THE ORIGINAL CANTILEVER.
Some people are never at a loss for an answer, and the colored valet who got off the following is a good exponent of that class. It seems he was a lazy rascal, and his master one day remonstrated with him about his neglect of duty.
"But, massa, I's am not equal to de occasion as I once wuz."
"Why, George, what on earth is the matter with you now?"
"I's got a stitch in my side, sir, dat trubbles me a powerful lot, and I's not able to do as much as I hab been doin'."
"A stitch in your side! Oh, come, George, that won't do. Where did you get such a thing as a stitch in your side?"
"De oder day, sah. You see, I wuz hemmed in by a crowd."