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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41598 ***
+
+Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this
+      file which includes the original illustrations.
+      See 41598-h.htm or 41598-h.zip:
+      (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41598/41598-h/41598-h.htm)
+      or
+      (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41598/41598-h.zip)
+
+
+      Images of the original pages are available through
+      Internet Archive. See
+      http://archive.org/details/bypathsindixiefo00cockrich
+
+
+
+
+
+BYPATHS IN DIXIE
+
+
+[Illustration: "DES LIKE SHE RUB'IN ON YORN."]
+
+
+BYPATHS IN DIXIE
+
+Folk Tales of the South
+
+by
+
+SARAH JOHNSON COCKE
+
+With an Introduction by Harry Stillwell Edwards
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+New York
+E·P·Dutton & Company
+31 West Twenty-Third Street
+
+Copyright, 1911
+By E. P. Dutton & Company
+Reprinted, May, 1912
+
+
+
+
+TO MY HUSBAND
+
+
+
+
+INTRODUCTION
+
+
+When Thomas Nelson Page began his stories of the old South in the early
+"Eighties," the reading people of America suddenly aroused to the
+realization that a vein of virgin gold had been uncovered. There was a
+rush to the new field and almost every Southerner who had a story to tell
+told it, many of them with astonishing dramatic force and power. As by
+magic a new department was added to American literature and a score of new
+writers won their way to fame. From a notably backward section, in point
+of expression, the South stepped easily, with the short story, into the
+front rank and has held her place ever since. The field once entered was
+explored faithfully, the eager minds of her sons and daughters running
+through the Ante-Bellum, Revolutionary and Colonial eras, and when Joel
+Chandler Harris developed the "Brer Rabbit" stories, "The Little Boy" and
+"Uncle Remus," it seemed as though future work must lie in refining for
+the ore was all in sight.
+
+But there was one lead almost entirely forgotten or undervalued in the
+scramble for literary wealth and this lead was into the Southern nursery
+where the real black Mammy reigned. With the better lights before us now
+we realize the astonishing fact that the very heart center of the Southern
+civilization had not been touched.
+
+Mrs. Cocke in the charming stories contained in this volume is the happy
+pre-emptor of the new find. Every Southerner old enough will recognize the
+absolute truthfulness of the scenes and methods therein embalmed, and
+applaud the faithfulness with which she has reproduced that difficult
+potency, the gentle, tender, playful, elusive, young-old, child-wise mind
+of the African nurse in the white family; the mind to which all things
+appeal as living forces and all lives as speaking intelligences.
+
+The naturally developed mind of the African slave had no leaning to
+violence. The influence of the wildness of nature, the monotones of
+forests, fields and running waters, the play of shadows and the wind
+voices lingered in it and the tendency to endow all life surrounding it
+with human or god-like powers as strong in an humbler way as with the
+early Greek. But the Greeks were warriors; the African slave tribes,
+never. Where one worshipped force, the other bowed to shrewdness and
+cunning and by these lived within a hostile environment. The rabbit that
+survives and multiplies was to the African slave always mightier than the
+lion that fell to the hunter's gun or spear, and the rabbit was and, to a
+large degree still is, the best personification of the negro mind in its
+method of approach and treatment. Brer Rabbit in the stories retold by
+Harris is really the child-wise, world-old mind of Uncle Remus, himself a
+type. The absence from them of some of the moral laws is in itself one
+proof of faithful reproduction.
+
+But in the nursery we had by necessity the moral laws grafted on the
+African mind by master and mistress through daily association and the
+singular application of these is within the memory of many grown-up
+Southern children. I take issue with those who declare that the black
+Mammy did have equal authority in the punishment of refractory children. I
+have never known an instance in which punishment by her was inflicted in
+blows. A child might be dragged forcibly to its nursery, restrained by a
+turned key or remorselessly carried away to solitude, in arms, but struck,
+never! Blows were unnecessary with the wise-old Mammy. There were the
+cupboard and pantry, the fruit orchard, the kitchen stove, and there were
+the birds, beasts and fowls to be invoked in song and story. Thus were the
+children restrained, guided and taught, and doubtless many a flower in
+our literary gardens to-day is but an old-time seed matured. This is the
+best side of the picture. The seed was not always well chosen; the
+impression, a good one. All black Mammies were not good and superstitions
+fertilized with fear were often sown in childish minds never to be
+eradicated. The writer to this day could not under any temptation bring
+himself to touch a spider or sleep in the dark and somehow feels that life
+will not be entirely complete without a chance to even up with the female
+Senegambian who filled his mind with weird stories Saturday nights and
+prepared him for religious service Sunday mornings.
+
+Mrs. Cocke's work speaks for itself. It is a difficult work presented with
+but few of the stage accessories. But I believe it is admirably done and
+will endure in a niche of its own. Certain it is that those to whose
+memories it appeals will receive it gratefully.
+
+HARRY STILLWELL EDWARDS.
+
+  Macon, Ga.,
+  April 10, 1911.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+
+  CHAPTER                                     PAGE
+
+     I THE ROOSTER TELEPHONE                    21
+
+    II OLD MAN GULLY'S HANT                     37
+
+   III JACK O'LANTERN AND THE GLOW WORM         57
+
+    IV MISS RACE HOSS AN' DE FLEAS              79
+
+     V MISS RACE HOSS'S PARTY                   91
+
+    VI NED DOG AND BILLY GOAT                  107
+
+   VII HOW THE BILLY GOAT LOST HIS TAIL        121
+
+  VIII SHOO FLY                                139
+
+    IX ELECTION DAY                            153
+
+     X MISTER BAD 'SIMMON TREE                 177
+
+    XI BIG EYE BUZZARD                         197
+
+   XII MISS LILLY DOVE                         219
+
+  XIII MISTER GRAB-ALL SPIDER                  243
+
+   XIV MISTER RATTLESNAKE                      261
+
+    XV MISS QUEEN BEE                          281
+
+   XVI MISTER TALL PINE'S CHRISTMAS TREE       301
+
+  XVII AN AFTERWORD                            319
+
+
+
+
+ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+(From drawings by Duncan Smith.)
+
+
+  "Des like she rub'in on yorn"         _Frontispiece_
+
+                                                  PAGE
+
+  "Dat ole roost'r squattin' und'r de baid
+  ain' nuv'r tak'n his eyes off'n Abe"              50
+
+  "Hep! Hep!--Somebody come hope me!"               60
+
+  "Wid dat dey all uv 'em lose dey manners
+  an' start ter 'busin' Brer Bar scand'lous"       102
+
+  "Shoo Fly holl'r, 'Look out fur m' legs!'"       148
+
+  "Bimeby he git ax'd ter be er pawl b'arer
+  ter all uv 'em"                                  206
+
+  "Mist'r Grab-All, 'cose you gwine jine de
+  Yall'r Jackits' side, ain't yer?"                244
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: The ROOSTER Telephone]
+
+
+
+
+BYPATHS IN DIXIE
+
+
+
+
+I
+
+THE ROOSTER TELEPHONE
+
+
+The telephone had just been mended again, and the man suggested as he left
+that the little boy find another plaything. Phyllis indignantly protested
+that Willis had done no damage to the instrument, and that the frequent
+defects were due to the failure of the workman to put it in proper
+condition. Being thus defended by so strong an ally, Willis lost no time
+in attacking the forbidden object as soon as the door was closed.
+
+"Let de ole telerfome erlone, baby," said Phyllis in a tone of
+sympathetic protest. But the boy could not resist such an opportunity.
+"Dat table tiltin' right now." She caught her breath as the table righted
+itself. "An' dat telerfom'll bus' yo' haid wide op'n."
+
+"I'm going to talk to my papa."
+
+"You gwinter talk ter er bust'd haid, dat's who you--" At that moment,
+table, telephone, boy and all fell to the floor with a bang. "What'd I
+tell yer?"
+
+Willis answered with a succession of screams that admitted of no argument
+or consolation. Phyllis offered none until she had satisfied herself that
+a bumped head and a much frightened little boy were the extent of the
+damage.
+
+"Mammy gwine whup dat telerfome," she continued, "an' de flo' too, caze
+dey hu't her baby." And she proceeded to execute the threat.
+
+"Don't whip the telephone--whip the table!" he screamed.
+
+"Dat's right," striking the table with a towel; "'twas dat ole table done
+all de mischuf--Mammy gwina rub camfer on dat telerfome's haid des like
+she rub'in on yorn, an' beg his pard'n too," looking for the raised place.
+"Come on ov'r ter de wind'r so Mammy kin see her baby's haid good!"
+
+"I don't want you to see it good!" And the wails redoubled.
+
+"Lawsee! Look at dat ole rooster in de yard!" half dragging the little
+fellow to the window; "he's done gone an' telerfome ter Miss Churchill's
+rooster 'bout you holl'rin' an' kicken' up so!"
+
+"No, he shan't!" blubbered Willis.
+
+"He done done it, an' he fixin' ter do hit ergin!"
+
+Another crow from the rooster: "I tole yer so! heah 'im? An' Miss
+Churchill's rooster done telerfome ov'r ter Miss Coxe's roost'r, an' dey
+keeps on telerfomin' ter de nex' yard tell all de roost'rs in dis whole
+place'll know you settin' up hyah cryin' an' yellin' like you wus Ma'y
+Van."
+
+"I don't want 'em to tell," said the little boy, burying his face on her
+shoulder.
+
+"I doan speck yer does, but he done tole hit!" A fresh burst followed,
+which Phyllis strove to quiet. "Hyah, eat dis nice butt'r'd biskit Mammy
+bin savin' fur yer." Willis pushed the bread away. She coaxed, "I speck ef
+you eats er lit'le, an' thows er lit'le out yond'r ter ole man Roost'r,
+he'll git in er good humor (like all de men fokes does whin dey eats),
+an' he'll telerfome ter Miss Churchill's roost'r dat he jes foolin' him,
+an' Miss Churchill's roost'r'll keep de wurd passin' erlong dat way tell
+all de roost'rs'll know our ole Shanghi jes pass er joke off on you."
+
+"Where's his telephone?" sniffled the boy, only partly diverted by the
+chicken pecking up the crumbs of bread.
+
+"He keep hit in his th'oat whar de Lawd put hit."
+
+"How can he eat?" Willis turned from the window to gaze into the old
+woman's face.
+
+"Pshaw, boy, you think er stool an' er table wid er telerfome on hit's in
+dat roost'r's th'oat?" and she laughed aloud. Moistening the handkerchief
+again with camphor, she parted the curls and tenderly pressed the cloth
+to the bumped place. "Nor suhree! dey ain' no sich er thing in dat
+roost'r's th'oat. Mist'r Man put dat un in hyar fur yo' ma," pointing in
+the direction of the 'phone, "but de Lawd hook up dat un out yond'r in ole
+man Roost'r's th'oat. Yas, Lawd! He put hit in dar fur Roost'rs ter talk
+wid an' fur fokes ter lis'n ter whut dey talks. You 'member de uth'r night
+when you wus took sick in de night, an' Mammy keep er tellin' yer ter stop
+cryin' 'bout de cast'r oil, an' lis'n ter de roost'rs crowin'? Well, our
+ole roost'r wus jes gittin' news fum Peter's roost'r den."
+
+"Who's Peter?" Willis shook the camphor cloth from his head. "Who's Peter,
+Mammy?" he insisted.
+
+"Lemme see how I kin 'splain ter yer who Peter is," scratching her head
+under the bandana. "Lemme see--Peter wus er gent'mun de scriptur speak
+erbout dat trip hissef up on de 'Bridge er Trufe' an' fell er sprawlin'
+flat; an' de Lawd sont er roost'r 'long 'bout dat time ter pick 'im up.
+Cose you know de roost'r didn't pick 'im up wid his foots, but he raise
+him up wid er speeret de Lawd put in 'im fur dat 'speshul 'casion. Oh, I
+tell yer, de Lawd talks er heap er talk ter fokes thu fowels an' beastes,
+but nobody doan take no notice uv 'em; dey 'pears ter fergit how dat fowel
+hope Peter up, an' pint'd de road ter Glory fer 'im."
+
+"Mammy, can roosters talk show nuf?"
+
+"Roosters kin talk good es you kin,--hits jes fokes ain' got nuf speeret
+in 'em ter heah whut dey says. Way back yonder time whin hants an' bible
+fokes projeck' wid one nuth'r, beastes an' speerets confabs wid fokes,
+jes like me an' you talkin' now! Yas, suh, an' fokes lis'ns ter de confab
+dem sorter creeters talks too! Whar you speck ole man Balim wud er bin
+terday ef hit hadn't er bin fur dat mule er his'n? But screech owels an'
+jay birds an' er heap mo' 'sides chicken roosters is got speerets in 'em
+in dese days too. Some fokes calls 'em hants!"
+
+The door opened and little Mary Van, who had caught the last word, tripped
+quickly to the old woman's side and whispered in suppressed excitement:
+"Where's the hants, Mammy Phyllis?"
+
+"Nem'ine whar de hants is terday. I'm talkin' 'bout de rooster telerfome.
+Yer see Peter's rooster's settin' up in rooster heb'n keepin' his eye out
+fur all de news. He nuv'r do go ter sleep reg'lar; sometime at night he
+sorter nod er lit'le, but he nuv'r do git in bed, caze he feer'd Mist'r
+Sun wake up 'fo' he do. Well, whin he heah ole man Sun gap loud, an' turn
+hisself ov'r an' scratch, he know he fixin' ter git up, an' dat minit he
+flap his wings an' telerfome loud es he kin 'de break er day is
+c-o-m-i-n'' (imitating the rooster). Ole man Diminicker down yonder on yo'
+gran'pa's rice plantation, down on de aige er de oshun, is de fus ter git
+de news. He stir hissef erbout an' flop his wings, an' telerfome loud es
+he kin, 'de break er day is c-o-m-i-n'.' De rooster on de nex' plantation
+gits de wurd an' dey passes hit on tell our ole rooster gits hit way up
+hyah in de mountains. Den our ole Shanghi keeps de wurd er gwine, tell
+ev'ry chickin fum one side de country ter de uth'r knows day fixin' ter
+break."
+
+"Mammy, Mister Rooster wants some more biscuit."
+
+"I 'speck he do; did yer ev'r know er man dat wus satisfied wid what wus
+give him? Yas, Lawd! dat rooster'll stan' dar an' peck vit'als long es you
+thows hit ter 'im, eb'n whin he feel hissef bustin' wide op'n; he'll
+stretch his neck ter git one mo' bite whilst he's dyin'."
+
+"Who's dyin?"
+
+"Nobody ain't dyin', caze dat rooster ain' gwina git ernuf fum me an' you
+ter do him no harm."
+
+"Make him telephone again."
+
+"Nor, he say he want ter pass er lit'le conversation wid Sis Hen, an' Miss
+Pullet, an' tell 'em, mebbe ef dey scratch hard ernuf, dey'll fine some
+crum's er his but'r'd biskit."
+
+"Why didn't Mister Rooster save 'em some?"
+
+"Who, dat rooster?" Phyllis shook her head. "Dem wimmen hens doan git
+nuthin' but whut dey scratches fur," then thoughtfully she added: "Cose
+all roosters ain' 'zackly erlike. Dey's er few, but recoleck I says er
+pow'ful few, dat saves mos' ev'ything fur de hens an' chickens; den der's
+some uv 'em dat saves right smart fur 'em; den der's er heap uv 'em dat
+leaves 'em de crum's, but de res' er de rooster men fokes doan leave 'em
+nuthin', an' de po' things hatt'r scratch fur der sefs."
+
+"Less give Sis Hen and Miss Pullet some biscuit too," Mary Van insisted.
+
+"You think Willis's pa got ter feed all de po' scratchin' hens in dis
+worl'?--well, he ain't."
+
+"Give 'em this piece. It hasn't got any butter on it." Willis handed her
+the bread.
+
+"Lawsee," she threw up the disengaged hand and brought it down softly on
+the little boy's head, "but ain't you 'zackly like all de uth'r
+roosters--an' hens too fur dat matt'r--willin' ter give 'em dat ole crus'
+atter you done eat all de sof but'r'd insides out'n it!"
+
+A lusty crow sounded from the rooster in the yard.
+
+"Mammy, what did Mister Rooster say?"
+
+"He say 'dey's er good little boy in h-y-a-h,'" trilled Phyllis, imitating
+the rooster's crow.
+
+Willis smiled while his hands unconsciously clapped applause. Slipping
+from her lap, he ran about the room flapping his arms and crowing:
+"There's a good little boy in h-e-r-e, there's er good little boy in
+h-e-r-e."
+
+Mary Van started in the opposite direction: "There's a good little girl in
+h-e-r-e."
+
+"Hush, Mary Van," commanded Willis; "you can't crow, you've got to
+cackle."
+
+"I haven't neether; I can crow just as good as you. Can't I, Mammy
+Phyllis?"
+
+"Well," solemnly answered Phyllis, "it soun' mo' ladylike ter heah er hen
+cackle dan ter crow, but dem wimmen hens whut wants ter heah dersefs crow
+is got de right ter do it," shaking her head in resignation but
+disapproval, "but I allus notice dat de roosters keeps mo' comp'ny wid
+hens whut cackles, dan dem whut crows. G'long now an' cackle like er nice
+lit'le hen."
+
+[Music:
+
+  Cack-le, lack-le, lack-le, lack-le ear-ly in de
+  dawn-in'; Nice fresh aigs for yer brek-fus' ev-'y
+  mawnin'; Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck caw caw caw an' er
+  cock-er doo-dle doo (Cock crows............
+  ..............) An' er cock-er doo-dle doo.]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+II
+
+OLD MAN GULLY'S HANT
+
+
+"Put some bread crumbs on top of the barrel, Willis, and less see if he
+can peck it off," suggested Mary Van in baby treble.
+
+The Langshan seemed to understand, for he watched Willis with interest as
+he crumbled the bread; and after due consideration, and with an almost
+human scorn towards the hens, measured his steps to the barrel, and
+stretching his long neck, removed every crumb from the top. After this he
+slowly raised one foot as though to return to the company of hens, but
+changing his mind, stood with the foot poised in air and one eye
+apparently fixed upon Phyllis.
+
+"Come on, chillun, I ain' gwine stay hyah an' let dat ole chicken conjur
+me."
+
+"I don't want to go, Mammy, I want to stay and feed the chickens,"
+protested Willis.
+
+"I want to see him eat off the barrel some more," pleaded Mary Van.
+
+"Dat rooster ain't no chicken, I tell yer, 'tain' nuthin' in dis worl' but
+er hant."
+
+This closed the argument, for they felt the mysterious influence of
+"hants" that was upon Phyllis, hence they followed like the meekest of
+lambs until she stopped at her own room in the yard. After stirring some
+embers to a flickering sort of blaze, she looked insinuatingly about her
+and broke into an excited whisper: "Whinsomev'r yer sees enything right
+shiny black, widout er single white speck on hit nowhar, you kin jes put
+hit down in yo' mine, _dats er hant_! 'Tain' no use ter argufy erbout it;
+dem's de creeturs dat speerets rides whin dey comes back ter dis worl'.
+An' 'twas one er dem same black, biggity Langshans dat ole man Gully's
+hant come back inter." Phyllis had taken her seat by this time, and the
+children had scrambled into her lap. "Sakes erlive! You all mos' claw me
+ter death. How yer 'speck erbody ter be hol'in' two growd up fokes like
+youall is?" But the children continued to climb, one on each knee. Phyllis
+put out her foot and dragged a chair in front of her. "Hyah stretch yer
+foots out on de cheer, an' mebby ef yer sets still, I kin make out ter
+hole yer."
+
+"Mammy, where do hants stay?" asked Willis.
+
+"Hants is ev'r whars," she looked about her; "dis hyah room right full
+uv 'em now."
+
+Mary Van's head was immediately buried on the old woman's shoulder, while
+Willis's arms locked tightly around her neck.
+
+"Yas," she continued, in low mysterious tones, "dis whole wurl's pack'd
+full uv 'em, but 'tain' no use ter git skeer'd, long es dey ain' got no
+bisnes' wid you. De time ter git skeer'd is whin _you sees 'em_!" (A
+scream from Mary Van answered by a tremor from Willis.) "Some fokes doan
+git skeer'd den, kaze dey knows 'tain' no use ter git skeer'd er good
+speerets--hit's jes dese bad hants dat does de damage."
+
+"Tell us about a good, good spirit, Mammy," came in muffled tones from
+Mary Van.
+
+"Cause we don't want to hear about bad old hants," finished Willis.
+
+"How yer speck me ter tell yer enything wid you chokin' me, an' Ma'y Van
+standin' on her haid on m' should'r. Set up like fokes--you hole dis han'
+an' let Ma'y Van hole dis un, an' I'll tell yer 'bout old man Gully's
+hant."
+
+"Ole man Gully wus de biggites' creetur' you ev'r seed; he jes nachilly so
+biggity he 'fuse ter do er lick er wurk. Plantin' time er harves' time
+ain' make no diffunce ter ole man Gully. He set up on his front po'ch an'
+smoke his pipe, an' read de newspaper an' eat same es one dese ole
+buckshire hogs, whilst his old lady, an' de chilluns, an' der ole nigg'r
+Abe, done all de wurk.
+
+"Ole Miss Gully wus pow'ful sot on de ole man; she think he's de mos'
+pow'fules' gran' man in de wurl. Ef he say 'I wants er chaw er 'bark'r,'
+de ole lady'd break her neck runnin' ter de fiel' ter tell Abe ter take
+de mule out'n de plow an' fly ter town fur de 'bark'r. Den she'd git de
+old broke down steer an' go ter plowin' tell Abe come back. All dis time
+ole man Gully snoozin' on de po'ch in de cool. Ef er rainy spell come an'
+spile de wheat, er ef fros' come an' kill de fruit, ole man Gully 'buse de
+ole lady an' de chilluns, an' say ef dey had er done like he tole 'em hit
+nuv'r wud er hap'n'd.
