in a bad fix.

Silas (Josh's boy): Is? Wha ' ail she?

Josh: She an' she ex husband, Sweet Bessie, be back in de woods fishin' an' dey was comin' out through dem ole road in de night. I see wha me own eyes, Sweet Bessie layin' cross de grass an' say:

"Look er dere, Hank. Wha' is dat?" "an' Hank is dis kind er niger: he just want er show off he can have Bessie, he own wife. He say:

"Yous ain' nothin'!" An' he haul off an' hit her. He dthink it was rotten fer her to be with me. I see an' den de fun start. Hank have sense 'nough to run when he sees me an' had de knife in me hand; an' she callin' to de Lord to save her and he. She tell de Lord bite Josh, no wey. She say ef he ain't loss his mind.

Silas: Sho' is lucky dey have fast legs like dat.

Josh: She is save him, but he kow I kind er ooman to he now.

Silas: Wuh mke you say dat?

Josh: I thought I knows so much 'bout womens I find out I anin't know nothin', but I larn dis: watch you' step and den keep you' eye on you' own step, too.

Dennis Siluk

Writing is more than a hobby for me. It's a passion, one of the ways I capture and celebrate life.