Typed and spelled as written:
Kay Cunningham
The Marlin Democrat
Marlin, Texas, Thursday, February 4, 1904
Jim Johnson Tries
To Drive A
Bargain
~~~~~
The inate
desire to drive a bargain led Jim Johnson, a negro who wanted to get married, to
make a novel proposition to County Clerk Rogers Thursday. Jim was short on
silver but long on pumpkins. So he Conceived the idea of a barter and
approached the county clerk about in this wise: "Boss, I hears you am very fond
ob pumkins and as I wants to git married, I hab come befo' you to gib you some
of dem pumkins for a pair o' licens to git married wid. Dey sho' is fine and I
knows you would like dem. I wants a good pair o' dem papers and will gib you
all de pumpkins you wants." Now Mr. Rogers is, in fact, very fond of the
lucious pumpkin but as this is a little late in the season and the fee law very
plain as to what constitutes legal tender for public services, he informed the
would-be bridegroom that "no cash, no license." Thereupon Jim proceeded to
shell out the coin.
Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart and her volunteers for
printing by The Democrat, Marlin, Falls Co., Texas.