+
+"One day long 'bout de mid'le er de sum'r, Mist'r Gully say he bleeg ter
+have some possum vit'als. Cose nobody doan eat no possum dat time de ye'r,
+an' 'taint' no time ter hunt 'em nuthe'r, but ole man Gully says, 'I wants
+de possum,' an' dat wus 'nuf fur de Gullys. Abe an' de chillun stops all
+de wurk on de farm an' go possum huntin'. Dey hunts all day, an' dey hunts
+all night 'fo' dey so much es come 'crost er single possum track. Bimeby,
+att'r day had mos' give out, hyah come er big lean, lank ole possum up er
+'simmon tree full er green 'simmons. Dey runs home quick an' giv' hit ter
+dey ma, an' Lawsee! by de time dat possum an' tat'rs 'gun ter cookin' up
+good, de smell uv hit jes nachally make Abe an' dem chilluns mouf dribble
+tell dey can' do er lick er wurk fur standin' 'roun' de kitchen smellin'
+dat possum. Miss Gully had er plenty er fat meat an' sop fur de chillun,
+but dat big deesh er possum an' tat'rs at de haid er de table done steal
+all der appertite, an' dey wus settin' dar turnin' ov'r in der mines which
+one gwine git de bigges' piece.
+
+"Pres'ntly Mist'r Gully sorter cla'r his thoat an' push his plate erway
+an' pull de deesh closter ter 'im an' cas' er eye 'roun' de table sorter
+mad like, an', honey, dem chillun know right den an' dar dat dey got ter
+eat fat meat an' sop fur sup'r, er dee doan git no sup'r. De bigges' boy
+sorter wipe his eyes er lit'le, an' de nex' two chillun, dey out an'
+sniffle. De ole lady twis' her mouf like she tryin' ter say 'doan spile
+yo' pa's sup'r.' An' de ole man make out he ain' heah nuthin' nur see
+nuthin'. Pres'ntly he look up wid his mouf right full er tat'rs an' possum
+an' see de chillun's eyes feas'in' on 'im, an' der moufs wurkin' like
+his'n, an' he feel sorter 'shame. He swaller hard he do, like he's fixin'
+ter give 'em some, den he change his mine an' say, 'G'long in de yard,
+chillun,--Pappy's sick, let Pappy eat de possum.'"
+
+"Make Mister Gully give them some, Mammy," said Willis indignantly.
+
+"He hatt'r go back like Niggerdemus an' be born'd ergin ef he do. Nor
+suhree, he eat up ev'y speck er dat possum, an' he sop up ev'y drap er dat
+gravy too; den he stretch hissef an' say he 'speck he'll g'long ter bed
+an' try ter git er good night's res'. Den all de fambly hatt'r g'long ter
+baid too, so de old man kin git ter sleep. Bimeby, long' 'bout time de
+moon sot, hyah come sump'in' nuth'r knockin'--knockin'--knockin', on de
+wind'r blines.
+
+"'Who dat?' sez ole lady Gully.
+
+"Sumpin' nuth'r keep er knockin' an' er knockin'. Bimeby de old dog 'gun
+ter howlin', an' de chickens 'gun ter crowin', an' de pigs 'gun ter
+squealin', an' de kitchin do' blow'd wide op'n, an' de sumpin' nuth'r come
+tippitty, tippitty, tip, 'long up de hall.
+
+"'Who dat?' sez ole lady Gully ergin.
+
+"De sump'in' nuth'r keep er comin' tippitty, tippitty, tip, right 'crost
+de ole lady's foots on de baid. She holl'r an' squall fur de ole man an'
+de chillun' ter come kill hit. De chillun an' Abe come er runnin' but de
+ole man ain' stirry er speck.
+
+"'Lawsee mussy! Light de candle quick,' sez she.
+
+"An' whut 'twus you 'speck dem chillun foun'?"
+
+"What, Mammy?" came in a chorus.
+
+"Er big ole Langshan rooster, jes like dat varmint out yond'r. Yas suh,
+dar hit sot on de foot er de baid, quoilin' an' grumblin' like fokes. De
+ole lady tell Abe ter run Langshan out 'fo' he wake up de ole man, but
+Lawd er mussy! Abe 'gun ter howlin': 'Oh! my Lawd, Marst'rs daid!
+Marst'rs daid! an' dis hyahs his hant!' Sho' nuff de ole man wus layin'
+dar stiff an' stark daid!"
+
+"Is Papa's rooster old man Gully, Mammy?" whispered Willis.
+
+"Hit mout not be dis same ole man Gully, son, but hit's some ole man
+Gully, sho' es you born. Well, de ole lady she 'gun ter moanin' an' takin'
+on tur'bl', she did, an' de Langshan he settin' up cluckin' an' quoilin'
+tell nobody can' heah der own ye'rs. Dey darsn't ter drive 'im out--nor
+suh, eb'n de und'r tak'r skeerd ter do dat, so 'tain't long 'fo' dat ole
+Langshan chick'n boss ev'ythin' on de farm. Yas suh, I tell yer, Abe an'
+dat ole 'oman act scand'lous ter dat chickin. De ole lady, she love hit,
+but Abe, he jes nachelly skeer'd er de hant. Dey nuv'r raise sich er crap
+b'fo', 'caze dat rooster scratchin' all ov'r de fiel', an' Abe say he
+know whut you doin' wheth'r he lookin' at yer er not.
+
+"Ev'y time Langshan 'ud speak sof' ter de hens, Miss Gully'd holl'r ter
+Abe, 'Yer marst'r want some fresh wat'r, run quick,' Whinsomev'r
+Langshan'd crow, she run an' git him mo' vit'als. Oh, I tell yer dem
+dominicker hens whut kep' comp'ny wid him sholy got fat an' lazy eatin'
+all day an' doin' nuthin' but cacklin' conversation wid him. An' dey's er
+heap er fokes in dis town too, dat doan do no mo' dan dem hens does."
+
+"Did the children call Langshan papa?" interrupted Willis.
+
+"Nor, darlin', dem boys doan b'leef in hants, an' dey tell dey ma dat de
+rooster jes foolin' her, but she crack 'em crost de haid wid de broom
+stick, an' dey darsn't say so no mo'.
+
+"Long 'bout Chris'mus time Miss Gully wus took down wid de rumatiz. She
+can't lif' er finger, let lone git up, so she tell Abe ter bring de ole
+man up in de house. Yas suh, dat rooster strut hissef all ov'r dat house.
+He peck at hissef in de lookin' glass, an' he light up on de pianny in de
+parler; he fly up on de baid an' peck Miss Gully's nose, an' she tell Abe
+de ole Man's lovin' her. Hit sho' wus cur'us 'bout dat rooster, caze ev'y
+time de doct'r come, he hop up on de foot er de baid an' cluck, an' cluck
+tell de doct'r git up an' go. One day de doct'r tell Miss Gully she gwine
+die. She sorter cry 'bout hit er spell, den she sont fur de ole man's
+hant. Abe he go an' shoo de roost'r in de room, but he can't make him fly
+on de baid. Abe he tiptoe an' wave his han's sof' like b'hime him, but de
+rooster run und'r de baid an' cackle, an' cluck, an' make so much fuss
+dat de boys wanter run him out, but Miss Gully say he talkin' ter her. She
+answer back ter him, 'Yas, suh,--dat's right,--yas, suh, I'm gwine do jes
+like you says.' She keep er gwine on dat erway er long time, tell bimeby
+she tell Abe ter go git lawyer Clark ter make her er will. She say de ole
+man say she got ter give him all de money, dat de chillun'll spen' hit ef
+she don't. De lawyer argufy wid her 'bout doin' sich er trick es dat, but
+he thowin' 'way his bref, caze by de time he git thu' wid dat speech, Miss
+Gully wus done daid."
+
+The children took a long breath. "Did the hant kill her, Mammy?"
+
+"Hit conjur her so she dunno whut she doin', jes like dat ole chickin try
+ter do me."
+
+[Illustration: "DAT OLE ROOST'R SQUATTIN' UND'R DE BAID AIN' NUV'R TAK'N
+HIS EYES OFF 'N ABE."]
+
+"Did the children cry when their mama died?" came tremulously from Mary
+Van.
+
+"Dey car'ied on right sharply, caze she wus er good ole 'ooman 'fo' she
+got conjured, an' she wus jes doin' what she think wus right den; but der
+cryin' wusn't nuthin' ter dat nigg'r Abe howlin' an' moanin' ov'r in de
+cornd'r. Yer see dat ole roost'r squattin' und'r de baid ain' nuv'r tak'n
+his eyes off'n Abe, an' Abe want 'im ter g'long an' keep comp'ny wid
+somebody else sides him. So he holler', 'Mistis, fur de Lawd's sake make
+Marst'r g'long wid yer.' Den de ole rooster start ter cluckin' an'
+fussin', an' hit 'pear dat he fixin' ter go to'ards Abe. Abe he start ter
+hol'rin': 'Nor suh, nor suh, I doan want yer ter g'way fum hyah! I wants
+Mistis ter come back in one dese big Langshan hens, so you won't git so
+lonesome, dat's whut I wants.' De rooster keep on er cacklin' an' er
+fixin' ter fly out'n de wind'r, but Abe think he gwine jump on him, an' he
+yell, 'Please suh, doan hu't Abe, Marster, caze whin I dies, I'm gwine
+come back in one dese fine gooses, an' wait on yer plum tell jedgement.'"
+
+"Did old Langshan get all the money, Mammy?" the financial side appealing
+to Willis.
+
+"He git much uv hit es hit take ter buy pizen ter make er conjur pill ter
+kill him wid."
+
+"Can you kill a hant?" he asked incredulously.
+
+"Yer can't kill 'em 'zackly, but yer kin run 'em inter sum uth'r creet'r,
+dat is ef de conjur pill wurk."
+
+"Mammy," began both children at once.
+
+"Hole on,--jes one ax at er time--let de lady have de fus time, caze
+you'se Mammy's man. Now den, ax yer sayso, Ma'y Van."
+
+"Did Miss Gully turn to a hen?"
+
+"She done bin eat up long ergo ef she did," then turning to Willis,
+"Whut's Mammy's man got ter ax?"
+
+"I want to know how Abe turned to a goose."
+
+"Abe didn't hatt'r turn ter no goose ertall, caze de Lawd done alreddy
+born'd him er goose.--Come on now, an' less play in de yard."
+
+
+
+
+III
+
+
+JACK O' LANTERN AND THE GLOW WORM
+
+
+"Mammy, you cut m' Jack-my-Lantern for me." Willis was struggling to carve
+features in a huge pumpkin.
+
+"I tole yer ter let Zeek make dat foolish lookin' thing," grumbled
+Phyllis, faithfully striving however to cut the pumpkin according to
+Willis's instructions.
+
+"Make Mary Van one too," he demanded.
+
+"I got one," and Mary Van blew into the kitchen door with a gust of chilly
+wind, "and Papa's made a pretty one for you too, Willis--ain't you glad?"
+
+"Whut you all think dem Jacky-Lanterns is enyhow?" Phyllis asked with an
+air of mystery.
+
+"They are--" Willis hesitated, "they are--funny pretties," he finished.
+
+"Dey ain' nuthin' funny 'bout er show nuff Jack-my-Lantern, I kin tell yer
+dat fur sartin an' sho!" Her face assumed a grave expression, "and--take
+keer, boy, Kitty'll spill hot greese on yer," making a dive at Willis in
+time to save the cook from stumbling. "Come on out er dis hyah
+kitchen,--'tain' no place fur chillun no how."
+
+"Mammy, less go over to Mary Van's and get m' Jack-my-Lantern," coaxed
+Willis, as Phyllis directed the way toward the nursery.
+
+"Nor, yer doan need hit tell dark. Jack-my-Lanterns doan come out 'cep'in'
+at night. Leastways fokes doan see em."
+
+"Jack-my-Lanterns ain't anything but big old pumpkins, are they, Mammy
+Phyllis?" Mary Van asked to reassure herself.
+
+"Dat dey is," the old nurse's expression grew fearful and cunning. "Dey's
+de wuss sorter hants--dat's whut dey is."
+
+This ended the contention of going to Mary Van's.
+
+"You memb'rs," she began after an ominous silence, "ole man Gully's hant,
+doan yer?"
+
+"Old Langshan rooster, Mammy?" Willis whispered.
+
+"Dat's de ve'y hant--yas suh--ole lady Gully ain't skeercely in her grave
+'fo' dat rooster hant start ter gwine down in de cellar--an' peckin'
+'roun' like he huntin' fur sumthin'.
+
+"Abe tell de boys he seen de ole man take er bag er gole down dar onct,
+an' he 'speck old Langshan know whar he berry hit--but howsumev'r dat
+is--one thing wus sho'--dat rooster peck in one cornder er dat celler,
+tell dem boys pis'n him."
+
+The children moved closer to Phyllis. "Mammy, did he come back in another
+rooster?"
+
+"No, ma'm, he didn't,--he say he nuv'r speck ter come back in no mo'
+creeturs ter git pis'n'd ergin. 'De nex' time I comes back,' sez he,
+'hit's gwine be in sumthin' nuth'r fokes can't projick none er der
+dev'ment wid.' Ahah,--an' yer knows whut dat is, doan yer?"
+
+Both little heads shook a trembling negative.
+
+"Well, hit's er Jack-my-lantern!" said Phyllis, and at her solemn
+statement the children looked aghast.
+
+[Illustration: "HEP! HEP!--SOMEBODY COME HOPE ME!"]
+
+"Yas, ma'm,--an yas, suh," she bowed to each in turn, "he come back
+straight es he kin float hissef ter de swamp down yond'r on yo' granpa's
+rice plantation." She waited for this to be entirely absorbed by her eager
+little listeners, then added: "I seen 'em m'sef winkin', an' blinkin' all
+erbout dar," suiting facial contortions to her words.
+
+"One day Miss Gully's bigges' boy went down in de cell'r ter git some
+tat'rs fur dinn'r, an' fus' thing yer know he start ter yellin' 'Hep!
+hep!--Somebody come hope me!'
+
+"Abe an' de uth'r boys wint down dar, an' seed de boy layin' flat on de
+floo' whar de hant thow'd him--"
+
+"Mammy, lemme get in your lap," begged Mary Van, while Willis jumped on
+one of her knees. Mary Van followed suit, and before Phyllis could reply
+they had cuddled upon her, almost taking her breath.
+
+"Sakes erlive! you all gittin' 'way wid me wusser'n dem hants done de
+Gully boys."
+
+"Go on, Mammy," they both urged.
+
+"Well, Abe an' de uth'r two boys fotch him up sta'rs an' lay him on his
+ma's baid. Dey lef' him er minute ter go git some cam'fer, an' when dey
+come back, dar sot er crow on de haid er de baid tellin' de boy:
+
+  "'Go foll'r de light,
+  Don' feer ter fight,
+  An' yer'll git er bag er gole!'
+
+"He git up, he do, an' go out de do', but hit's s' dark he tell de crow he
+can't see how ter git erlong. Jes den Jacky-Lantern flash up an' say:
+
+  "'Foll'r me, sonny,
+  I got de money.'
+
+"De boy run up ter de light, but hit go out jes es he git clost up ter
+hit. He say: 'Hole on dar, whar yer takin' me?' Jacky-Lantern say
+
+  "'Foll'r me, sonny,
+  I got de money.'
+
+"Johnny Squinch Owel fly b'fo' him an' say:
+
+  "'Unch-oo, unch-oo,
+  Doanchu go, doanchu go!'
+
+"Boy tell him, 'Git out'n m' way, Johnny, I'm atter money--I ain' got no
+time ter talk ter you.'
+
+"Johnny, he keep er foll'rin' de boy an' holl'r:
+
+  "'Unch-oo, unch-oo,
+  Doanchu go, doanchu go.'
+
+"Jacky-Lantern light up ergin, an' de boy start up runnin'. 'I'll git yer
+dis time,' he say; but Jacky-Lantern drap down in de groun' ev'y time he
+git enywhars near 'bouts him, an' Willie Wisp pop up way ov'r de uth'r
+side."
+
+"Who was Willie Wisp, Mammy?"
+
+"He wus er nuth'r hant dat tak'n up wid ole man Gully. When de boy see
+Jacky-Lantern pop up hyah, an' Willie Wisp pop up dar,--he jump fus' dis
+erway, an' dat erway tell--"
+
+"What was the boy's name?" asked Willis.
+
+"Lemme see, I b'leef dat boy name Jack."
+
+"No, Mammy, Jacky-Lantern's name, Jack," Willis reminded her.
+
+"Dat's so." She dropped her head on one side: "Dat Gully boy's name,
+Bill--Bill Gully's his name. Dem uth'r two boys an' Abe takes atter Bill
+an' holl'r ter him ter let dem hants erlone, but Bill tell 'em ter 'ten'
+ter der own biznes, dat he atter gole.
+
+"Dey holl'r back, 'Dey's er plenty er gole in de cell'r--come on back an'
+hope dig hit out.'
+
+"'I doan want no lit'le gole you fines at home,' sez Bill.
+
+"Abe he holl'r back ergin, 'Please, suh, come back, dar's er heap mo' hyah
+dan you kin git dar.'
+
+"But he so tie'd runnin' fus' atter Jacky-Lantern, an' den atter Willie
+Wisp, dat he hatt'r stop an' blow er lit'le. Abe an' de boys dey kotch up
+wid him, an' dey tussels consid'rble tryin' ter git him back, but dat boy
+Bill skuffle scand'lus. He thow ev'y one uv 'em flat in de mud.
+
+"'You all ain' nuthin' but er passel er gooses,' he say, 'talkin' 'bout
+huntin' gole at home. Don't yer know yer got ter fight an' scratch, an'
+run, an' keep er gwine tell yer gits ter whar dese hyah gol' lights
+lives--den yer fines de bag er gole?'
+
+"Fo' de boys an' Abe kin git dersefs up of'n de groun' whar Bill knock
+'em, Bill wus gwine like er race hoss atter Jacky-Lantern. Bimeby de
+groun' 'gun ter git pow'ful sof', an' Bill, his foots 'gun ter sink down
+tur'bul. He can't go fas' no mo',--I tell yer de trufe, hit wus all Bill
+cud do ter pull hisse'f erlong."
+
+"What was the matter with Bill, Mammy Phyllis?" whispered Mary Van.
+
+"He in de swamp, honey, whar de groun' wus mirey,--an' hit wus full er
+hants too. Bill feel er hot flash pass him, an' er Jacky-Lantern'd pop
+up--hyah come ernuth'r hot sumthin nuth'r, an' Willie Wisp 'u'd pop up
+right 'long side er him.
+
+"Bill say, 'Is dis whar yer lives?'
+
+"Jacky say:
+
+  "'Foll'r me, sonny,
+  I got de money.'
+
+"Johnny Squinch hoot up in de tree: 'Unch-oo, Doanchu go.'
+
+"Brer Bull Frog holl'r: 'Go back, go back.'
+
+"Ole lady Gully's hant come up in er big ball er light, an' she moan ter
+Bill:
+
+  "'Foll'r yer track,
+  Ef yer wanter git back.'
+
+"Bill say: 'Who is you?'
+
+"Miss Gully say:
+
+  "'I'm yo' Mar--
+  Doan go so far.'
+
+"Bill say, 'I done start atter dis gole, an' I'm gwine see de race out.'
+
+"Jacky-Lantern an' Willie Wisp, an' all de res' er de bad hants down in de
+swamp jes er poppin' up ev'y which er way, an' all uv 'em holl'r:
+
+  "'Foll'r me, sonny,
+  I got de money!'
+
+  "'Foll'r me, sonny,
+  I got de money.'
+
+"Bill he dunno which way ter go, so he ax 'em: 'Which one got de money sho
+nuf?' But dey keeps er bobbin' up:
+
+  "'Foll'r me, sonny,
+  I got de money.'
+
+  "'Foll'r me, sonny,
+  I got de money.'
+
+tell Bill say ter hissef: 'I'm gwine foll'r de one look like he got de
+mostes.' He take er step dis er way, an' he sink down so fur dat he pull,
+an' pull, an' pull, tell he pull his shoe off. Some mo' Jackys calls him
+way ov'r yond'r:
+
+  "'Foll'r me, sonny,
+  I got de money.'
+
+  "'Foll'r me, sonny,
+  I got de money.'
+
+"So he try ter take er long step ov'r ter dem, but he sink so fur dis time
+dat he pull, an' pull, an' pull, an' pull, but he can' git his foots up.
+
+"His ma's hant ris' up den, an' bus' out cryin':
+
+  "'Yer done los' yer sole,
+  An' yer ain' got de gol'.'
+
+  "'Yer done los' yer sole,
+  An' yer ain' got de gol'.'
+
+"Bill he keep tryin' ter pull hisse'f up, but he done sink down ter his
+gallus straps."
+
+"Please, Mam, pull him out, p-l-e-a-s-e," pleaded the little girl.
+
+"Doan yer worry yose'f, his ma's wid dat boy."
+
+"Yes, but she's only a spirit."
+
+"Doan keer ef she is er hant, she's his ma,--an' de Lawd nuv'r do let dat
+part die out in no 'ooman. Well, dar wus Bill jes er sinkin' an' er
+sinkin'--"
+
+"But he wusn't any deeper than his waist, you said, Mammy," begged Mary
+Van.
+
+"He bleeg ter be er lit'le deep'r by dis time, but his ma wus cryin' an'
+beggin' de Lawd so hard ter spar' de boy an' give him er-nuth'r chanct,
+dat er big thorney bush grow up quick 'long side er Bill an' retch out
+hits arms,--an' de thorney part stick right thu Bill's close, so
+Jacky-Lantern, an' Willie Wisp an' de res' er de bad hants can't pull 'im
+no fur'r. Bill 'gun ter see dat he wus hangin' ov'r torment, an' dat wus
+de place de gole he bin runnin' atter stay, so he rech out an' grab de
+thorney bush, he did, an' de blood come tricklin' down on his han's whar
+de briers stick him, but his ma's speeret come out on de thorney bush in
+er big, big, big ole glow wurm, an' she say:
+
+  "'Hole fas',
+  Hit can' las'.'
+
+  "'Hole fas',
+  Hit can' las'.'
+
+"He notice den dat all de uth'r lights poppin' up an' poppin' out, an'
+hoppin' erbout, but de glow wurm's light wus studdy."
+
+"Did Bill know it was his mama?" Bill's safety was uppermost in Mary Van's
+mind now.
+
+"He doan 'zackly know hit, but he think he do, caze he know nobody ain'
+gwine stick ter him atter dey's in heb'n cep'n his ma. Darfo' he keep his
+eye on de glow wurm, he do. He know dat studdy light wus his ma's
+speeret."
+
+"Don't let his hands bleed any more, Mammy," she begged.
+
+"Doan yer git too skeer'd er de blood uv 'pentence, chile. Bill done sin,
+an' he got ter be born'd ergin, thu suf'in an' mis'ry. Howsumev'r he
+foll'rin' de studdy light er dat glow wurm, so 'tain' long 'fo' she show
+him er tree on t'oth'r side dat wus smooth an' strong, an' Bill tu'n
+loose er de bush an' grab holt er de tree--Bob Wind he come an' hope de
+tree ter lif' Bill up,--an' Bob give one er ole man Harricane's blows dat
+take Bill clean out'n de mirey clay, an' lan' him on de rock."
+
+"Was he clear out of the swamp?"
+
+"And where was his mama?" both children pressed their questions.
+
+"He wusn't clean out, but he wus clost on ter de aige--all he need is er
+lit'le mo' uv his ma's studdy light ter show him de way home,--an' he got
+hit too, fur dar she wus by him on de rock, whin he come thu. She crawl
+'long mouty slow b'fo' him, caze Bill wus in er pow'ful bad fix, but her
+light ain' flick'r, an' hit keep bright an' studdy, an' bimeby atter er
+long time she lan' him at home safe an' soun'."
+
+"How could it take long?" Willis was keeping tab on the time.
+
+"Yer see, baby, yer kin nachelly fly wid Bob Wind when yer's on de road
+ter Satan wid Jacky-Lantern, an' Willie Wisp lightin' hit up so purty fur
+yer; but whin yer starts back, an' de road's dark--an' yer got jes one
+lit'le light, hit take er long time ter fine yer way erbout."
+
+"Was Abe and the boys waiting for Bill?" Mary Van desired to see the home
+reunited.
+
+"Dey wus waitin', but dey wusn't settin' down waitin'. Abe an' dem boys
+had done dig dat gole out'n de cell'r an' buy 'em er passel er mules, an'
+cows, an' chick'ns, an' bilt 'em er fine house, an' raise sich craps, dat
+de ole farm tu'n out ter be de bigges' plantation in dem parts."
+
+"Did Bill get home?"
+
+"Ter be sho', son, ain't I done tole yer de glow wurm gwine p'int out de
+road fur him?"
+
+"Did they give Bill some money, too?"
+
+"Cose dey did, gal, der ma's speeret light up der h'arts so bright dat dey
+ain' see no rees'n ter keep all de money jes' 'caze dey stays at home an'
+fines hit.--Sut'nly dey give Bill his sheer."
+
+"Did the glow worm stay with them?"
+
+"Dey ma's speeret stay's dar, but de glow wurm hatt'r g'long back ter de
+swamp ter hope de res' er de po' sinn'rs dat gits tang'led up runnin'
+atter Jacky-Lanterns an' Willie Wispes."
+
+
+
+
+IV
+
+
+MISS RACE HOSS AN' DE FLEAS
+
+
+"Come on hyah, baby! Let de dog er loose--sleepy time done come ter us."
+
+"No, Mammy, I ain't goin' ter sleepy!"
+
+"Who say you ain't?"
+
+"I say so, 'caus' my papa says I'm er man! My papa don't go ter sleepy in
+the day time!"
+
+"Lordee! I bet he do if he gits er chanct. Dat dog gwine bite yer if you
+don't quit foolin' wid es tail."
+
+"Bray ain't goin' ter bite me--Mammy, you tie the bow."
+
+"Tie er ribbin bow on er dog's tail?"
+
+"Oom hoo!"
+
+"Ooom hoo? Is dat de way you speaks ter yo' ole Mammy?"
+
+"I says, yes, ma'm."
+
+"Well, gimme de ribbin!--but what you wanter tie er bow on er dog's tail
+fur? Folks puts bows 'round dey necks."
+
+"But I want ter fool Bray, and make him think this is his head."
+
+"You'se er sight, you is! Who on earth but you'd er thought er tryin' ter
+make er dog think es tail was es head! Nev' mind! Yer bett'r take keer dat
+he don't play er wusser joke on you, like ole Sis' Cow, an' Sis' Dog, an'
+Sis' Sow, an' Sis' Cat done ter ole Miss Race Hoss when she try ter pass
+off one er her jokes on dem!"
+
+"Did they hurt Miss Race Hoss, Mammy?"
+
+"Dey mos' driv her crazy, dat's what dey done!--but you wait tell I ties
+dis heah bow, an' den we gwinter slip off up-stairs 'fo' Bray wake up an'
+ketch us."
+
+"All right, Mammy."
+
+Most elaborately Phyllis tied and patted the soiled blue bow.
+
+"Now, den, Bray's sho' gwine hatt'r strain 'es mind ter fine out which
+een' his head stays on! Jump up hyah in Mammy's arms, so we kin run fas'
+'fo' Bray wake up!"
+
+Quite out of breath, Mammy reached the room up-stairs. Little Willis,
+interested only in the flight from Bray, did not realize the ruse she had
+played upon him until he found himself in his little crib bed. Open
+rebellion began.
+
+"Boo hoo, boo hoo!"
+
+"Ssho boy! You gwine wake Bray, an' den he's jes es sho' es sho' kin be
+ter play dat trick on us dat his Gran' Mammy Dog play'd on ole Miss Race
+Hoss," remonstrated Phyllis.
+
+"Boo hoo, boo hoo, I don't wanter--"
+
+"Hush, now! Lawsee! I b'lieve I heahs er race hoss comin' down de road
+now! You hears him, don't yer?"
+
+"Oom hoo!" sobbed the little boy.
+
+"Oom hoo?"
+
+"Yes, ma'm!"
+
+"Well, dat's de way ole Miss Race Hoss soun' when she come er
+single-footin' down de road, an' seed ole Sis' Cow layin' ov'r in de
+cornder er de pastur' chewin' her cud, an' talkin' ter ole Sis' Sow, an'
+Sis' Dog, an' Sis' Cat. She look' in de pastur', she do, an' see Sis'
+Cow's little calf jes' er jumpin' an' er kickin' out his b'hime legs; so
+she holler she do:
+
+"'Law, Sis' Cow, whatchu doin' wid my little colt ov'r dar?'
+
+"Sis' Cow say, 'Law, Miss Race Hoss, you sholy ain't callin' my po' little
+calf yo' colt?'
+
+"Miss Race Hoss say, 'Sis' Cow I sho' is s'prised you can't tell er calf
+frum one er my fine colts! Jes' look how he's prancin'. I'm gwine jump
+ov'r dis fence, an' prance 'long side him an' let you see if we ain't
+'zackly like.'
+
+"Wid dat, she tuck er sorter back-runnin' start, an' jump blip! right in
+de middle er de pastur'. Sis' Cow's little calf was so proud when Miss
+Race Hoss 'gun ter caper her fancy steps 'long side him, dat he clean
+furgit 'es ma, an' try ter fancy step 'long side er Miss Race Hoss down de
+middle er de field.
+
+"Po' Sis' Cow beller' an' beller' fur Mister Cow ter come an' run Miss
+Race Hoss off, but law, Mister Cow bizzy tendin' ter 'es bizness an' he
+don't hear ole Sis' Cow. Jes' den, Sis' Dog an' Sis' Sow an' Sis' Cat
+sorter whisper 'mongst deysefs. Pres'ntly dey all jumps up an' starts ter
+shakin' deyse'fs whensomever Miss Race Hoss git clost ter 'em. Fus' thing
+yer knows, Miss Race Hoss stop' her fancy steppin' an' holler, 'How 'pon
+earth come dese fleas ter git on top er me?' She jump' an' she roll', she
+jump' an' she roll', an' I speck she'd bin er jumpin' an' er rollin' plum
+tell now, ef dem fleas teeth had er bin strong nuf ter er bit thu Miss
+Race Hosses hide, but yer see wid all de bitin' dey bin doin', dar wasn't
+one uv 'em dat got er good clinch on Miss Race Hoss. So Sis' Sow's fleas
+say dey gwine back home ter vit'als dey wus rais'd on, an' Sis' Dog's
+fleas say dey wus gwine back whar de meat wus tender, an' Sis' Cat's fleas
+say dey don't see no use tryin' ter git er livin' off'n hoss hide when dar
+wus plenty er kitten meat dat would melt in yo' mouf. So wid dat, all uv
+de fleas give er jump, an' lands back on Sis' Sow an' Sis' Dog an' Sis'
+Cat; an', honey, dem fleas ain't no sooner jumpt, dan Miss Race Hoss jump,
+too. She give er back-runnin' start an' wus ov'r dat fence 'fo' you know'd
+it; an' bless yo' heart, she come mouty nigh ter jumpin' on her own little
+colt dat had done foller' her onbeknownst. De colt nev'r seed es ma mirate
+an' car'y on so b'fo', an' he got so occipi'd watchin' her dat he plum
+fergit ter mention he was dar. Howsomev'r, when Miss Race Hoss come er
+flyin' ov'r dat fence she come so close ter de little colt dat whil'st he
+was er gittin' outen de way, he trip' es own sef an' fell er sprawlin'
+flat.
+
+"Po' little colt commenc' ter whinnyin' an' cryin', an' his ma was so
+sorry an' miserbul dat she tuck him in her arms an' 'gun ter pattin' an'
+er singin' ter him jes' like dis:
+
+  "'Mama luvs de baby,
+  Papa luvs de baby,
+  Ev'ybody luvs de baby,
+  Hush yo' bye, doan you cry,
+  Go ter sleepy lill'e baby.
+
+  De lill'e calfee an' de lill'e colt, too,
+  Dey keeps mighty close ter dey mama,
+  Caze Jack Frost's out er huntin' all erbout,
+  Ter ketch lill'e chillun when dey holler.
+  Hush yo' bye, doan you cry,
+  Go ter sleepy lill'e baby.
+
+  Mama luvs de baby,
+  Papa luvs de baby,
+  Ev'ybody luvs de baby.
+
+  All dem horses in dat fiel'
+  B'longs ter you lill'e baby:
+  Dapple, gray, de white an' de bay,
+  An' all de pretty lill'e ponies.
+  Hush yo' bye, doan you cry,
+  Go ter sleepy lill'e baby.
+
+  Mama luvs de baby,
+  Papa luvs de baby,
+  Ev'ybody luvs de baby.'"
+
+Softer and softer grew the crooning, until the little boy dropped into
+peaceful slumber.
+
+"Now, den, de ole man's drapt off at las'. Bless de chile, he is er man
+sho' nuf; an' de way he prove he gwine be jes' like de res' er de men
+folks, is de way he lets de wimmen fool him; eb'n er old black 'ooman like
+I is!"
+
+[Music:
+
+  Mam-ma luvs de ba-by, Pa-pa luvs de ba-by,
+  Ev-'y bod-y luvs de ba-by: Hush yo' bye
+  doan you cry; Go ter sleep-y li-'le ba-by
+  Mam-ma luvs de ba-by, Pa-pa luvs de ba-by,
+  Ev-'y bod-y luvs de ba-by. De
+  li'le.. ca-fee, an' de li'le.. colt too, Dey
+  keeps might-y close ter dey mam-ma, Caze
+  Jack Frost's out er hunt-in' all er-bout, Ter
+  ketch li-'le chil-len when dey hol-l'r. Hush yo' bye,
+  doan you cry, Go ter sleep-y li-'le ba-by.]
+
+
+
+
+V
+
+MISS RACE HOSS'S PARTY
+
+
+Willis drank his soup noisily, insisted upon eating with his knife, upset
+a glass of milk on Jane's new Easter dress, and in the end was carried
+from the table kicking and screaming.
+
+Mammy's attempts to pacify him proved futile, and fearing the wrath of his
+father, she gathered up the squirming, screaming boy as best she could and
+ran to her own room in the rear. Letting him fall upon the bed, she
+breathlessly dropped into a chair, and wiped the perspiration from her
+face with the corner of her apron.
+
+"Now, den, jes' holl'r an' kick, tell you hollers an' kicks yo'se'f plum
+out."
+
+This the boy did at a length and with a violence unbelievable, Mammy
+sitting all the while at the side of the bed to see that he did not roll
+off and humming broken pieces of song as though perfectly unconcerned.
+When the screaming had spent itself, and naught remained of it but long
+hard sniffles, Mammy began mumbling, "Well, bless de Lawd, I bin thinkin'
+I wus nussin' er fuss class qual'ty chile all dis time, an' hyah it tu'n
+out I bin wor'in' m'se'f wid one er Sis' Sow's mis'r'ble little pigs."
+
+A low wail was the only answer to this thrust.
+
+"Hit's de trufe! An' I done make up m' mine I ain't gwine do it no longer.
+What's de use er me stayin' hyah, nussin' er pig chile, when I kin g'long
+an' nuss er fuss class qual'ty chile like Mary Van, an' I'm gwine do it,
+too!"
+
+One little arm reached out to the old woman:
+
+"Mammy!"
+
+But she continued: "M'ye'rs is broke wid all dat pig holl'rin'! I don't
+speck I ev'r is ter heah no mo', neither!"
+
+Sobbing and sniffling, the little boy crawled to her lap, and tried to
+look into her ear. She continued obstinately: "Can't heah er thing! I
+knows you'se in m' lap, but les'n I seed yo' face I cudn't tell ef you wus
+laffin' er cryin'."
+
+Both arms went tight around her neck:
+
+"Mammy, I won't be bad no mo'!"
+
+Pretending to weep, Mammy said pathetically:
+
+"I wush I cud heah! I speck Miss Lucy'll tu'n me out now, 'caze m'ye'rs
+won't hear no mo', an' den I'll hatt'r go off ter de woods an' die by
+m'se'f 'mongst de beastes; an' I speck dey'll kill me, 'caze I can't heah
+'em comin'! Boo hoo!"
+
+At this, Willis's suffering became so intense she feared to continue the
+punishment and so began another strain.
+
+"But dey tells me dat ef folks whut's bin bad prays ter de Lawd an' kisses
+de place whut hurts, dat some time de Lawd makes de place well ergin; dat
+is,--ef de bad chile promise he ain' gwine be bad no mo'."
+
+Instantly the little swollen lips moistened with blubbers, covered first
+one black ear and then the other.
+
+"An' dey got ter pray, too," suggested Mammy.
+
+"Now I lay me!" came in broken sniffles.
+
+Suddenly throwing up her hands, a look of rapture on her face, Mammy
+shouted:
+
+"Lawsee! I b'lieve I heahs you snifflin'!" She listened carefully: "I
+does! Tell Mammy you loves her an' lemme see ef I kin heah you."
+
+"I loves--" began the little boy, nestling in her arms.
+
+"'Cose I kin heah, but I tell yer de Lawd ain' gwine ter notice yo'
+pray'rs no mo', ef you keeps letting de '_pig chile part_' er you come
+out."
+
+"I don't want ter be er pig chile!"
+
+"I don't speck you does, but you sho' 'pear terday like you come straight
+up fum de pigsty! Don't you 'member dat party Miss Race Hoss giv' an'
+'vite Sis' Sow an' her chilluns ter come ter it?"
+
+Willis shook his head.
+
+"Look er hear boy, who you shakin' dat head at?"
+
+"I says, no, ma'm!"
+
+"You'se late in de day sayin' it, too. Enyhow, Miss Race Hoss giv' er
+party an' 'vite Sis' Cat an' her chilluns, an' Sis' Dog an' her chilluns,
+an' Sis' Cow an' de lit'le calf; an' she sorter pass conversation wid
+Mist'r Race Hoss 'bout 'vitin' Sis' Sow an' her fambly. Mist'r Race Hoss
+say long as he's in pol'ticks an' want ter git 'lected ergin ter be ruler
+er de beastes, he speck she bett'r 'vite Sis' Sow. So Miss Race Hoss say
+all right! An' she done it.
+
+"Oh, I tell you Miss Race Hoss fix up er fine party! She had mouses fur de
+cat fambly, an' dey wus nice, fine, live mouses too, an' bones an' meat
+fur de Dog fambly, an' hot bran mash mixt wid cott'n seed meal fur Sis'
+Cow's fambly, an' she had buttermilk in er big trauff fur Sis' Sow an' her
+chilluns. An' she pile apples, an' carrots, an' ev'y sort er thing in de
+middle er de table. An' she had salt fur dem dat wants salt, an' sugar fur
+dem whut mus' have sugar.
+
+"Well, de fuss uns ter come wus Sis' Cat an' her chilluns. Sis' Cat had
+done wash' her kittens' faces jes' es clean an' put dem mitt'ns on 'em dat
+yo' ma read ter us erbout.
+
+"Den hyah come Sis' Dog an' her fambly. Dey all had bows 'roun' der necks
+an' look mouty gran'! Sis' Cow an' de calf wus curri'd slick es glass, an'
+I tell yer Miss Race Hoss wus glad her an' de little colt had dem ribbins
+tied up in der manes, 'caze Sis' Cow was sho' pressin' 'em in slickness.
+
+"Ole Brer Bar he come down fum de woods ter 'tend ter de dinin' room an'
+see dat ev'ybody git de right vit'als.
+
+"Atter dey bin waitin' fer er spell, Brer Bar 'nounce dat soon es Sis' Sow
+come de party wus ready.
+
+"All uv 'em want ter go ter eatin' dat minit, 'caze dem cats smell dem
+mouses, an' dem dogs moufs jes' er dreanin' wid de smell er dat meat; but
+dey sets dar like dey done fergit all erbout vit'als, 'caze dese heah wus
+qual'ty animals wid manners, I tell yer.
+
+"Pres'ntly Miss Race Hoss low dat she see Sis' Sow comin' now, an' she
+seen her, too, fur hyah come Sis' Sow an' all her chilluns er runnin' ev'y
+which er way, wid mud all ov'r dey backs. Some uv 'em wus wet an' some uv
+'em wus dry. Dey come er runnin' an' none uv 'em ain't nuv'r stop ter pass
+howdy wid Miss Race Hoss, 'caze dey smell de vit'als, an' dey ain't got
+nuff manners ter hide de pig in 'em. Dey come er rootin' an' er gruntin'
+all 'roun' b'hime folks an' b'fo' fokes, tell dey pass too close ter Sis'
+Cat's chilluns, fur dey sorter raise up dey backs an' bushy out dey tails,
+an' raise up dey paws, but Sis' Cat she sorter growl sof' an' dey passify
+deysefs an' sets still. Sis' Dog's chilluns wanter snap es dey come er
+trompin' on top er dey foots, but dey 'strains deysefs 'caze dey wus fuss
+class qual'ty dogs.
+
+"Brer Bar see Sis' Sow rootin' an' gruntin' her way ter de table, so he
+'nounce fur 'em all ter come in ter de party. He sorter push Sis' Sow an'
+her chilluns off ter de buttermilk trauff. De uther folks dey sets down at
+de table an' acts like fuss class folks does, but Sis' Sow an' her pig
+chilluns ain't seed dey vit'als 'fo' all uv 'em try ter git in de trauff
+wid dey foots. Dey pushes an' tromps 'pon one 'nuther, an' squeals, an'
+eats loud _like you done terday_!"
+
+The brown eyes fell and an humble little voice said, "I ain't gointer do
+it no mo'."
+
+"De Lawd knows I'm glad to hear it. Well, Sis' Sow an' dem, quoil an' make
+so much fuss, tell de uther fokes can't pass no conversation er tall, tell
+pres'ntly Sis' Sow an' de pigs eat up all dey vit'als an' dey come
+gruntin' an' er rootin' fur mo'. Dey spy dem apples an' things on de
+table, an' 'fo' yer knows it, dem pig chillun wus 'pon top er dat table.
+
+"Wid dat, Brer Bar git so mad he slap 'em off fas' es dey gits on; but de
+fust un he slap' off fell right in 'mongst Sis' Cat's kittens. Whoopee!
+Dem kittin chillun fergits all 'bout manners an' 'gins scratchin' an'
+fightin' same es pigs. Sis' Dog's chilluns jes' nachelly cudn't stan' no
+sich er strain on dey manners es dat, an' 'fo' yer kin say 'Jack Robson,'
+de kittins an' de puppies an' de pigs wus er squealin', an' er barkin',
+an' er spittin', an' er growlin', tell you can't hear yo' ye'rs. Sis' Sow
+start ter runnin' down de road wid de pigs atter her, an' de puppies atter
+de pigs, an' de kittins atter de puppies. Wid dat de little calf git
+'cited an' he start ter kickin' out his b'hime legs, which happen ter hit
+de lit'le colt, an' he r'ar' hissef back an' come down on de calf, an'
+bofe uv 'em take out down de road er holl'rin' an' er kickin', an' er
+twistin' deysefs _like you done terday_!"
+
+Again the brown eyes fell.
+
+"Atter all de chilluns done loss dey manners, dey ma's sets up lookin' at
+one nuther like dey loss dey las' frien'. Pres'ntly Miss Race Hoss say
+hit's all her fault, 'caze she had no biznes ter mix up qual'ty folks wid
+pig folks.
+
+"Wid dat Sis' Cow an' Sis' Cat an' Sis' Dog speak up. 'No, Miss Race Hoss,
+'tain't yo' fault, an' it 'tain't our chilluns fault, it's jes' dem pigs'
+fault.' Jes' den ole Brer Bar ris' up an' clap his han's an' laff like he
+splittin' his sides. Miss Race Hoss look 'stonish' dat he act dat er way,
+an' she ax him whut ail him. Soon es Brer Bar kin stop laffin', he say:
+'Youall thinks yo' chilluns ain't got no pig in 'em, does you?' den he
+start ter laffin' ergin. Miss Race Hoss r'ar' back herse'f an' say, 'Brer
+Bar, you done fergit whar 'bouts you'se at; 'member you'se 'mongst fuss
+class qual'ty!' Den dey all throws dey heads back an' tu'ns dey noses
+up at po' Brer Bar. Brer Bar git mad den an' he stop laffin' an' say, 'Yo'
+chilluns ain't de onliest uns got pig in 'em! All youall got it, too.
+Ev'ybody got it. Some folks got mo' en uthers got; all dis hyah mann'rs
+you'se braggin' 'bout ain't nuthin' but er kiv'r ter hide de pig dat's in
+yer. Keep er way fum de pigs ef you don't wanter show yo' pig side.'
+
+[Illustration: "WID DAT DEY ALL UV 'EM LOSE DEY MANNERS AN' START TER
+'BUSIN' BER BAR SCAND'LOUS"]
+
+"Wid dat dey all uv 'em lose dey manners an' start ter 'busin' Brer Bar
+scand'lous. Sis' Cow beller' out her madness, an' Sis' Cat mew an' spit
+out her'n, an' Sis' Dog growl an' bark out her'n, an' Miss Race Hoss jes'
+r'ar' up an' foam at de mouf.
+
+"Brer Bar look like he fixin' ter hu't sumbody, den he amble off t'ards de
+woods he did, an' den tu'n hissef 'roun' an' holl'r, 'I tole yer so!'
+Jes' lis'n ter all er youall right now, actin' wusser en dem pigs in de
+buttermilk trauff."
+
+"An' Brer Bar speak de trufe! An' he speak de trufe when he say all us got
+er pig side, too."
+
+"My mama ain't!"
+
+Phyllis hesitated: "No, I don't speck she is; dat is, ef she is, her
+'ligion done wash it all out, 'caze yo' ma think' mo' 'bout ev'ybody else
+'fo' she do herse'f,--but you got er pig side, an' ef you don't take keer
+hit'll grow ter be er hog side, too, dat you nuv'r is ter git nuff manners
+ter hide neither. Come on an' go finish yo' dinner, boy, an' let Mammy eat
+her'n."
+
+
+
+
+VI
+
+NED DOG AND BILLY GOAT
+
+
+Phyllis was dozing on the top step of the side veranda while little
+Willis, in the gravel walk below, was playing with a Noah's Ark. The
+animals were in grand parade when one of them met with an accident. Willis
+thought a moment, then, taking the loose ends of a string tied to one of
+the fuzzy toys, he climbed the steps to where Phyllis had just fallen in a
+peaceful nod against the pillar. He clumsily slipped the string between
+her open lips, and, with a slap and sputter, Mammy opened her eyes.
+
+"Name er de Lawd, boy, whut is you tryin' ter do?"
+
+"I want you ter be er billy goat."
+
+"You wants sumthin' I nuv'r is ter be. I'm willin' ter be er hoss an' on
+er pinch I'll be er mule, but dey ain't no time I'm willin' ter be no ole
+billy goat fur nobody."
+
+"Please, Mammy," laying a hand on her cheek in an effort to pull her face
+to him, "m' billy goat's got his legs broke, an' I won't have any goat if
+you don't be one."
+
+"How come you don't tu'n one dem dogs in er goat?" suggested Phyllis, her
+face obstinately averted.
+
+"They haven't got any horns!"
+
+"I ain't got no horns neether," asserted Mammy.
+
+"But you can make some," persisted Willis.
+
+"You think I'm gwineter pull dis bandanner off an' roll my ole gray wool
+inter horns, does you?" chuckled the old nurse.
+
+Willis nodded.
+
+"Well, you foolin' yo'se'f, dat's all I got ter say." But when Willis
+began to fret, Mammy relented: "I tell yer dat dog won't know 'esse'f fum
+er goat, ef you calls him goat; 'caze I knows erbout er dog an' er goat
+dat can't tell t'other fum which."
+
+"No you don't," objected the tormentor tugging at her arm.
+
+"I tells you I does, 'caze one day Mister Man went out ter hunt er dog an'
+er goat fur his lit'le boy. He see Sis' Dog an' her fambly on de side er
+de road, an' dey 'pears ter be in er mouty commotion 'bout sump'n. Mister
+Man holler' an' ax whut ail 'em. Sis' Dog say she foun' one er Sis' Nanny
+Goat's chilluns layin' out in de pastur' des er blatin' all by 'esse'f,
+an' she dunno whut ter do wid it. Mister Man say, 'I'll take keer uv it,
+an' I'd like moutily ter take keer er one er yo' chilluns, too.' Sis' Dog
+tell him 'surtiny,' dat it 'ud make her turr'bul proud fur one er her
+chilluns ter live up at his fine house. So Mister Man liftes de goat an'
+de puppy up on Miss Race Hosses back 'long side er him an' flies 'crost de
+country ter his house. When Mister Man's ole lady see him, she th'ow up
+her han's an' say, 'Name er de Lawd, Mister Man, whut you specks ter do
+wid dat goat?' Mister Man say: 'Oh! I'll des put it out hyah wid de puppy
+an' raise 'em bofe tergether.'"
+
+"Wasn't the little boy glad his papa kept the goat?" interrupted Willis.
+
+"Is you glad I'm tellin' dis tale?"
+
+"Yes'm."
+
+"Dat's 'zackly de way Mister Man's boy feel, 'ceptin' mo' so. Dey puts er
+pan er milk out in de cow house, an' bofe uv 'em eats outen it tergether.
+When dey gits big ernuf ter eat like sho' nuf beastes, de little boy puts
+goat feed fur de goat an' dog vit'als fur de dog."
+
+"What's the dog's name?"
+
+"He wus jes' name Collie Dog when he live wid his mammy, but when he start
+ter livin' wid white fokes, de lit'le boy name 'im Ned."
+
+"An' what's the goat's name?"
+
+"He ain't got nuthin' ter do wid dat, 'caze de Lawd done already name him
+Billy. Well, when Billy Goat look' at his feed, an' Ned Dog look' at his
+vit'als, dey bofe feels mouty proud, 'ceptin' dey don't seem ter make out
+howcum it ain't mix'd tergether; so Billy he take an' run over an' try
+ter eat bones an' meat, an' Ned he run ter Billy's box an' try ter eat hay
+an' bran mash; an' dey keep on tryin' ter eat one nuthers vit'als long es
+dey live'. Pres'ntly, Billy grow so big dat he 'gun ter grazin' roun'
+'mongst de flow'rs an' grass, an' I speck he run in de house sumtimes,
+too, but it 'pears dat flow'r buds tas'e mo' nicer ter 'im dan grass; so
+Mister Man's old lady 'gun ter quoil an' mirate an' tell him, 'You des got
+ter tetter dat goat!'"
+
+"I don't want 'im ter tetter Billy!" exclaimed the child, and his brown
+eyes filled with tears.
+
+"Pshaw, boy, er tetter ain't nuthin' ter hu't nobody! It's des er rope you
+ties roun' de horns er beastes an' de uther een' you ties ter er stob in
+de groun'! Well, when Billy find 'esse'f tied ter dat rope so he can't go
+in de house and can't go in de flow'r gyarden, he des cry an' cry. Ned Dog
+try ter stay wid 'im much es he kin; but when he see Mister Man an' de
+little boy settin' off down de road on Miss Race Hoss an' de little colt,
+his foots des nachelly go bookety! bookety! b'hime 'im 'd'out knowin' it.
+His heart tell him ter g'long back an' stay wid Billy, but his foots say
+dey ain't er gwine do no sich er thing. 'Cose he cudn't hep 'esse'f ef his
+foots 'fuse ter take 'im home. Atter while, when he gits back, Billy done
+cry 'esse'f plum sick. He say he don't see howcum he tied up an' Ned Dog
+ain't; an' Ned Dog say he don't neether; 'caze you see Ned think Billy's
+er dog an' Billy think 'esse'f er dog, too. Dat's de way wid some fokes.
+Heap uv 'em thinks dey's big dogs when dey ain't nuthin' but er old
+goat!" Mammy concluded with emphasis.
+
+"Go on, Mammy," demanded Willis, pushing her hand off of the curl she was
+trying to straighten.
+
+"Ain't dat ernuf? I done prove' you kin make er goat outen dat Noah's ark
+dog."
+
+"Yes, but I want the little boy ter let Billy loose."
+
+"Well, his ma'll give him er spankin' ef he do. Dat boy darsent ter tech
+dat tetter. Long 'bout atter dinner time, Ned he git so miserbul lis'nin'
+ter Billy hollerin' dat he 'gun ter gnaw an' pull at de stob; den he try
+ter scratch it up; but it was too deep; so he take an' go ter pullin' at
+de rope ergin'; an' bimeby de knot come off. He ketch de knot in his teef
+and den he tell Billy ter g'long whar he's er mind ter. Billy kick up es
+b'hime legs an' fly down de road wid Ned Dog b'hime him holdin' on ter de
+rope. Billy he eat all 'long de road, an' Ned Dog foll'r 'long b'hime
+wharsomever Billy choose ter go, 'caze yer see Ned feel de 'sponsibility
+er loosin' Billy. Atter while, Ned Dog beg Billy ter come on an' go home!
+He tell 'im his jaws nigh 'bout broke clampin' on dat knot. But Billy say
+he ain't er gwine, tell he eat 'esse'f plum full er dem flow'r buds. No,
+Lawd, Billy ain't thinkin' bout Ned long es he kin joy es own sef. Ned he
+'gun ter howl an' bark wid de jaw ache, but Billy too full er 'esse'f ter
+notice Ned. Yes, Lawd, Billy des like some fokes I knows, too."
+
+"Me, Mammy?" demanded the intent little boy.
+
+"Yes, I speck de cap fit you er heap er times, but you wusn't de pusson I
+had m' mine on des den," replied Mammy complacently. "Billy keep er gwine
+on, an' Ned des er draggin' 'esse'f erlong wid de jaw ache tell bimeby,
+dey comes ter de old log fence 'roun' de pastur'. Billy he try ter jump de
+fence, but Ned he crawl thu; but yer see Billy can't jump high ernuf 'caze
+Ned's pullin' de rope on de uther side, so Billy gits tangled up on one er
+de rails. Ned he run back when he see Billy's hangin'; but he gits back
+thu er diffunt hole ergin, an' dat twistes de rope so tight dat Billy gits
+in er mouty bad fix 'fo' you knows it. He 'gun ter blate an' holl'r an'
+Ned drop' de rope an' 'gun ter howl; but dat nuv'r done no good, an' it
+nuv'r do, do no good in dis woel."
+
+"What, Mammy?"
+
+"Jes' ter stan' up an' holler an' cry like _you_ does sometimes! You got
+ter go ter work an' do sumthin' ef you 'specks ter ontangle yo'se'f in dis
+woel', an' dat's whut come 'cross Ned's mind atter he stan' up an' holler
+hisse'f hoarse. He lope out an' run home, he do, an' he bark at Mister Man
+an' run out to'ards de road. He bark' at de lit'le boy an' run out ergin;
+but none uv 'em can't make out howcum he act so cur'us. He run out in de
+back yard an' howl an' bark, an' de lit'le colt ax him whut ails him, he
+tell 'im Billy's mos' chok'd ter death, hangin' on de pastur' fence. De
+colt give er jump ov'r de back fence an' him an' Ned take out, jes' er
+t'arin' down de big road. De lit'le boy an' Mister Man seed de colt break
+loose an' dey flew atter him an' all uv 'em got ter Billy jes' in time
+ter keep 'im fum chokin' ter death."
+
+"Did Billy die?" asked the little boy in anxiety.
+
+"Nor, honey, 'caze he nuv'r had rope ernuf; but ef he had er had er little
+mo' rope him an' all de uther foolish folks like 'im wud er bin dead long
+ergo!"
+
+
+
+
+VII
+
+HOW THE BILLY GOAT LOST HIS TAIL
+
+
+The side lawn was the scene of a noisy fray between the old house cat and
+big dog, Bray. Servants from the neighborhood had quickly gathered to urge
+on the sport. Some of the children, Willis among the loudest, were crying
+and beseeching the men servants to save "poor Kitty," which they
+reluctantly did to the extent of allowing her to escape up an old crab
+apple tree.
+
+"I wush ter de Lawd he had er kilt her," said Phyllis, letting her
+rheumatic limbs down by degrees to a sitting posture on the grass,
+"'Ceitful old thing, I don't blame Bray!"
+
+"I love my Kitty!" cried Willis as he ran to the tree. There he earnestly
+advised the cat to stay just where she was until Bray went to sleep. A few
+of the larger children lingered expecting another fight, as Bray continued
+to bark and jump about the tree.
+
+"You ne'en ter tell dat cat ter take keer er _her_se'f! She des settin' up
+dat tree glis'nin' dem old green eyes on Bray an' sayin' ter 'erse'f:
+'Nuv'r mind, I'm gwine fix you soon es I git down fum hyah!'"
+
+"What can she do, Mammy Phyllis?" asked one of the larger girls. "She's
+too little to hurt Bray!"
+
+"Yas, an' ole Sis' Cat wus lit'ler'n her, an' yit she come mighty nigh ter
+fixin' Ned Dog an' Billy Goat, too! Doan nuv'r put no 'pindence in Sis
+Tabby's fokes."
+
+"Oh, Mammy Phyllis, _please_ tell us about Ned Dog," and the children
+gathered around her pressing the request.
+
+"Doan ax me ter tell nuthin' long as Willis keep foolin' roun' Bray wid
+dat switch!"
+
+Mammy pretended to rise, but two of the older children ran and coaxed
+Willis to sit by them and listen to the story. "Now, Mammy Phyllis, go on,
+he's going to sit still, ain't you Willis?" said one.
+
+"I want ter whoop Bray," muttered Willis only half satisfied.
+
+"Atter I tells you how 'ceitful Sis' Cat act ter Ned Dog, I boun' you'll
+change yo' chune! 'Member dat party Miss Race Hoss give an' how it broke
+up wid all uv 'em quoilin' an' 'busin' ole Brer Bar? Po' Brer Bar nuv'r
+got no vit'als neeth'r. Well, when Sis' Cat lef' dat party, she wus so
+mad she cudn't walk straight! She come er flyin' down de big road right
+catacornder'd! Dat is, she run in de road one minit, an' de nex' un, she
+fotch up on de side er de mount'in; den hyah she come back ergin in de
+road! Well, one uv de times she lit on de mount'in she fotch up right in
+front er Mist'r Rattlesnake's house. Mist'r Rattlesnake had des got out er
+bed an' stuck his head out'n his house ter git er little fresh air, when
+Sis' Cat come _blip! right in his face_! He lick' out his tongue an' say:
+
+"'Name er de Lawd, Sis' Cat!'
+
+"Sis' Cat say: 'Name er de Lawd, Mist'r Rattlesnake! Howcum you gittin' up
+dis time de year?'
+
+"'I thought I heerd m' 'larm clock go off,' he say.
+
+"'You ain' hyah no thunder Mister Rattlesnake! You kin g'long back ter
+baid an' take er three weeks' nap,' sez Sis' Cat.
+
+"'I'm sho' I heerd thunder er som'thin' pow'ful like it,' sez Mister
+Rattlesnake.
+
+"Sis' Cat tell him: 'You des heah de breakin' up uv Miss Race Hoss's
+party! Dat's whut you heah! Brer Bar act so outlashus we des hatt'r 'buse
+him an' run him off!'
+
+"Mist'r Rattlesnake set an' look at Sis' Cat er minit, 'caze yer see he
+ain' wake' up good yit. Den he lick out es tongue an' say: 'Sis' Cat, you
+sholy ain' th'owin' erway no fren's is yer? I knows I ain' got narry
+single fren' an' I knows you got pow'ful few yo'se'f! 'Pears ter me yer
+better g'long an' eat up dem words you sed ter Brer Bar!' Den he lick out
+his tongue ergin an' go on back ter baid.
+
+"Sis' Cat set right dar an' study, she do! Den she make up her mind ter
+take Mist'r Rattlesnake' 'vice. She slunk eroun' sorter soft an' sneakin'
+like thu de woods tell she come ter Brer Bar's house. She bum! bum! on de
+do' an' Brer Bar ax, 'Who dat?'
+
+"She say: 'Sis' Cat.'
+
+"'Is you Sis' Wile Cat er Sis' Tabby Cat?' ax Brer Bar.
+
+"'Sis' Tabby Cat.'
+
+"'You'se at de wrong do', Sis' Tabby Cat,' sez Brer Bar.
+
+"Sis' Cat start ter cryin': 'Oh! Brer Bar! Brer Bar! _please_ lemme come
+in! I'm mos' dead, Brer Bar!'
+
+"Brer Bar say: 'You bett'r git erway fum hyah, Sis' Cat, 'caze I'm li'ble
+ter eat enythin' I lays my paws on! I nuv'r had ernuf ter eat at de party,
+an' I ain' pervide m' fambly wid nuthin' ter eat, an' we'se all s' hungry
+dat we'se dangus', Sis' Cat!'
+
+"Sis' Cat keep on cryin': 'I know'd dat Brer Bar;--I know'd you an' yo'
+fambly was hongry, an' dat's howcum I ter come, Brer Bar! I come ter tell
+you whar some good vit'als was des waitin' fur yer!'
+
+"When Brer Bar hear dat, he sorter crack de do' an' poke his nose thu:
+'Sis' Tabby Cat,' he say, 'you smells good ernuf ter eat yo'se'f!'
+
+"Sis' Cat mos' skeerd ter death when she heah dat, an' she mos' die when
+she feel Brer Bar's mouf dreanin' an' drippin' on her back; so she stop'
+cryin' an' sorter back off kinder easy like an' tell Brer Bar dat Ned Dog
+got de fattes' Billy Goat he ev'r seed; an' ef he'd come down ter de ole
+sweet-gum tree in Mist'r Man's pastur' 'bout dark, she'd have him er
+whole tree full er honey, an' de Billy Goat, too!"
+
+Willis's lips began to tremble. He suddenly left his place among the
+children and falling on Phyllis's breast, sobbed aloud.
+
+"Brer Bar ain' eat de goat yit! He ain' eb'n got fur es de sweet-gum tree!
+Set hyah in Mammy's lap so nuthin' can't git you, an' lis'n ter de res' er
+de tale!" Snuggling him in her arms, she continued: "It nuv'r tuk Sis' Cat
+long ter light out fum Brer Bar's house, I tell yer! Dat dreanin' mouf er
+his'n skeer' her so bad dat she nuv'r tetch de groun' mo'n six times 'fo'
+she wus plum out'n de woods. Den she come er cropin' up ter Mister Man's
+house. She look all erroun' she do, an' see Ned Dog wusn't at home; den
+she g'long in de barn whar Billy wus huntin' fur sumthin' ter eat. She
+take er seat in de winder by de little colt's stall. Bimeby she say,
+'Billy, Miss Turkey Hen's givin' er mouty fine party ternight, down at de
+old sweet-gum tree in de pastur' an' she tole me ter ax you ter come.'
+Billy couldn't fine nuthin' ter eat in de barn but some old straw Miss
+Race Hoss had done slep' on, so he turn' roun' mouty quick when Sis' Cat
+tell him he wus ax ter er party. He sorter laff an' say: 'I wond'r howcum
+her ter ax me.'
+
+"Sis' Cat say: 'Caze she say you'se de fines' an' slickes' uv all Mister
+Man's beastes; an' she gwine have some nice lit'le tender rose bushes fur
+you ter eat, an' er heap er fine vit'als you loves.'
+
+"Billy Goat des switch his tail an' grin, 'caze yer know he wusn't nuthin'
+but er man goat, an' 'cose he b'lief all de comp'ments Sis' Cat choose
+ter stuff 'im wid. An' all de men fokes is des de same, tell dis day! ev'y
+Lord's blessed one uv 'em! When Sis' Cat see she done turn Billy's head
+plum roun' she tell 'im not ter tell Ned Dog erbout de party, 'caze Miss
+Turkey Hen say she ain' got 'nuf room but fur des one uv de fambly. Den,
+when Sis' Cat heah Ned Dog er comin', she lit out, 'caze she nuv'r want
+'im ter know dat she had enything ter do wid Brer Bar eatin' Billy Goat.
+Yer see Sis' Cat wus tryin' ter keep in wid bofe sides."
+
+Slipping her fingers under the bandanna kerchief bound about her head, and
+scratching slowly, Mammy chuckled to herself: "Dey's er heap er fine folks
+in dis hyah town des like Sis' Cat, too! Yes, Lawd, er heap uv 'em!"
+
+"Don't talk about people! We just want to hear about beastes!" urged
+little Mary Van.
+
+"I hatt'r do it sometimes, chile, 'caze fokes an' beastes has er heap er
+symptoms des erlike! Well, bless de Lawd, Billy ain't no sooner seed Ned
+'fo he 'gun ter brag erbout de party.
+
+"'Whose party?' sez Ned Dog.
+
+"'Miss Turkey Hen's havin' er fine party down at de ole sweet-gum tree
+ternight 'bout dark,' sez Billy.
+
+"Ned Dog think Billy tellin' er story, an' he say, 'Sis' Turkey Hen ain'
+givin' no party ternight! I done see Mist'r Turkey Gobble an' de chilluns
+in bed when I come thu de peach orchard an' old Miss Turkey Hen, she wus
+des tyin' her nightcap on her own se'f.'
+
+"But, yer see, Billy wus too hard-head'd ter lis'n ter enybody, so he up
+an' say, 'I can't hep whut you seen; Sis' Cat say she gwine have spechul
+vit'als fur me, an' I'm gwine!' Den Billy walk up an' down breshen de
+flies off'n his back wid his long tail."
+
+Seeing that some objections were about to be raised as to the length of
+the tail, Phyllis hastened to add: "In dem days goats had tails des like
+hosses. Soon es Billy menshun Sis' Cat's name, Ned Dog tell him Sis' Cat
+layin' er trap fur him; but 'tain't no use ter argufy wid hard-head'd
+fokes like Billy, so Ned Dog let 'im g'long ter de party; but he crope
+close on b'hime 'im, an' on de way, he come up wid Mist'r Bloodhoun' an'
+ax 'im ter g'long wid 'im. Mist'r Bloodhoun' say he pow'ful broke down
+trailin' er runaway nigger all day, but ef Ned was 'spectin' er rompus he
+'speck he'd hatt'r jine him. Bimeby, when Billy wus mos' down ter de
+sweet-gum tree, dey hides deyse'fs in er clump er red haw bushes. Ole Brer
+Bar he had done come down fum de mount'in early, an' wus standin' b'hime
+de tree des er gorgin' 'esse'f wid honey an' peepin' out, lookin' fur
+Billy Goat. When he see Billy come switchin' 'esse'f 'cross he pastur', he
+'gun ter fidgitin' so he can't wait ter git es teef in him, an' he bus'
+out fum b'hime de tree an' come er runnin' t'ards Billy. Billy wus so
+skeered he jes' had sense ernuf ter turn 'esse'f roun'! Brer Bar ketch 'im
+by de tail. Brer Bar pull, an' Billy pull. Billy pull, an' Brer Bar pull!
+Bimeby, de tail come off in Brer Bar's claw. Den Billy lit out; but Brer
+Bar grab 'im by de b'hime leg. Des den Mister Bloodhoun' an' Ned Dog wus
+on top er Brer Bar! Ned Dog grab Brer Bar's paw in es teefs an' Brer Bar
+drop Billy an' grab Ned by de ye'r an' wus mos' clampin' es jaws on Ned's
+haid when Mist'r Bloodhoun' clinch 'im by de th'oat! Brer Bar ax Mister
+Bloodhoun' please ter turn es th'oat loose, dat he got sumthin' ter tell
+'im! Mist'r Bloodhoun' 'nounce: 'I won't turn you plum loose, but I'll
+hol' yo' th'oat easy like tell you kin 'splain yo'se'f!'
+
+"Den Brer Bar splainify 'esse'f an' beg so hard, tell bimeby dey 'scuses
+'im, an' he amble' on home fas' es he kin. Den dey come on home ter settle
+matters wid Sis' Cat. Sis' Cat was er settin' by Billy moanin' wid him
+'bout losin' es tail."
+
+"Did his tail ever grow out any more?" asked a sympathetic boy.
+
+"No, honey, goats ain't nuv'r had no tails ter speak uv sense dat day; but
+hoopee! hyah come Ned Dog an' Mister Bloodhoun'! Dey come er yelpin' wid
+dey tongues er hangin' out. Dey pounce right whar Sis' Cat wus settin',
+but dey ain't pounce quick as Sis' Cat kin jump; 'caze by de time dey hits
+Sis' Cat's seat, Sis' Cat, she was plum on top er de cow house, standin'
+dar wid 'er back up, an' her tail bushy out. Ned Dog dare her ter come
+down an' splain 'erse'f; but Sis' Cat say she ain't got nuthin' ter
+'splain, an' what's mo' she doan take no dog's dare. An' dat howcum dey
+quoil an 'spute whensumever dey meets tell dis day."
+
+"But, Mammy Phyllis, _all_ cats are not as mean as ole Sis' Cat," ventured
+a little girl.
+
+"Honey, my gran-mammy wus black! What color is I?"
+
+"Black!" chimed all the children.
+
+"An' dat crab apple tree,--what sort er apples does you git off'n _hit_?"
+
+"Crab apples!" was the answer.
+
+"Well, ole Sis' Cat was mean an' 'ceitful, an'all 'er chillun is gwine ter
+be des like her long es I stays black an' dem crab apples stays sour. Now
+run erlong,--dere's de fust bell!"
+
+
+
+
+VIII
+
+SHOO FLY
+
+
+Phyllis was eating her dinner under the cherry tree near the kitchen door.
+Willis seated himself on the grass in front of her.
+
+"Mammy, you swallowed a fly then," he said with earnestness.
+
+"Look er heah, boy, ain't you had ernuf ter eat, dat you got ter set hyah
+an' sight ev'y piece uv vit'als I puts in my mouf?"
+
+"Well, you didn't want to eat a fly, did you?" he answered defensively.
+
+"Ef I eats er fly, hit's me doin' hit, ain't hit?" with a leg of a chicken
+poised half way to her mouth.
+
+"But Mama said they'd poison you." Willis was in trim for argument.
+
+"Yo' ma got er heap er new fangl'd notions; I dunno howcum fokes jes'
+startin' ter git fly pis'n'd. We bin eatin' vit'als dat flies lights on,
+sense long 'fo' yo' ma wus born'd. An' An' Ca'line, dat's mos' er hundred
+ye'r ole, say dat whin er fly light on her 'lasses she lick ev'y speck uv
+hit off'n him 'fo' she let him git erway."
+
+"Uncle Hugh says they'll make you awful sick," he pressed, though feeling
+his position weakened.
+
+"Dey doan make nobody sick, but dem whut puts on so miny airs," trying to
+talk with her mouth over full.
+
+"My mama don't put on airs," he insisted with a tone of injury.
+
+"She do too--dey ain' nobody put on es min'y fly airs es yo' ma. I heah
+one dese ve'y lit'le shoo flies talkin' 'bout Miss Lucy las' week. Shoo
+Fly settin' up heah on de lim' er dis tree talkin' ter Hoss Fly. He tell
+Hoss Fly he ain' had er squar' meal fur er mont'.
+
+"Hoss Fly tell 'im ter come on an' g'long down ter de stable an' take
+dinn'r wid 'im.
+
+"Shoo Fly say, 'I can' git no sumthin' ter eat out'n corn, an' oats, I
+wants chickin' pie, an' sweet tat'rs, an' blackberry dumplin' sich es
+fokes eats--go off, boy,' he say, 'I ain' no Hoss Fly.'
+
+"Hoss Fly say, 'Hits er pity yer ain't--yer wud live ter be er ole'r man
+if yer wus.'"
+
+"Why, Mammy, 'caus' Mister Hoss Fly's the biggest?" His eyes followed her,
+as she went to the kitchen door and exchanged her plate for one of
+blackberry dumpling.
+
+"De bigges' ain' got nuthin' ter do wid hit," as she resumed her seat;
+"hit de fokes dey haster 'sociate wid, dat's dang'us. Dey ain' nuthin'
+mo' dangersum ter er fly'n yo' ma," she looked him straight in the eye.
+"She got all de wind'rs fas'n'd up so yer can't shet er bline; an' she got
+dat sticky pap'r you sets in ev'ytime yer goes in de kitchin; an' she got
+dem pisnous flow'r boxes settin' ev'ywhar; an' she run 'roun' all day
+atter one fly, hittin' 'bout de house like de fly wus pis'n, sho' nuf.
+Miss Lucy's er sight, dat's de trufe, an' I doan blame Shoo Fly fur busin'
+her."
+
+The soft dumpling rolled down her throat, and Willis swallowed in
+sympathy.
+
+"Is Shoo Fly on the limb now?"
+
+"Nor, he tak'n din'r wid me terday, an' las' night, he tak'n supp'r wid
+Miss Lucy," she laughed aloud.
+
+"Did Mama try to kill him?" anxiously.
+
+"She sho' did, son, but dis heah Shoo Fly got er haid er Miss Lucy las'
+night," still she laughed. "Yas, suh, Shoo Fly tell Hoss Fly he sho' gwine
+perish ef he doan git er bite fum sumwhars.
+
+"Hoss Fly ax 'im: 'Is yer skeer'd ter go in Miss Lucy's house fur
+vit'als?'
+
+"Shoo Fly say, 'I ain' feerd er no Miss Lucy--I bin buttin' m' haid up
+'ginst sum'in' nuth'r in de wind'rs, tell m' haid right full er bumps.'
+
+"Hoss Fly say, 'You ain' got no sense, Shoo Fly,--'cose you can't git in
+dat wire foolishness! De onlies' way ter git in, is ter set up on de
+porch, an' wait fur sum de fokes ter op'n de do'.'
+
+"Dat peart'n Shoo Fly up moutily, an' he say he gwine dat minit, an' he
+do. He git ter de front porch jes' es Miss Ma'y wus fancy talkin' ter one
+er her beaux. Shoo Fly slip in, an' fly back ter de pantry an' light on
+sum er dis heah right heah," she scraped the butter sauce from the edge of
+the plate and smacked her lips. "Whoopee, dat sort'r vit'als drive de
+skeer out'n enny fly. Shoo Fly jes' hop erbout, an' gorge hisse'f, tell
+bimeby he can't hole no mo'. He start ter go out de wind'r, but he 'memb'r
+'bout dem bumps on his haid, so he tu'n roun' ter go in de parler, whin he
+come 'cross Miss Lucy! She start at 'im wid her fly-kill'r, an' sakes er
+live!--you ort'r seed de way Shoo Fly make Miss Lucy run erbout dat
+house!" Again she laughed, calling to mind Miss Lucy's daily fly fights.
+"But Shoo Fly hide b'hime yer gran'pa's pictur' ov'r de mantelpiece, an'
+wint fas' ter sleep. He doan wake up no mo' tell supp'r time, neeth'r. He
+g'long in de dinin' room ter supp'r wid de fambly, an' whin dey sets down,
+he tak'n his seat on de cream pitch'r. Miss Lucy knock at 'im, she do, den
+he recoleck de fuss him an' her done had wid one nuth'r, so he g'long ov'r
+ter Miss Ma'y's beau's plate, whar he know he kin eat all he want ter."
+
+"Wasn't he afraid of Shoo Fly?" asked Willis, surprised.
+
+"I nuv'r heah 'im pass no 'pinion 'bout de matt'r. Shoo Fly know dat man's
+eyes too bizzy lookin' at sum'in' purtier'n him, an' he know ergin de man
+got too much mann'rs ter set up an' fight flies whin he's vis'tin'.
+
+"Miss Lucy, she sot dar an' mos' fidgit herse'f ter death, whin Shoo Fly
+light fus' in de gent'muns vit'als, den up on his nose. De man breash 'im
+off his nose er heap er times, but Shoo Fly g'long back ev'y time, 'caze
+hit wus er nice place ter wash de greese off'n his face an' han's. An'
+ev'y time he git coffee er ice cream, er enny thing on his foots, he
+g'long back ter sumwhars on dat man's face ter wash his han's, an' wipe
+'em on his coat tails. Miss Lucy say she know de man think she got er
+million flies in dat house.
+
+"Shoo Fly done full er vit'als now, so he g'long ter bed b'hime yer
+gran'pa's pictur'. In de mawnin', he git up an' look erbout, he do, an' I
+tell yer he git pow'ful wo' out waitin' fur dem sleepy haid'd niggers ter
+start dey wurk, so by de time de cant'lopes git fix'd, Shoo Fly wus so
+hongry dat he eat hisse'f plum full er mush-mil'n 'fo' brekfus' time. He
+fly 'roun' an' zamine dat fly pap'r but he ain' got no room fur no mo'
+eatin'; den he look at dat cur'us Pison flow'r, but he keep way fum dat,
+'caze he say he ain' no bee. Jes' den heah come Miss Lucy wid 'er
+fly-kill'r. Him an' her dances considerbul ergin, but bimeby he g'long ter
+take er nap b'hime yer gran'pa, an' Miss Lucy set down ter read de mawnin'
+pap'r.
+
+"Whin he wake up, he sort'r feel holl'r, he do, 'caze cant'lope res'
+mighty light yer knows, so he g'long ter hunt sumpin' nuth'r ter eat. He
+think Miss Lucy done fergit 'im by now, but no, Lawd, he dunno Miss Lucy,
+fur he ain' buz hisse'f mo'n er time er two, 'fo' Miss Lucy take atter
+him. She skeer 'im so bad, dat he fergit all 'bout dem wire things in de
+wind'r, but Lawsee, whin his haid come 'ginst de wire, hit knock de senses
+out'n 'im, an' whin dat fly-kill'r er Miss Lucy's hit his toe, hit tu'n
+'im so sick, he fell blip! right on de fly pap'r. Mussy grashus! you
+ort'r heah Shoo Fly holl'rin' an' er buzzin' fur Hoss Fly.
+
+"'Bout dis time, whin Hoss Fly doan see nuthin' er Shoo Fly on de cherry
+tree, he g'long ter git er peep in at de wind'r ter see ef he kin git enny
+news uv 'im; an' bless de Lawd, he ain' git ter de wind'r 'fo' he heah
+Shoo Fly holl'rin': 'Oh, Hoss Fly, p-l-e-a-s-e come hope me out'n heah!'
+
+"Hoss Fly run ter de front do', but dat's shet tight, so he take an' run
+'roun' ter de kitchin do' whar he know dey's allus keerles'. He fly ter de
+kitchin' do' an' seen Kitty standin' wid her foot in de do' passin' news
+wid ole An' Malviny, an' he know he got plenty time ter go in an' 'ten'
+ter his biznes', 'fo' dat do' git shet ergin. He fly thu de kitchin, an'
+make fur de liberry, whar po' Shoo Fly had done mos' buzz hisse'f ter
+death.
+
+[Illustration: "SHOO-FLY HOLL'R, 'LOOK OUT FUR M' LEGS!'"]
+
+"Hoss Fly swoop down an' grab 'im by de wing, but Shoo Fly holl'r, 'Look
+out fur m' legs! Oh, Lawdy, you'se pullin' m' wing off--Oh, Lawdy, Lawdy!'
+
+"Nobody dunno de mis'ry po' Shoo Fly wus in. I tell yer Hoss Fly wurk
+mouty keerful ter git 'im all out tergeth'r. Den he liftes 'im up, but he
+doan hatt'r hole on ter 'im, 'caze Shoo Fly so sticky he hole his own se'f
+on. Hoss Fly come er flyin' back thu de kitchin."
+
+"Did Kitty have the door open for him?"
+
+"Cose, boy, ain't I done alreddy tole yer Kitty an' Mal gwine talk tell
+Miss Lucy come an' put 'em ter wurk? Yas, suh, Hoss Fly didn't had no
+trub'le gittin' 'im out er dat kitchin,--an' he come flyin' straight ter
+de stable, an' light wid Shoo Fly on top er de kerrige. He tell 'im ter
+roll hisse'f erbout on de kiv'r tell he git shed er dat sticky pison on
+'im."
+
+"Did Shoo Fly go back to the house when he got well?"
+
+Willis rose as he saw the old woman preparing to take her plate to the
+kitchen.
+
+"Nor, suhree, Shoo Fly say, he done got his full er big fokes! He say he
+done foun' out hit wus er heap bett'r ter g'long an' live whar de Lawd
+born'd yer ter live at, dan ter go 'mongst fokes dat doan want yer."
+
+
+
+
+IX
+
+ELECTION DAY
+
+
+"Mammy, can't my papa be mayor if he wants to?" bragged Willis, darting a
+satisfied look at Mary Van.
+
+"I'll tell yer mo' 'bout dat dis time termorrer," was the unexpected
+reply.
+
+"Yahn, yahn, yahn," taunted Mary Van.
+
+"He can, too," retorted Willis.
+
+Willis's papa was a candidate for mayor, hence in the family politics
+colored the conversation from the parlor through the nursery even to the
+kitchen.
+
+"De reason I says whut I does," Mammy apologized, "is 'caze dey tells me
+er dark hoss kin jump in at de las' minit an bus' de whole thing all ter
+pieces."
+
+"Does he kick up and run away?" Willis jerked at her apron to hasten the
+reply.
+
+"Dey runs erway wid de 'lection sometimes, ef de uth'r run'rs ain' sho'
+nuf race hosses an' got mighty strong harnes' on 'em."
+
+"Mammy, less me an' Mary Van be race hosses, an' you be er dark hoss, an'
+see which one can beat."
+
+"I low ef we-all wuster race hoss 'roun' dis hyah garret, 'tain' long fo'
+yo' ma'll be de dark hoss ter do de beatin'."
+
+"No, Mammy, put m' harness on," shaking the bells in impatience.
+
+"I can't play no race hoss up hyah terday, boy, 'caze Miss Lucy got her
+mine on 'lection news, an' she say you got ter be quiet."
+
+"No, I'm going to be a race horse, put m' harness on!"
+
+"Auntie might whip you, Willis," ventured Mary Van, "mightn't she, Mammy
+Phyllis?"
+
+"She whup 'im in er minit, ef he fool wid her terday."
+
+"Well, Mammy--" he fretted.
+
+"Lis'n hyah, baby--Miss Race Hoss settin' ov'r yond'r in de pastur'
+waitin' jes' like yo' ma is terday."
+
+"What's she waiting for?"
+
+"Waitin' ter hyah ef Mist'r Race Hoss beat Brer Bar ter be ruler er de
+beastes. Oh, I tell yer Ned Dog mos' run hisse'f plum ter death gittin'
+votes fur Mist'r Race Hoss; an' Mist'r Wile Cat, he de haid man gittin'
+votes fur Brer Bar."
+
+"But, Mammy--"
+
+"Lawd, boy, I wush you cud heah de scand'lous bettin' gwine on in dat
+pastur'--ev'ybody puttin' money on Mist'r Race Hoss, 'caze dey see Brer
+Bar's too slow an' sleepy mind'd ter keep up wid Mist'r Race Hoss. An'
+den, too, nobody doan trus' Mist'r Wile Cat fur nuthin'. Mist'r Wile Cat
+all time projeckin' wid some sorter big sumpin' nuth'r dat nuv'r do tu'n
+out ter be er thing. So yer see nobody ain' gwine vote fur Brer Bar, 'caze
+dey skeer'd er Mist'r Wile Cat's dealin's. Dey talks all dis out in de
+pastur', an' Mist'r Tom Cat he set an' lis'n ter de confab. Sometime he
+buse Brer Bar, an' sometime he make out he 'sleep an' doan heah.
+
+"One day Mist'r Jack Donkey wint up ter de fod'r rack ter git er chaw er
+fod'r, an' whin he come thu de cow shed he come 'cross Mist'r Tom Cat
+stretchin' his claws. Atter dey passes howdy wid one nuth'r, Mist'r Tom
+Cat, he say, 'Jack, I heah some fokes say, dey wush ter de Lawd you wus
+in Brer Bar's place.'
+
+"Jack, he tu'n his ye'rs 'roun', he do, an' say, 'Who say dat, Tom?'
+
+"Tom Cat say, 'Ev'ybody jes' wushin' fur er big sho' nuf man like you ter
+come in an' whoop out dat ole stuck up Race Hoss.'
+
+"Whin Jack Donkey heah dat, he sorter switch his tail, an' stomp fus' one
+foot an' den de uth'rs uv his foots, an' he keep his ye'rs tu'nin' 'roun'
+an' 'roun'."
+
+"What's the reason he does that, Mammy Phyllis; were the flies bothering
+him?" asked the little girl.
+
+"He studyin', honey, dat sort'r confab'll wurk on men fokes, let lone er
+donkey. Jack sort'r tu'n matt'rs ov'r in his mine, an' he say ter hisse'f,
+'I sho' is er sho' nuf big man, an' I sho' is got er heap er sense, 'caze
+I kin outdo Mist'r Man up yond'r enny day. Nobody can't make me do
+nuthin' my mine ain' sot on doin', an' enybody kin hitch up dat high
+steppin' Race Hoss, an' make 'im plow er do enny sort'r thing whut dey
+pleases. Yas,' he says, 'I got mo' sense dan Race Hoss, an' bless de Lawd,
+ef I doan b'leef I'm bett'r lookin', too!'
+
+"Mist'r Tom Cat ain' say er thing, he jes' keep er stretchin' his claws,
+waitin' fur Jack Donkey ter git plum full er hisse'f. Bimeby, he git full
+ernuf ter bile ov'r, an' he say, 'Brer Tom, I ain' much on pol'ticks, you
+knows dat,--but ef de plantation is jes' brow beat by dat ripsnortin' Race
+Hoss, an' can't git shed er him no uth'r way, 'cep'n fur some uth'r bigg'r
+man 'n him ter run 'ginst 'im, den I'm yer man.'
+
+"Tom, he light out fum dar, an' make tracks all ov'r de pastur' tell he
+come ter Mist'r Billy Goat's house."
+
+"Was it Ned Dog's Billy Goat?" and Willis was contented to lay aside the
+harness.
+
+"Hit wus Billy's gran'pa, ole Cap'n Goat. Cap'n Goat wus walkin' up an'
+down de branch washin' his foots an' takin' er swall'r er water ev'y now
+an' den, an' whin Tom Cat come erlong an' op'n up an' tell his biznes', de
+Cap'n git so 'cited, dat he stomp water all ov'r creation, an' Tom git
+right sharply sprinkl'd. He jump up an' shake hisse'f, he do, an' sorter
+start up ter de shade er de chestnut tree. Dey pass er heap er
+conversation, dey does, but de upshot uv hit wus, dat Cap'n Goat 'cide ter
+put Jack Donkey up es er dark hoss.
+
+"Mist'r Tom Cat, he run an' tell Brer Mule, an' Mist'r Dur'm Cow, an'
+Mist'r Brindle Cow, an' ole man Hog, ter run quick ter de ches'nut tree,
+dat Cap'n Goat's got sumpin' big ter tell 'em! Whin dey gits dar, an'
+passes de news back'ards an' fur'ards 'mongst derse'fs, dey 'cides ter run
+Jack Donkey in de race.
+
+"Mist'r Dur'am Cow say, 'Jack's mo' stronger'n Race Hoss.'
+
+"Ole man Hog say, 'Yas, an' he kin wurk long'r an' mo' hard'r'n Race
+Hoss.'
+
+"Oh, dey praises Jack Donkey up moutily, an' all uv 'em say dey'll whup
+Mist'r Race Hoss so bad dat he'll be 'sham'd ter trot 'long side uv er mud
+turtle.
+
+"Dey so bizzy wid der confab, dat dey ain' notice Mist'r Wile Cat settin'
+up on er lim' er de tree. Atter dey spies him, dey axes 'im ter pass his
+'pinion on de meetin'.
+
+"He up an' low, he did, dat he know Brer Bar ain' in de race, but, sezee,
+'Jack Donkey can't do much bet'r'n Brer Bar, ef you let fokes know 'im.'
+
+"Dey axes him how dey kin hope hit.
+
+"He tell 'em ter run him by de name er Bline Billy.
+
+"Dey ax 'im how he speck Bline Billy name gwine keep fokes fum knowin'
+Jack Donkey whin he 'pear ter make his canvas.
+
+"Wile Cat say ter make 'im kiv'r hisse'f up whinsumev'r he rise 'fo' de
+congregation.
+
+"An' dat's whut dey done, an' nobody 'cep'n dem fokes und'r de ches'nut
+tree know Bline Billy's sho' nuf name.
+
+"Ned Dog, he go tell Mist'r Race Hoss 'bout dis new fine run'r dat's
+makin' sich fine speeches 'ginst 'im. Mist'r Race Hoss tell Ned Dog ter
+git der side tergeth'r so dey kin confab erbout de mat'r. Ned Dog, he
+passes de wurd ter 'em all, an' he 'speshully tell Brer Mule ter be dar
+sho'.
+
+"Brer Mule tell him he can't make up his min' which side he's on, he say
+he kin ter Bline Billy, an' he ort'r vote fur him.
+
+"Ned Dog tell him he mustn't fergit dat him an' Mist'r Race Hoss kin, too.
+
+"He say he ain' fergit hit, an' dat's howcum he so twist'd up 'bout
+votin'. He set an' study, he do, an' de mo' he study, de mo' he can't make
+up his mine."
+
+"Make him vote for Mister Race Hoss, Mammy."
+
+"Make who, boy?--Brer Mule settin' up on dat fence stud'in' jes whar Ned
+Dog lef' 'im."
+
+Willis became discouraged over Mister Race Horse's prospects and insisted
+with much feeling that Phyllis had influenced the animals in Jack
+Donkey's behalf.
+
+"Go off, boy, how I gwine make dese trashy creeturs vote fur high tone
+fokes like yo' pa an' Mist'r Race Hoss? Dey dunno nuthin' 'cep'n whut de
+murchine tell 'em ter vote," shaking her head in condemnation and mumbling
+to herself. "Sometimes I studies ter m'se'f ef de wimmin fokes cud do enny
+bett'r."
+
+"Mammy Phyllis, please make somebody come to Mister Race Horse's meetin',"
+urged Mary Van.
+
+"Doan you both'r yose'f 'bout dat meetin', 'caze Ned Dog both'rin' nuf fur
+bofe uv yer. He go tell Mist'r Rooster ter telerfome ter Mist'r Turk'y
+Gobler, an' Mist'r Peacock, an' he tell Mist'r Bloodhoun' fur him ter run
+an' tell Mist'r Jersey Cow, an'--"
+
+"An' Mister Turtle," suggested Willis, trying to help the meeting along.
+
+"Nor, suh, ole man Mud Turtle ain' got no bisnes' at dis meetin', he
+'longs wid de Bline Billy crowd. Ef you talkin' 'bout Mist'r Di'mon' Back
+Terrapin, den you'se right, 'caze he wus dar on de amen bench, an'--"
+
+"Where were the sheep, Mammy?"
+
+"Dat's so, baby, I mos' fergit all 'bout de 'spute Unk Bell Weth'r an' ole
+Daddy Ram Sheep had 'bout de mat'r. Daddy Ram Sheep wanter vote fur Bline
+Billy, but Unk Bell Weth'r say dey got ter heah mo' speakin' 'fo' dey got
+nuf sense ter know which one de bes' side.
+
+"Well, de speakin' start' an' I tell yer hit kep' up scand'lus, too.
+
+"Mist'r Race Hoss 'vite Bline Billy an' Brer Bar bofe uv 'em ter speak
+wid 'im, but Brer Bar feer'd ter, an' ev'y time Jack Donkey say he gwine
+mix speeches wid Mist'r Race Hoss, ole Uncle Gee-Haw Steer giv' er big
+kick 'ginst hit.
+
+"He say, 'Twon' do, twon' do!'
+
+"Fin'ly Ned Dog ax Cap'n Goat ef Bline Billy skeer'd ter meet Mist'r Race
+Hoss on de same stump, will he 'gree ter meet 'im on diffunt stumps but
+tolerbul close tergether, so dey kin see which one kin out do de uth'r.
+
+"Cap'n Goat say Bline Billy ain' skeer'd er no race hoss dat ev'r capr'd
+on er track, an' ter 'nounce de time an' name de stumps, an' Blin'
+Billy'll be dar wid fo' foots an' er tongue dat'll make Mist'r Race Hoss
+eat up all dat big talk he bin scat'rin' 'roun'.
+
+"Whin ole Unk Gee-Haw Steer heah 'bout de meetin' he kick er 'ginst hit,
+he say dat donkey gwine make er jack er hisse'f sho' es sho' kin be; dat
+fokes'll fin' out who Bline Billy is, ef he start ter talkin' wid Mist'r
+Race Hoss.
+
+"Mist'r Tom Cat say, 'Nor, Jack Donkey gwinter keep hisse'f kiv'r'd up
+plum tell de 'lection's ov'r.'
+
+"Sez Unk Gee-Haw Steer, 'I wants yer all ter 'member I kick'd 'ginst hit
+ter de ve'y las'.'
+
+"Oh, I tells yer dar wus mouty times gwine on gittin' reddy fur dat
+'casion; de pastur' wus plum full er flags.
+
+"Sis' Tabby Cat, she slip ov'r ter Miss Race Hosses house an' say, 'Miss
+Race Hoss, Mist'r Tom Cat say hit mos' kill him ter vote 'ginst Mist'r
+Race Hoss, but Cap'n Goat done bin sich er good frin' ter our fambly dat
+Tom bleege ter do like de Cap'n ax 'im, but hit mos' killin' Tom, 'caze he
+say Mist'r Race Hoss is de man fur de place, an' he hope he gwine git
+'lect'd.'
+
+"Miss Race Hoss ain' sayin' nuthin'. She know all 'bout Mist'r Tom Cat's
+doin's an' Sis' Tabby wusn't foolin' nobody but herse'f. Lawd, chillun,"
+she mused, preparing to cut some quilt pieces, "how menny Sis' Tabby Cats
+is bin ter see Miss Lucy heah lately?"
+
+"Well, de speakin' day come. Bline Billy wus settin' off on his stump all
+kiv'r'd up, so nobody kin tell him. Cap'n Goat settin' right close ter him
+whisperin' all de time, an' Brer Turkey Buzzard he swoopin' all eroun' de
+congergation takin' messages fur Cap'n Goat, an' pickin' up eny scrap uv
+vit'als he kin fine.
+
+"Mist'r Race Hoss settin' on his stump, too, wid Jedge Eagle perch'd 'long
+side er him an' Ned Dog on de uth'r side.
+
+"Mist'r Bull-finch an' John Mockin' Bird wus de lead'rs er de ban' an' I
+tell yer dat musick wus sumthin' ter heah sho' nuf.
+
+"Cap'n Goat say dey doan want no musick playin' at der speakin'.
+
+"Brer Bull Frog say: 'Nor, suhree, you git er jug-er-rum an' put hit wit
+Sis' Ginny Hen's boys up in de gal'ry, long wid Miss Wile Lucy Goose's
+chilluns, an' you got nuf fuss fur fifty meetin's.'
+
+"Mist'r Tom Cat slap down on his leg an' say, 'Dat's de very thing; dat ef
+Mist'r Race Hoss git ter th'owin' off too much language, jes' ter git Brer
+Bull Frog ter start off de Ginny chorus an' he bet Race Hoss won't heah
+his own se'f talk.'"
+
+Willis moved closer. "Was all of 'em sittin' together, Mammy?"
+
+"Nor, dey wus fur nuf erpart fur bofe uv 'em ter keep der own crowd."
+
+"Where did Brer Mule sit?" Mary Van remembered to ask.
+
+"And where did Uncle Bell Weth'r take the sheep?" put in Willis.
+
+"Brer Mule had bisnes' dat take 'im clean off'n de plantation, honey, an'
+dat bisnes' keep 'im plum tell 'lection day's ov'r. Yas, Lawd, an' er
+whole passel er yo' pa's frien's went wid him ter hope 'im ten' ter his
+bisnes'."
+
+"Did Uncle Bell Weth'r and the sheep go, too?"
+
+"Nor, son, dey jes' nachelly ain' got der mines sot yit, an' dey ain'
+settin' wid one nur t'other. Dey huddl'd tergeth'r right b'twixt de two,
+waitin' fur Unk Bell Weth'r ter ring de bell, den all uv 'em gwine move
+tergeth'r.
+
+"But youall keep er talkin' so much, Mist'r Race Hoss an' Bline Billy
+gittin' wo' out settin' on dem stumps."
+
+"Tell 'em to start, Mammy."
+
+"Dey done start, baby. Bline Billy's ginny chorus jes' er pot'rackin' hard
+es dey kin, 'caze Brer Bull Frog so full er jug-er-rum, dat he start 'em
+off too soon. Cose de gooses turn loose soon es de ginnies give de fus
+'potter-rack.'
+
+"Cap'n Goat tuk an' whisp'r ter Brer Turkey Buzz'rd ter go tell Jim Duck
+fur de Lawd sake ter stop de fuss, so Jack Donkey kin speak, 'caze Mist'r
+Race Hoss wus jes' er speakin' gran' an' gittin' way erhead; an' Cap'n
+Goat settin' up dar pullin' his whisk'rs an' farely chawin' de een's off.
+Fin'ly Brer Turkey Buzzard whisper ter Jim Puddle Duck, but Jim Duck
+sorter deef an' he think Brer Buzzard say fur his fambly ter go he'p 'long
+de fuss. So he go, he do, an' geth'r 'em up, an' Miss Screech Owel's
+fokes, too, an' dey starts sich ernuth'r holl'rin' es nobody ain' nuv'r
+heah befo' nur sense. Cap'n Goat try ter shout out er few wurds, but
+nobody can' heah er wurd, so Mist'r Durham Cow raise his beller ter try
+ter hope him, but dat done do no good. Den Mist'r Tom Cat see ef he kin
+git in er wurd, but nobody wud know he wus talkin' les'n dey see his mouf
+wurkin'.
+
+"Whoopee! Jack Donkey wus so mad, he hop up ter holler, too, but Mist'r
+Wile Cat hidin' b'hime 'im, grabs 'im by de kiv'r an' tell 'im ter set
+still tell dey holl'rs derse'fs out. He say, 'Den you kin speak atter
+Mist'r Race Hoss gits all wo' out.' But nor suhree, dat 'vice ain' suitin'
+Jack Donkey, an' whut's mo', he too hard haided ter lis'n enyhow, so he up
+an' start ter holl'rin his 'He-haw, he-haw.'
+
+"Whoopee! dat stop de fuss! Somebody 'gun ter holl'r: 'Bline Billy ain'
+nobody but ole Jack Donkey!' All uv 'em say, 'De idee er Jack Donkey
+puttin' hisse'f up ter be rul'r er de beastes.'
+
+"Unk Bell Weth'r shake de bell, an' all de sheep flocks ter Mist'r Race
+Hoss's side.
+
+"Oh, I tell yer dar wusn't but er han'ful er fokes lef' on Jack's side."
+
+"Why did Jack Donkey pull his cov'r off, Mammy?"
+
+"He didn't hatt'r pull his kiv'r off, son, caze Jack call out his own
+name--can't you tell er donkey whin you heahs him bray?"
+
+At that moment a band and shouts of people were heard coming up the
+street.
+
+"Lawsee! chillun! Less git down fum heah; I b'leef in m' soul Mist'r Race
+Hoss done beat dis race sho' nuf."
+
+
+
+
+X
+
+MISTER BAD 'SIMMON TREE
+
+
+"Look at that big old grape tree, Mammy Phyllis," said Mary Van, as she
+ran beside the little boy gathering wild flowers in the woods back of the
+house.
+
+"That's not a grape tree, Mary Van--it's a grape vine," corrected Willis.
+
+"'Tain't, it's a tree, isn't it, Mammy?"
+
+"It's a vine," he emphasized with a shake of her arm.
+
+"Make him stop, he's knocking my flowers."
+
+"Dey ain't no use youall 'sputin' 'bout Miss Wile Grape. Bofe uv yer's got
+hit right. She uster be Miss Wile Grape Vine 'fo' she take an' marry ole
+man Holl'r Tree. Now she call herse'f Miss Grape Vine Tree."
+
+"Where's Old Man Holl'r Tree?"
+
+"Yond'rs him,--standin' b'hime Miss Wile Grape. Dey's er heap er men fokes
+hidin' b'hime der ole ladies in dis worl', too! Yas, suh! an' dey's er
+heap uv 'ooman fokes dat act jes' like Miss Wile Grape done whin Mist'r
+Wise Oak tell her long time ergo ter stop keepin' comp'ny wid Holl'r Tree.
+Mist'r Wise Oak tell her Holl'r Tree ain' fit'n fur nuthin' but ter hide
+possums in.
+
+"She say, 'I doan keer ef he can't do nuthin', I kin make er livin' fur
+bofe uv us, but I'm jes' bleeg ter have sumbody ter lean on.'
+
+"He say, 'Doan git er long s' fas', Wile Grape; lay low fur er while, an'
+'twon' be long 'fo' young Johnnie Live Oak'll reach out an' ax you ter
+lean on him.'
+
+"She say, 'No, I ain' gwine 'ginst Holl'r Tree jes' 'caze he's gettin' ole
+an' ball.'
+
+"Miss Crab Apple tell her, 'Dat's right, grab yer fus' chance, 'caze yer
+ain' gwina git no mo'.' Dat hu't po' lit'le Wile Grape's feelin's, an' she
+sorter wilt an' creep on de groun' tell Miss Bizzy Bee come an' tell her
+Holl'r Tree say ef she doan come on, he gwine tumble ter pieces. Den she
+lif' up her haid an' git Bob Win' ter take her up ter Holl'r Tree, an' she
+bin dar ev'r sense, tryin' ter hide his ole ugly se'f; an' de wurser he
+look, de mo' purty leaves an' grapes she try ter kiv'r ov'r him."
+
+"What'd Miss Crab Apple say?" Mary Van wanted to hear the gossip.
+
+"Nobody ain' lis'n ter whut she say, 'caze she so sour an' mean, ev'ybody
+keep out'n her way."
+
+Willis darted ahead. "Look, Mammy, look at the persimmons!" and he began
+hurling stones towards the tree.
+
+"Nobody doan want no green 'simmons, boy."
+
+"They're not green, they're yellow," and another stone followed.
+
+"Let dem 'simmons 'lone, I tell yer--dey ain' fit'n fur nothin', doan keer
+ef dey is yaller. De fros' got ter fall on 'em 'fo' eb'n possums'll eat
+'em." She added, under her breath, "Like dese heah sour fokes dat don't
+nuv'r git sweet tell trub'le hit 'em."
+
+"I don't care, I'm going to knock 'em down anyway."
+
+"Ahah, you gwine be hard-haid'd jes' like 'Simmon Tree wus whin he wus er
+lit'le hard-haid'd boy tree, an' his ma tell him ter stop sassyin' old
+fokes."
+
+"Who did he sassy?" Willis looked with indecision at the stone in his
+hand.
+
+"I ain' gwine tell yer nuthin' tell yer th'ows dat rock down an' gits fur
+nuf fum 'Simmon Tree ter keep him fum lis'nin' ter whut I says, 'caze he
+'memb'rs long time ergo whin all de trees wus waitin' ter see which one
+gwine have de fines' crap er chillun. Early hyah in de spring, 'fo' Jack
+Fros' go ter see Miss White Snow, Dandy Lion come peepin' out; all de
+trees bowin' an' swingin' derse'fs erbout axin' de news 'bout der chillun.
+Dandy Lion say, 'Don't yer heah lit'le Weepin' Will'r cryin' an' holl'rin'
+ov'r yond'r now?' Sho' nuf dar she wus tellin' her ma 'bout lit'le Maple
+Tree an' all uv 'em pushin' her out fus' ter see ef Jack Fros' fixin' ter
+pack his trunk."
+
+The stone slid noiselessly from Willis's hand, while Phyllis led the way
+beyond the green persimmons.
+
+"Did Jack Frost bite little Willow Tree?"
+
+"He don't bite 'em less'n dey gits hard-haid'd an' sassy him. But hyah
+come lit'le Aspin, an' lit'le Sugar Maple, an' dey says Lit'le 'Simmon
+Tree an' de res' uv de tree chillun is reddy ter come, soon es ole Unk'
+Sun warm up de room fur 'em er lit'le. Bimeby, all uv 'em gits der haids
+an' hands out, 'cep'n Pine Tree chile. Ev'ybody axin' Miss Vilet, an' Miss
+Honey-suckle an' all uv 'em wharbouts Pine Tree chile wus at. Pres'ntly
+ole Tall Pine say, he do: 'Jes' 'ten' ter yer own biznes', my boy know
+whut he doin'. He ain' gwine come up hyah rippin' an' tar'in' 'roun', an'
+den hatt'r stan' dar an' die in his tracks. Whin enny er my fambly comes
+up in de woods, dey comes ter stay,' sez he: 'De res' er you all goes off
+in de winter time, but me an' my fokes stays right hyah; darfo', I done
+lernt my chillun ter git er good start 'fo' dey comes thu!'
+
+"I tell yer, Pine Tree chile wus workin' hard ter tap wat'r so he kin keep
+up wid de res' er de trees atter he jines de woods."
+
+"How can he tap water?" interrupted Willis.
+
+"Dey taps hit wid der roots. Sometimes er pine tree whut ain't no big'r'n
+my han' is got roots fifteen foots long. An' I tell yer Pine Tree tellin'
+de trufe, his boy know der fambly bleege ter have wat'r ter live on, an'
+he ain't gwine take no stan' in dis woel he know he can't keep up wid. De
+trees dey talks 'bout him mouty bad at fus', but he don't pay no 'tenshun
+ter 'em, he jes' mine his own biznes', an' bimeby he git big 'nuf ter
+look on de top uv all 'em."
+
+"Did he look down on the top of Mist'r Wise Oak?" broke in Willis.
+
+"Tall Pine so high an' straight hisse'f, he ain't thinkin' 'bout de top er
+nobody's haid. He know Mist'r Wise Oak's de big'es' man on Tinker Knob an'
+he proud ter keep comp'ny wid him."
+
+"Who was running against Wise Oak?" the race for mayor still lingering in
+his mind.
+
+"Well, son, dar wus er heap uv 'em dat want ter git in, but dey can't git
+nobody ter put 'em up. Lombody Poplar ax Holl'r Tree ter put him up, but
+Holl'r Tree tell him ter look at hisse'f, an' see how fokes 'ud t'ar him
+ter pieces. He say he dunno howcum.
+
+"Holl'r Tree say, 'Whut's you done ter make fokes vote fur you? You doan
+give no fruit, an' you too stingy ter eb'n stretch yer arms out an' make
+shade fur ennybody.'
+
+"Lombody say, 'Yer doan want me ter spile m' shape does yer?'
+
+"Holl'r Tree say, 'Dat's hit. You thinks too much 'bout yer own se'f ter
+serve de woods.' But I ain' got time ter tell yer all whut de trees talks
+erbout. I jes' wanter tell yer 'bout whut Mist'r bad 'Simmon Tree got.
+
+"Whin he wus er lit'le boy tree, he all de time bein' hard-haided an'
+makin' fusses twixt de trees er de beastes er enybody dat 'ud lis'n ter
+him. His ma whoop him er heap 'bout tellin' tales, an' meddlin' in fokes'
+'fars, but ev'y time Bob Win' come thu de woods 'Simmon Tree'd lean way
+down ter de groun' totin' tales ter sumbody. One time Mist'r Brindle Cow
+come walkin' long thu de woods, huntin' fur some nice lit'le chaws er
+wile flow'rs, an' 'Simmon Tree hol'r fur him ter come set down an' talk
+ter him. Mister Brindle say he ain' got no time ter fool wid chillun. Wid
+dat 'Simmon Tree holl'r back: 'Yer bet'r take time, 'caze ev'y body know
+you done bin runn'd out'n de pastur'.' Whoopee! Mist'r Brindle Cow give er
+jump an' lan' hisse'f 'pon top er dat sassy little tree, an' I tell yer he
+nuv'r lef' dar tell he had tromp 'Simmon Tree clean down ter de groun'.
+Den he curl his tail in de air an' go bellerin' back ter de pastur'.
+
+"'Simmon Tree sorter raise up one fing'r, den he lif' his haid up er
+lit'le bit, but he hurt so bad near 'bout his foots dat he cry an' beg
+sumbody ter please hope him up.
+
+"Jes' den Mist'r Man an' his lit'le boy come ridin' thu dar on Miss Race
+Hoss. Mist'r Man stop, he do, an' say, 'Look at dat nice lit'le 'Simmon
+Tree sumbody done tromp'd down. I'm gwine tie hit up an' give hit er
+chanct,' sez he. So him an' de lit'le boy liftes hit up, an' 'Simmon Tree
+holl'r, 'Oh! Lawdy! yer's killin' me,' but dey ties him up an' put sticks
+up 'ginst him ter keep him fum fallin' down, an' 'tain' long 'fo' de hu't
+part wus kur'd tergeth'r fine, an', by de time he wus grow'd up, nobody
+cud tell he ev'r wus er bad lit'le boy dat mos' got kilt by his badness.
+Oh, he wus er starchy lookin' tree I tell yer. Look like he wus de fines'
+lookin' uv all de tree chillun."
+
+"One day Bob Win' put on his fine linnin duster an' he come er projeckin'
+an' frolickin' 'roun' de Reed gals down in de Cane Break. Dey has er heap
+er fun, I tell yer. Bob allus crackin' his jokes ter 'em tell dey mos'
+die fallin' 'ginst one nuth'r laffin'.
+
+"'Simmon Tree git so mad 'caze he can't fly 'roun' an' projeck wid de gals
+like Bob, dat he 'fuse ter speak ter Bob's howdy. Bob he sorter laf an'
+flutt'r 'Simmon Tree's leaves back'ards. 'Simmon Tree git mad es fire den,
+an' he tell him ter 'clar out!'
+
+"He say, 'You does er heap er braggin' an' blusterin' in dese parts Bob
+Win', but I ain' nuv'r seed nuthin' in yer but bad mann'rs.'
+
+"Bob say, 'I see yer done forgit de les'n Brer Brindle Cow learnt yer whin
+you wus lit'le.'
+
+"'Simmon Tree say, 'I ain' skeer'd er all de Mist'r Cows in de pastur',
+an' you th'ow'd in ter boot. You ain' nuthin' but er win' bag ennyhow.'
+
+"Bob Win' say, 'Git reddy, suh, we gwine proof whose de bes' man 'fo'
+sundown.'
+
+"Bob go ax his pa, ole man Harricane, ter loan him his cyarpet bag, he
+tell him he want ter take sum fightin' close 'long on er trip he gwine on
+thu de woods. Ole Kerlum-bang Thunder say he gwine 'long ter see de fun.
+Po'-Down Rain say he gwine too, but Bob tell 'em he doan want nobody ter
+hope him.
+
+"Po'-Down Rain says he ain' gwine hope nobody, he say, 'Mist'r Wise Oak
+sont fur me er mont' ergo, an' I ain' had time ter go yit, but I'm gwine
+now, 'caze I wants ter see you whin you tu'ns yose'f loose.'
+
+"Ole Kerlum-bang Thund'r say, 'I ain' gwine hu't nobody, I'm jes' gwina
+shoot off er few fier wurks, an' rat'le 'roun' er lit'le.'
+
+"Bob see he can' do nuthin' wid 'em, so he start off. Fus' he come sorter
+sof' whrrrrrrrr, whuuuuuuuu. All de trees lafs an' howdy's ter one nuth'r
+'cep' 'Simmon Tree. He 'fuse ter russ'le so much es er leaf. Bob come
+Brrrrrrrrr, sorter strong like, de leaves on de groun' try ter hop up an'
+cap'r wid dem on de trees, an' de Reed gals wus jes' laffin' an' th'owin'
+derse'fs erbout scand'lous. 'Simmon Tree ain' flutt'r er leaf, 'cep'n whin
+he bleeg'd ter. Bob Win' come Brrrrrrrr, Whrrrrrrrr, Brrrrr, Brrrrrrrr,
+Whrrrrrr, Zuzuzuzuzuzuzuzuzuzuzuzuzuzzzzzzzzzz, whoopee! I tell yer he's
+comin' now! He rip an' t'ar, he do, ringin' an' twistin' ev'ything dat
+gits in his way. Ole Kerlum-bang Thunder give er clap an' tetch off er
+fier crack'r dat skeer de Cane Break fokes mouty nigh ter death. Po'-Down
+Rain come right 'long b'hime him. He wet dem woods mouty nigh ter flood
+times. Ole Kerlum-bang drop his chunk er fier on a passel er big
+fier-crackers, an'--"
+
+"And Roman candles, and sky rockets!" added Willis.
+
+"Yas, an' de fus' thing you knows Bob Win' had done swep' up dat groun'
+b'fo' him clean es yo' ma's parler floor. He step up ter 'Simmon Tree an'
+ax him ef he got ennything ter take back.
+
+"'Simmon Tree say, 'I done tole yer I ain' gwina pass wurds wid no sich er
+blow hard es you is.'
+
+"Bob Win' grab him 'roun 'de trunk, he do, an' give er good twis' on his
+haid, but dat nuv'r done no harm, an' 'Simmon Tree hit him back es good es
+he sen'. Bob take him by de arms an' twis' wid all his might, but 'Simmon
+Tree laff in his face, an' twis' back at him. Den Bob give er runnin'
+jump an' wrop hisse'f 'long 'bout 'Simmon's foots. Well, suh, dat een' de
+fight. Bob hit him in de weak part, an' 'Simmon Tree broke an' come,
+kerblum', an' splint'r'd hisse'f all ov'r de groun'."
+
+"Mammy, I thought you said Mister Man cured him, so he was bigger and
+stronger than all of the rest?" Mary Van had a good memory but Phyllis was
+ever ready to answer the interruption.
+
+"Aha, aha, you 'members dat does yer? An' dat's jes' whut he wus--mo'
+finer'n all uv 'em 'cep'n in dat weak place his hard haid make, whin he
+wus er lit'le bit'r tree. An' er gal er boy"--she looked earnestly into
+each face--"kin be sassy an' hard-haid'd whin dey's lit'le, an' whin dey
+gits grow'd up an' 'gins ter rass'lin' wid triberlations, de ve'y fus'
+fight dey gits in, dat weak bad, hard-haided place gwine give way fus',
+an' dey'll splinter all ter pieces jes' like 'Simmon Tree done."
+
+"Can Bob Wind whip all the trees?"
+
+"He sho' kin, son, dat is, enny uv 'em dat's so big'rty an' hard-haid'd
+dey can't lis'n ter nobody. I tell yer dar's er plenty er Bob Win's ter
+whoop all de biggerty hard-haids 'mongst de men fokes, too."
+
+"I bet there isn't any Bob Wind that can whip my papa."
+
+"No, my Lawd, dat dey ain't," she laughed softly, then added: "Howcum you
+reck'n yo' pa come ter be sich er big man?" she stopped to hear his
+answer.
+
+"Cause he's my papa," defended the child.
+
+"'Tain't no sich er thing. Plenty fokes gots papa's 'sides you. Hit's
+'caze he got de bignes' ter mine whut his ole lady say ter him ev'y onct
+in erwhile. Come 'long, we ain' gwine git er Lawd's bit er dinn'r ef we
+doan git out er dese hyah woods."
+
+
+
+
+XI
+
+BIG EYE BUZZARD
+
+
+"Mammy, less go up to Jim Weed's house, he's going to give me one of his
+buzzard eggs." Willis was halfway to the gate.
+
+"Come back hyah, boy,--I ain' gwine stirry er step fum dis hyah tree tell
+I churns dis milk fur Kitty, an' ennyhow yond'r come comp'ny ter see yer,"
+she nodded towards Mary Van, who was tip-toeing to unfasten the gate.
+
+"'Tain't anybody but Mary Van, and she can go, too."
+
+"Where, Willis?" and the little girl ran past him to the joggling board[1]
+near Phyllis; "Put me up, Mammy!"
+
+    [1] Joggling-board.--A long, springy board about three feet from the
+    ground, made fast at each end, and so arranged that children may jump
+    up and down, or joggle on it.
+
+Phyllis dropped the churn top in place and went to the assistance of Mary
+Van. "Come on, son," she called over her shoulder, "an' let dem buzzard
+aigs hatch right whar dey is, 'caze de Lawd knows dey's in de right nes'."
+
+"Jim Weed's er nice boy," resented Willis, refusing to come.
+
+"He ain' nuthin' but po' white trash." She stood with her arms akimbo,
+waiting to lift him beside Mary Van. "Come on, an' hole Ma'y Van's han' so
+bofe uv yer kin stay on de bo'rd whin yer joggles."
+
+"He's not poor white trash," exclaimed Willis hotly, "he's got a pigeon
+house, and a dog house, and a bird house, and a--"
+
+"I doan keer how minny houses he got, an' I doan keer how much money he
+got neeth'r--he ain' nuthin' in dis woel but po' trash," she announced
+with a sweeping bow, then added to Mary Van, as she returned to the churn:
+"Set down on de bo'rd, honey, tell Willis git reddy ter stan' up an' jump
+wid you. He bleege ter cool off er while, fus', 'cose he know trashy fokes
+got ter keep on bein' trashy, jes' like he know dat buzzard aig bleege ter
+hatch out er buzzard; doan keer ef you puts hit in Lilly Dove's nes' er
+way up yond'r in Jedge Eagle's nes', hit's boun' ter be er buzzard dat
+pips dat aig shell."
+
+Swishing the dasher up and down in the churn, she continued addressing
+herself to Mary Van.
+
+"Yas, Lawd, yer orter heah ole man Turkey Buzzard tell 'bout whin his boy,
+Big Eye, turn hisse'f ter er eagle. Big Eye tell his pa he ti'ed
+soshatin' wid de low down buzzards dat lives on Dead Man's Mountain, an'
+he done make up his min' ter greeze his feath'rs an' shave de top er his
+haid like de ball eagle, an' move ov'r ter Tinker Knob whar de fus' class
+birds lives at."
+
+"Mammy, I thought buzzards were bald anyhow," said Willis coming a step or
+two nearer.
+
+"'Cose dey bin ball ev'r sense Big Eye shave his haid.
+
+"His pa say, 'Doan yer know soon es fokes heahs yer name, dey kin p'int
+out yer fambly?'
+
+"He tell his pa he gwine change his name ter Mist'r Mount'n Fowel, an'
+tell de fokes he's kin ter Jedge Eagle's fambly, so he kin git vit'd ter
+de fine parties.
+
+"His pa say, 'Fokes kin tell yo' buzzard lope' soon es you starts ter
+dancin'.'
+
+"He say he ain' gwine dance no 'buzzard lope,' dat he gwine 'cut de pigeon
+wing.'
+
+"His ma ax him, 'Whatchu gwine do 'bout marryin' yo' cousin Ashy Car'on
+Crow?'
+
+"He say he done fergit all 'bout dat ole black, warty head'd crow, dat he
+gwine marry Miss Tishy Peafowel.
+
+"His pa tell him he dunno nuthin' tall erbout dis new fangled way er
+doin', dat he allus heahs de ole fokes say birds bett'r stick ter der own
+fe'th'r.
+
+"He stan' up an' sass his pa scan'lous, an' say jes' 'caze his fambly wus
+buzzards, dat ain' no rees'n fur him ter be one. He say he mo' finer
+lookin' dan dem. 'In fack,' sez he, 'I'm jes' like dem Eagle boys, an' I'm
+gwine pass off fur one de fambly, too.'
+
+"Ole lady Buzzard cry an' beg him ter stay at home; she say ef he jes'
+make er man er hisse'f, he kin be de bigges' buzzard on Dead Man.
+
+"He pat his ma on de back, an' laf' sorter gran' like an' say, ''Ooman
+fokes am' got 'nuf sense ter 'vise in men fokes 'fars.' Den he flop his
+wings an' come flyin' 'zackly like dem Eagle boys flies.
+
+"Whin de birds on Tink'r seed him comin', dey 'gun ter pass jedgement
+'bout who hit mout be. Sum says hit's one, sum says hit's ernuth'r, but
+all uv 'em says one thing dey knows fur sartin an' sho,--'Tain' no ole
+buzzard."
+
+Willis had come slowly, step by step, until he had climbed up by Mary Van,
+on the joggling board.
+
+"Big Eye Buzzard sorter circle 'roun' lookin' fur er good place ter
+light. Bimeby, he see Doct'r Peckerwood lancin' er bile on one dese tall
+Pine trees, an' he start circlin' 'roun' de Pine tree. Atter while heah he
+come an' light on de ve'y top'es lim'. Doct'r Peckerwood howdy sorter
+short ter him, 'caze he bizzy tryin' ter keep de Pine tree fum moanin'
+ov'r de bile, but er lit'le thing like dat doan both'r Big Eye, he up an'
+spon', 'I'm feelin' poly m'se'f, an' I stop ter git sum med'cine, an' ax
+Mist'r Tall Pine ef he kin spar' me er room.'
+
+"Doct'r Peckerwood ax him wharbouts he hu't, an' wharbouts he come fum,
+an' what's his name, an' whut he bin eatin'? Yer see Doct'r Peckerwood
+want ter git sum news 'long wid de symptoms.
+
+"Big Eye say, 'I'm tendin' ter sum biznes' fur m' Unkle Jedge Eagle, an' I
+ain' eat nuthin' sense I lef' Mill Mount'in, whar de Eagleses lives at.'
+
+"Doct'r Peck'rwood say, 'Surt'n'ly he heah fokes tell 'bout de great Jedge
+Eagle, an' fur him ter stay right dar tell he git good an' well, 'caze he
+know Mist'r Pine Tree ain' nuv'r had one er de Eagle fambly at his house
+b'fo'.'
+
+"Tall Pine say, 'I'm pow'ful po'ly m'sef, but hit 'ud make me proud ef yer
+kin make yerse'f comf'bul, an' stay.'
+
+"Oh, I tell yer, dem Tree Frogs an' Lizzarts 'buse Mist'r Mount'in Fowel
+scan'lous. Dey sez he keep 'em runnin' ev'y which er way all de time, an'
+he ain' give 'em so much es er ole par er shoes.
+
+"Doct'r Peck'rwood g'long ov'r ter Miss Chicken Hawkes's ter give one de
+chillun er dost er cast'r oil, an' he tell 'em dat de gentmun dey seed
+wus Mist'r Mount'in Fowel, an' he wus kin ter Jedge Eagle. An' Polly
+Parret wus spindin' de day wid Miss Chickin Hawk dat day, an' whin de
+Doct'r g'long off, An' Polly make Miss Chicken Hawk fix up er nice chickin
+fur her ter car'y up ter Big Eye. Miss Chickin Hawk want one er her gals
+ter take de chickin, but An' Polly say dey too young ter be projickin'
+'roun' whar gentmuns is at, but hit doan make no diffunce 'bout er ole
+maid like her. Well, she car'd de chickin, an' she brung back de
+news.--Big Eye stuff her so full, dat she can' hardly fly wid hit. She
+come ter Miss Magpie's house, an' I tell yer dey wus jes' waitin' fur her.
+Dey runs out ter meet her, an' she bile ov'r 'fo' she git in de house, an'
+'fo' she git plum th'u, dem Magpie gals had done put on der fine close,
+an' wus totin' dat news 'roun' like er gun wus b'hime 'em. Fokes sont him
+fine vit'als ter eat, an' say soon es he git so es ter be erbout, dey
+gwine 'vite him ter some parties.
+
+"All dis time, Big Eye settin' up on dat lim' gorgin' hisse'f wid der fine
+vit'als, an' mos' killin' hisse'f laffin' 'bout how fokes loves ter be
+fool'd. He know hits 'bout time fur him ter be gittin' well, an' he set
+an' studdy how he gwine git de money ter keep up wid de hifalutin' a'rs
+dese fine fokes puts on. Long 'bout dat time, Sis' Cow's cousin take an'
+die. Dey keeps her out er day er two, 'caze dey fixin' ter have er fine
+fun'al. Big Eye git well soon es he heah 'bout dat dead cow. He flop his
+wings an' fly back ter Dead Man's Mount'in, an' tell de buzzards he got er
+fine piece er meat ter sell 'em cheap. Dey barg'ins right den an' dar
+fur all de dead an'mals on Tink'r, an' Big Eye sign de corntrack part,
+ef dey promise dey nuv'r is ter come on Tink'r ter git 'em, 'cep'n on de
+dark er de moon."
+
+[Illustration: "BIMEBY HE GIT AX'D TER BE ER PAWL B'ARER TER ALL UV 'EM."]
+
+"Let 'em come in the daytime, Mammy, they can't see in the dark,"
+suggested Willis.
+
+"Big Eye know dey'd run him clean off'n Tinker Knob ef dem fokes see he
+git his livin' off'n der mis'ry. Nex' day hyah he come flyin' back wid er
+big bunch er fun'al flow'rs wid ribbin streamers flyin' ev'y which er way.
+Fokes wint ter de fun'al jes' ter see de flow'rs. Ev'ybody talkin' 'bout
+de gran'nes' er Mist'r Mount'in Fowel, an' how he 'tend all de berryin's,
+doan keer who 'tis. An' bimeby he git ax'd ter be er pawl b'arer ter all
+uv 'em.
+
+"Miss Chickin Hawk give er party long 'bout den, an' Big Eye he act mouty
+nice ter her gals, tell Mist'r Turkey Gobl'r 'vite him ter his house, den
+he fergit he ev'r heah tell er de Chicken Hawkeses. He runnin' ev'y minite
+ter Mist'r Turkey Gobl'rs house, makin' like he wus dancin' 'tendance on
+Mandy Gobl'r, an' all he wanter do is ter git er peep at Tishy Peafowel
+dat live nex' do'. Oh, I tell yer he talk purty talk ter Mandy, but he
+cas' dem sheep eyes at Tish. Bimeby, Mandy, she pass Big Eye de
+'quaintance uv Tishy ov'r de fence, an' hit 'tain't long 'fo' Big Eye gits
+er invite ov'r ter Majer Peafowel's. Whin dat hap'n, hit look like he done
+fergit wharbouts Mandy live, an' po' Mandy she look out de wind'r an' see
+Big Eye an' Tishy sashain' in de yard, lovin' harder'n er mule kin kick.
+
+"Majer Peafowel say he want Tishy ter mar'y Johnny Squinch Owel, 'caze
+he's de bigges' lawyer on Tinker. But Tishy say he too ugly ter look at,
+let lone ter mar'y.
+
+"Johnny Squinch ain' sayin' nuthin', he jes' keepin' er lookout fur Big
+Eye. He see Big Eye go out sumwhars ev'y dark er de moon, an' he low he
+gwine fol'r 'im an' see whut he do. 'Caze yer knows de dark'r hit gits, de
+bet'rer Squinch Owels kin see."
+
+"How can he see in the dark?"
+
+"I dunno how 'tis, Ma'y Van, but de Lawd fixes owels eyes so dey kin 'ten'
+ter der night biznes', an' whin fokes gits ter lovin' an' gits in er tight
+place like Johnny Squinch wus, de Lawd fixes der eyes so dey kin see th'u
+de dark an' ev'y which er way, too. One night on de dark er de moon, Big
+Eye start out ter meet de buzzards. He got fo' hosses, an' two cows, an'
+er pass'l er birds. Big Eye, he wus jes' er takin' in de money I tell
+yer. He can't see hit, but he kin feel uv hit, an' he know dey darsn't ter
+cheat him. But Johnny Squinch settin' up on er lim' jes' ov'r his
+haid,--he kin count de money, yassuh, ev'y cent uv hit, too. Dey ain' no
+eyes kin see like Johnny Squinch's, 'speshally whin dey's lovin'. De nex'
+day, Majer Peafowel fly up ter Pine Tree Holl'r ter see Mist'r Mount'in
+Fowel 'bout whut Johnny tell him."
+
+"Mammy, could Major Peafowl fly up to the top of Mister Tall Pine?" asked
+Mary Van in amazement.
+
+"Who sed he fly up ter de top? I sed he wint up ter de Pine Tree Holl'r.
+De Majer ain' gwine bus' in nobody's room les'n he sen' his cyard up
+fus',--an' how you know dey ain' got one dem ellumvat'rs like de new hotel
+got?"
+
+"Oh!" apologetically, she exclaimed.
+
+Phyllis continued, "Whin de Majer ax him 'bout las' night's biznes', Big
+Eye look him straight in de eye an' bus' out laffin', like hit wus de bes'
+joke he ev'r heah. He say he wush ter de Lawd he had er know'd Johnny
+Squinch wus dar, 'caze he nuv'r wud er bin helt up by dem night rob'rs. He
+tell him, 'cose he wus countin' money, but hit wus de money de Jedge give
+'im, an' he say he bleege ter count hit out fur de rob'rs, 'caze dey belt
+er pist'l in his ribs.
+
+"De Majer brung de news home ter Tishy, an' she say Johnny jes' tellin'
+tales on Mount'in Fowel, but Johnny tell her Mount'in Fowel ain' nuthin'
+but er big ole low down buzzard, an' he gwine proof hit ter her.
+
+"De Majer say ef Mount'in Fowel dealin' in car'on, howcum hit dat de od'r
+er his biznes' ain' stickin' ter him, dat he allus mighty sweet wid
+colone whin he come ter der house.
+
+"Johnny say he too smart ter tech hit hisse'f, dat he set way off fum hit
+an' jes' tetches de money.
+
+"Majer dunno which ter b'leef. Tishy car'in on so, busin' one an' lovin'
+t'other, dat he make up his mine he gwine lay er trap an' see ef Big Eye
+'ud fall in hit. Long 'bout dis time, Big Eye 'gun ter long fur de vit'als
+he bin rais'd on, an' ev'y time he set an' sell dem dead an'mals ter de
+buzzards, his mouf dribble so dat he 'termine he gwine tas'e er lit'le ef
+hit kills him. He done hit too, an' whut's mo' hit tas'e so good, he tas'e
+hit ergin, an' whut's mo' en dat, he slip out ev'y night an' take er good
+bate er car'on. Fus' thing yer know, his colone nur his fine doin's
+neeth'r can' hide dat sumthin' wus pow'ful wrong wid him. Tishy jes' cry
+an' cry, an' say she doan see nuthin' wrong wid him, dat hits jes'
+ev'ybody jellus uv 'im. Oh, she tuk on pow'ful. Johnny Squinch an' Brer
+Brindle Cow dey confabs er while jes 'fo' de moon git dark ergin, an' de
+upshot uv hit wus dat Brer Brindle g'long ter de fur een' er de pastur'
+an' drap hisse'f down like he done fell dead. Den he lay dar. Big Eye seen
+him whin he fall, an' hit look like ter him dark nuv'r wud come. Johnny
+an' de Majer settin' b'hime de fence waitin' ter see whut gwine hap'n."
+
+"What did happen, Mammy Phyllis?" asked Mary Van.
+
+"Hit hap'n dat Big Eye's _buzzard-side_ grow'd fast'r dan his
+hifalutin'-side, fur 'fo' dark come, he put out ter git some nice lit'le
+pickin's off'n Brer Brindle, 'fo' de fun'l."
+
+"Did Johnny and the Major catch him?" asked Willis.
+
+"Ketch him, boy? You jes' orter seed Big Eye whin Brer Brindle rise up an'
+say: '_cl'ar out_,' an' he cl'ar clean out too, fur nobody ain' nuv'r seed
+er buzzard on Tinker Knob sense.
+
+"Lawsee, Johnny Squinch's lawyer sense done hit. He say, 'jes watch whar
+de car'on lays at, ef you tryin' ter ketch er buzzard.'" Then turning a
+warning look to Willis, "An' you 'mem'r no buzzard ev'r turn hisse'f ter
+er Eagle in dis woel; an' you let dat Weed boy an' his buzzard aigs
+erlone, yer heah me?"
+
+"Yes'm," he answered meekly, then forgetful of Mary Van, he jumped
+suddenly from the joggling board and asked, "What did Tishy do?"
+
+Mary Van fell off. Phyllis hurried to see if she was hurt, and replied, as
+she put her dress to rights, "Tishy was upsot, jes' like Ma'y Van is now,
+'cep'in mo' so."
+
+
+
+
+XII
+
+MISS LILLY DOVE
+
+
+"Mammy, look at Tishy Peafowl in Mary Van's yard." Willis pointed across
+the street to a peacock in full expression of his feathered pride.
+
+Phyllis went to the window and exclaimed, "You sho'ly ain' callin' Majer
+Peafowl, dat ugly ole Tishy?"
+
+"You said Tishy was fine and pretty," reminded Mary Van.
+
+"She wus, tell Mist'r Mount'in Fowel tu'n out ter be nobody but er ole low
+down buzzard. I tell yer dat gal act so scand'lous dat all her purty
+feath'rs start ter drappin' out, 'caze she act so ugly on de inside, dey
+wusn't nuthin' ter hole de purty on de outside."
+
+"Did all her pretty feathers drop out sho' nuf?" asked the little girl,
+much concerned.
+
+"Dey ain' all drap out yit, 'caze she ain' loss all her inside purty yit."
+
+"What's Major Peafowel doing?"
+
+"He jes' stan'in' up dar watchin' dat fier on Tinker, an' wushin' hit 'ud
+bu'n up Lilly Dove's house."
+
+Immediately the children became interested in watching the forest fire
+which enveloped a part of Tinker Knob.
+
+"Did Lilly's house burn down?" asked Mary Van with feeling.
+
+"Bu'n up er holy Ghos' bird's house?" exclaimed Phyllis. "Why, gal, dat's
+de bird de Holy Ghos' sen's, an' exsen's 'pon, whinsomev'r hit come down
+'pon de earf! Jes' like Jay burds is Satan's burds,--fokes says dey goes
+ter de Bad Place ev'y Friday night, an' I 'speck dey sees er heap er fokes
+useter live heah too."
+
+"Mammy, I'm skeered God don't know the mountain's on fire," said Willis
+anxiously.
+
+"Go off, boy, de Lawd ain' needin' you ter hope him 'ten' ter His
+biznes'--now ef dat wus er Jay burd, hit wud er bin burnt clean up, but
+bein's hit's er Holy Ghos' dove, dat hope ole man Noah ter lan' de Ark, de
+Lawd ain' gwine let her swing er feath'r. Dis hyah ain' de fus' time Lilly
+Dove put her trus' in de Lawd. Dat hit 'tain't," as she took from the
+floor the book of Robin Redbreast, "an' dis hyah Cock Robin," placing her
+finger on the picture, "is de ve'y man dat start all de fracus."
+
+"Didn't Robin like Lilly Dove?" Willis left the window to look at the
+book.
+
+"Him an' Ginny Wren near 'bout foolish 'bout Lilly Dove--dat's howcum
+Tishy Peafowel ter tu'n 'ginst Lilly like she done."
+
+Mary Van went over to Willis, and together they spread the book upon the
+floor where the gay-colored pictures of the birds accentuated the
+feathered characters of Phyllis's mind.
+
+"Tishy Peafowel nev'r wud er got so mean, ef An' Polly Parrit had er mine
+her own biznes',--'stid er dat, An' Polly ax Cock Robin whut ail Tishy
+feath'rs. Robin tell her Tishy ain' got no sense, dat ef she had much
+sense es Lilly Dove got, she nuv'r wud er bin in de fix she in
+now.--Whoopee! dat start de fracus.
+
+"An' Polly start right fum dar an' spen' de day wid ev'rybody in de
+woods--she mixin' de 'pinions fokes got er Tishy an' Lilly. Atter she git
+bustin' full er news, hyah she come ter spen' de day wid Tishy. Whin ole
+Lady Peafowel see An' Polly take off her bonnet ter spen' de day, she run
+an' git out de bes' china, an' she tell de cook ter have fried chick'n fur
+din'r 'caze she know An' Polly gwine tell all erbout whut dey eats ter de
+nex' place she go."
+
+She paused to lift a table near the window, when Willis called from the
+floor:
+
+"Mammy, don't let Aunt Polly have fried chicken for dinner."
+
+"You sho'ly done los' yo' senses, boy. Ole lady Peafowel jes' es skeered
+er An' Polly es yo' ma is er Miss Tilly Totenews.--'Cose she gwine have
+fried chick'n an' mo' b'sides,--an' she doan let none de chillun do no
+talkin' whar An' Polly's at neeth'r," she giggled.
+
+The children needed no further description of Aunt Polly, for they knew a
+visit from Miss Tilly meant their banishment, as well as the strictest
+injunction to yea, yea, nay, nay, whenever they chanced to meet her.
+
+"Yas, suh," she unfolded her quilt pieces and prepared to assort them on
+the table, "An' Polly talk er nuf wurds ter Tishy dat day ter set her plum
+on fier wid madnes'. Yer see mos' all Tishy's purty feath'rs wus out, an'
+dem whut's lef wus right loose an' straggly, an' dat make Tishy wusser.
+Yer see trubble done make Tishy so sour an' mean dat she hate ev'rybody
+dat's purty'r'n her--an' she hate Lilly wusser en all uv 'em, 'caze Lilly
+wus so kine, an' treat fokes so sweet, dat ev'rybody jes' nachelly love
+Lilly.
+
+"Long 'bout dis time, de church fixin' ter have er sociable. Dey gwine
+have speakin' pieces, an' singin' jes' like fokes has. John Mockin'bird,
+he de haid man. 'Cose John wus lovin' Lilly, an' 'cose he want Lilly ter
+sing er chune er do sump'in, but Lilly say she bleege ter him fur axin'
+her, but de Lawd nuv'r make her ter sing like Laura Nightingale, an'
+'tain' no use er her tryin' ter do hit. I tell yer Lilly had er heap er
+sense--an' er heap er beaux, too; dar wus John Mockin'bird, an' Tom Jay
+Bird, an' Bob White, an' mo' b'sides. But she ain' keer nuthin' fur none
+uv 'em 'cep'in' John."
+
+"Mammy, did Lilly Dove know Tom Jay Bird went to the Bad Place every
+Friday night?" Willis went over and stood by the table.
+
+"Cose she heah tell erbout hit, 'caze An' Polly Parrit done spen' de day
+wid her on de subjec', but Lilly, she sot right still tell An' Polly git
+th'u busin' him, an' callin' him low down gambl'r--den Lilly she up an'
+ax, 'An' Polly does you recoleck whin you wus shet up in dat cage up at
+Mist'r Man's house?' An' Polly say she nuv'r is ter fergit hit. Lilly say,
+'Does yer 'memb'r whin Tom Jay ust'r fotch yer all dem fat wurms?' An'
+Polly say she know Tom's er good feller, but she jes' tellin' whut _fokes
+sez_.
+
+"Yas, suh, Tom wus er good feller, but we got ter git back ter de
+sociable, er dem fokes git ti'ed er waitin'."
+
+Willis's foot accidentally upset the quilt basket. "Take yer foot out'n
+Mammy's bask't, an' g'long back an' look at de pictur's wid Ma'y Van."
+
+"No, I won't--I'm tired sitting down on the floor."
+
+"Dat's jes' de way Tishy Peafowel talk whin her ma beg her ter stay at
+home wid dem loose straggly feath'rs er he'rn, but Tishy say, 'No, I
+won't,' jes' like you talks ter me sometimes. Jes' den one her purty
+feath'rs drap out."
+
+"Well, Mammy, I do want to stand up," he added apologetically, "and we've
+looked at all the pictures in that book."
+
+She found another book of birds which she opened on the table.
+
+"Hyah, stan' up an' look at dese,--dar's Tishy de ve'y fus' one."
+
+Mary Van was soon beside him:
+
+"Ain't Tishy pretty, Mammy Phyllis?" she said.
+
+"She sho' wus sumthin' ter look at 'fo' Big Eye Buzzard come erlong. An'
+Tishy wus er good gal, too, but she nuv'r had nuf 'ligion ter stan'
+trubble."
+
+"Did her mama let her go down town?"
+
+"Tishy done got so mean, her ma can' do nuthin' wid her. She tell her ma
+she gwine ter see how John Mockin'bird gittin' 'long wid de sociable." She
+added with a confidential air: "Tishy want ter act in de sociable, an' she
+wanter give John er chanct ter ax her.
+
+"Oh, I tell yer John have er heap er trubble wid de diffunt kine er fokes
+ov'r dat sociable. Dar wus de Sparrer fambly dat yer can' keep out no way
+yer fixes hit, dey'll eb'n git ter parties whar nobody don't want 'em an'
+den act like dey wus de bigges' fokes ax'd."
+
+"How, Mammy?" Mary Van thought of her own birthday party where she had
+excluded Jim Weed.
+
+"Oh, dey does like Miss Bizzy Sparrer done Lilly Dove whin she give er
+party one time. Miss Bizzy meet Lilly in de poplar tree an' say:
+
+"'I heah yer 'bout ter give er party, Miss Lilly, an' I jes' wanter ax yer
+ef we got enything yer kin use?'
+
+"Lilly, she thank her an' tu'n de subjec', but Bizzy she git back on ter
+hit ergin an' say:
+
+"'Ain't dey sumpin' I kin do? Lemme hope yer.'
+
+"Lilly say she doan need nobody ter do nuthin', but she kin come ter de
+party ef she's er mine ter.
+
+"An' Bizzy come, too, an' whut's mo', her bruth'r hafter come ter bring
+her, an' whut's mo'en dat, her sist'r can't stay at home by herse'f. Yas,
+Lawd, an' 'fo' enybody know how dey got dar, de place wus right full er
+Sparrers."
+
+"Mammy, did John ask Tishy to act in the sociable?" began Willis.
+
+"I'm gwine tell yer now 'bout whin she start ter see John, she come up wid
+An' Polly. She ax An' Polly ef she know wharbouts John is. An' Polly say,
+John gone clean ov'r ter de Peaks er Otter ter git some flow'rs fer Lilly
+ter w'ar ter de sociable.
+
+"Tishy say, 'Yas, I speck Lilly Dove gwine be tryin' ter do all de singin'
+an' de speakin', too.'
+
+"An' Polly say, ''Cose John gwine sing wid her ter keep fokes fum
+laffin'.' Tishy git so mad 'caze she can't see John dat she flounce
+herse'f roun' right in An' Polly's face an' strut herse'f home,--an' her
+purty feath'rs drap out all 'long de road. Dat night at de sociable,
+Lilly, she come wid John, an' I tell yer, man, she look purty, too, wid
+dem gran' flow'rs John fotch her. John he so proud he mos' bustin'. He
+take an' strut all roun' wid Lilly hangin' on his arm, an' all de fokes
+talkin' 'bout how fine dey looks. Bimeby, hyah come Tishy wid Jack Sparrer
+an--"
+
+"Wasn't Jack Sparrow too little for Tishy Peafowel?" appealed Mary Van.
+
+"'Cose he wus, but yer see Tishy done loss her chusin', an' she got ter
+take whut she kin git.--Jack Sparrer doan wanter go wid her neeth'r, but
+yer see Tishy wus so fus' class dat Jack ax her, so he kin mix wid de
+hifalutin' fokes. Dem sparrers er sight, I tell yer," she mused.
+
+"Go on, Mammy," Willis shook the book.
+
+"Well, whin Lilly see Tishy look so pitiful long side er Jack Sparrer, she
+go right straight an' walk 'long side er her, 'caze ev'ybody laffin' at
+Tishy.
+
+"Lilly ain' talk ter Tishy long, 'fo' she fine out Tishy want ter sing er
+chune. Lilly she go an' tell John:
+
+"'Yer mus' ax Tishy ter sing.'
+
+"John say, 'I'm too bizzy ter fool wid Tishy.'
+
+"Lilly coo sof' an' ax', 'Please, John.'
+
+"John say, 'All right.'
+
+"Oh, I tell yer, John sing ev'rybody's chune wid 'em. He so happy he can'
+keep his mouf shet. Jes' den he 'nounce dat Miss Tishy Peafowel gwine
+sing. Ev'rybody feel like shettin' der eyes whin dat straggly fe'th'r
+Tishy walk up ter de pianny. She 'nounce, she do:
+
+"'I ain' sot er chune sense I got well, but ef youall's bleege ter hyah
+me, I'll do m' bes'.'
+
+"Mussy gracious! de fokes hatt'r hole on ter der ye'rs,--"
+
+"Why, Mammy?"
+
+At that moment, the peafowl in Mary Van's yard uttered a piercing screech.
+
+"Dat's de rees'n," she answered. "Peafowel's bin singin' jes' dat erway
+sense den. Whoopee, whin Tishy see fokes stoppin' up der ye'rs, she fling
+herse'f 'roun' an' grab John Mockin'bird by de arm an' walk clean out'n de
+meetin' house."
+
+"Was her feath'rs dropping out, too?" reminded Mary Van.
+
+"Dat dey wus, she scatter 'em ev'ywhar she go. Whin she git John out in
+de dark, she flounce 'roun' an' say: 'You ain' sich er big sumbody, John
+Mockin'bird! Lilly Dove say she jes' 'spise you an' yo' ugly ole
+flow'rs--dat she wush ter de Lawd she had er nice gent'mun like Mist'r
+Jack Sparrer ter car'y her home ternight. She say she jes' plum sick er
+you.' John look at Tishy, tryin' ter make out whut she say, den he sorter
+puff out his chist an' strut back in de meetin'."
+
+"Didn't he know Tishy was mean an bad?" asked Willis.
+
+"How he gwine know, son? Tishy wus mouty fus' class 'fo' Big Eye come
+eroun'. Howsomev'r, whin him an' Tishy go back in de meetin' house, Tishy
+had done los' ev'y one er her purty feath'rs, an' she wusn't nuthin' but
+er ugly ole brown Peahen!--an' she bin ugly ev'r sense, 'caze she ain'
+nuv'r got nuf purty on de inside, ter make no mo' purty on de outside
+ergin."
+
+"Did Jack Sparrow take Lilly Dove home?" asked Mary Van.
+
+"Yas, mam, 'caze John ax him ter, an' John ax Lilly ter give him dem
+flow'rs, too. Lilly dunno whut ter make whin she see John take an' th'ow
+'em out'n de wind'r--she mos' die!"
+
+"Did she cry, Mammy?" Mary Van asked sympathetically.
+
+"She nuv'r cry den, but she sho' bus' her eyes op'n whin she git home by
+herse'f. Po' Lilly, she stay er prayin' an' er cryin' all night long."
+Phyllis's voice trembled in sympathy, and unconsciously the little girl
+and boy found themselves on either side of her, so close as to prevent the
+progress of quilt making. She laid the unfinished square on the table,
+and placed an arm about each.
+
+"Yas, chillun, Lilly fix her eyes on de Lawd. Dat's de diffunce b'twixt
+her an' Tishy--yer see, trubble make some fokes purtier on de inside 'n
+ev'r. Lilly dunno whut ail John, but she _do know_ dat she holdin' on ter
+de Lawd."
+
+"Tell God about Lilly quick, Mammy." Willis fidgeted.
+
+"Ain' I done tole yer de Lawd doan need fokes ter hope Him?"
+
+"But we don't want Lilly to cry any more," urged Mary Van.
+
+"She washin' her eyes in cole water now, 'caze An' Polly knockin' at de
+do'. An' Polly see de cur'us doin's at de sociable las' night, an' she
+can' wait ter eat her brekfus' 'fo' she go up ter Lilly's house. Whin An'
+Polly see po' Lilly's sweet lit'le face all swool up, de Lawd tu'n her
+h'art ter goodnes' an' she kiss Lilly an' say, 'I wants yer ter go out ter
+de Water Falls, an' hope er po' lit'le bird Doct'r Peck'rwood say some bad
+boy hit wid er rock.'
+
+"Lilly she tie her bonnet on, an' fly out ter de Falls 'fo' yer knows hit.
+Den An' Polly she come on ter Tishy Peafowels an' ax Tishy, 'Whut in de
+name er de Lawd ail Lilly Dove an' John Mockin'bird?'
+
+"Tish thow her head back an' laf one dese mean sorter lafs an' say: 'I
+done hit, I wus jes' ti'ed uv ev'ybody runnin' atter dat mealy mouf Lilly
+Dove, an' I jes' 'termine ter part her an' John--'caze John orter be my
+beau, ennyhow.'
+
+"An' Polly mos' fall out'n de tree whin Tishy say dat. Yas, suh, she jes'
+fly up ter John's quick es she kin. John, he walkin' up an' down wid his
+han's und'r his coat tails, mumblin' an' grumblin' ter hisse'f, an' hit
+wus right smart time 'fo' he see An' Polly settin' dar.
+
+"An' Polly, she say: 'John Mockin'bird, Tishy Peafowel done tole me dat
+low down sto'y she tole you 'ginst Lilly Dove.'
+
+"John, he look at An' Polly like he can't make out whut she say.
+
+"An' Polly say, 'Hit's de trufe,--Tishy make up ev'r wurd she tell you,
+an' po' lit'le Lilly bin cryin' her eyes out all night.'
+
+"John bus' out moanin', 'Whut mus' I do?'
+
+"She tell 'im: 'Lilly out at de Water Falls now.'
+
+"But John he feerd ter go whar Lilly at. So An' Polly, she fly wid him
+tell dey sights de Falls, den she lef' 'im. John, he fly er lit'le, an'
+hop er lit'le tell he git clost nuf ter see Lilly wrop'n up de po' lit'le
+bird's leg, an' cooin' so sof' ter hit--den John, he fly on de tree, an'
+cry out er chune ter Lilly dat mos' broke her h'art,--he sing:
+
+  "'I ain' good nuf fur Lilly Dove,
+  But she de onlies' one I love.'
+
+"Lilly she stoop low ov'r de lit'le bird so John can't see whar she cryin'
+at. An' John he fly down an' tell her he gwine jump in de Falls ef she
+'fuse ter keep comp'ny wid him--but Lawd, whin he git clost ernuf ter see
+dem tears er Lilly's, he th'ows his arms 'roun' her an'--but you all
+chillun ain' got no biznes' knowin' no mo' en dat."
+
+"Please, Mammy, tell us if John jumped in the falls," sympathetically
+begged Willis, eager to lose none of the details.
+
+Phyllis chuckled, "No, my Lawd, dey got marr'ed instid, an' went ter
+housekeepin' in dat tall pine stump ov'r yond'r on Tinker Knob."
+
+
+
+
+XIII
+
+MISTER GRAB-ALL SPIDER
+
+
+"What made that old hornet sting me for, Mammy Phyllis?" demanded Mary
+Van, regarding tearfully her little red swelling hand.
+
+"'Caze, honey," replied Phyllis, seating herself in a chair beside the
+hammock, "he thought you had done jine Cap'n Yall'r Jackit's army ter
+fight 'ginst him."
+
+"What they going to fight about?" Willis began to fidget to see the fight.
+
+"Set still, boy, you'll th'ow dis gal clean out'n de hammock." She
+readjusted both of them, and resumed her seat. "Dey fightin' ov'r dat ole
+pan er dirty cid'r settin' out yond'r b'hime de ash-hopp'r. Yer see Cap'n
+Yall'r Jackit an' Cap'n Hornit, bofe uv' em, jes' er gwine back'ards an'
+fur'ards 'mongst de varmints, tryin' ter see which one kin git de mo'es
+fokes ter jine der side. Miss Queen Bee tell 'em, hit's de bizzy season in
+de honey biznes' an' she ain' got no time ter fool wid none uv 'em. Cap'n
+Yall'r Jackit sorter stop and study, he do, den he g'long down de big road
+tell he come up wid Mist'r Grab-All Spid'r. He pass howdy wid 'im, den he
+'nounce:
+
+"'Mist'r Grab-All, 'cose you gwine jine de Yall'r Jackits' side, ain't
+yer?'
+
+"Grab-All Spid'r sort'r op'n an' shet his claws an' th'ow his 'bark'r quid
+on de uth'r side his jaw an' 'spon':
+
+"'Nor, I'm jes' er plain ole biznes' man,--I ain' got no fightin' sense
+like dese rip snortin', hifalutin' solger boys. I'll jes' stan' off an'
+watch de battle, but,' sez he, 'I hopes you'll whup de fight, Cap'n Yall'r
+Jackit, 'pon de wurd uv er gent'mun I does, 'caze dat pan er cid'r's wuth
+er tussle, an' youse de man ter make hit.'
+
+[Illustration: "MIST'R GRAB-ALL, 'COSE YOU GWINE JINE DE YALL'R JACKITS
+SIDE, AIN'T YER?"]
+
+"Yall'r Jackit sorter swell hisse'f out er lit'le big'r, an' Mist'r
+Grab-All roll hisse'f up in er ball like he bin sleep er hundred ye'rs,
+an' ain' nuv'r heah tell uv er Yall'r Jackit in his life.
+
+"Bimeby, hyah come Cap'n Hornit zoonin' down de big road. Old Grab-All
+Spid'r onrap hisse'f an' start ter stretchin' his legs out, an' chawin' on
+his bark'r quid ergin.
+
+"Cap'n Hornit say, 'Name er de Lawd, Mist'r Grab-All, is you bin sleep
+th'u all dis fracus dat's 'bout ter bus' loose?'
+
+"Grab-All spit his quid out; an' gap loud er time er two, an' say, 'Whut
+you torkin' 'bout, Cap'n Hawnit?'
+
+"Hawnit zoon erbout, an' holl'r, 'Wake up!' sez he, 'Wake up, I wants yer
+ter hope me wipe dem Yall'r Jackits off'n creation.'
+
+"Grab-All set up an' take notice, like he gwine jine de hawnit's army dat
+minit, den he sorter crumble hisse'f down, an' low, 'Lawdy, Lawdy, ef I
+jes' wus er solger like you is, Cap'n Hawnit, I'd be de bigges' man in de
+woel.' Whut's de use er you axin' enybody ter hope you fight?--Why you kin
+whup out dem Yall'r Jackits 'fo' de time start ter commence!' Den he laf'
+an' slap hisse'f on de knee, an' say, 'I wush ter de Lawd I wus er
+fightin' man like you is, Cap'n!'
+
+"Cap'n Hawnit swell his chist out tell he look like he gwine bus' dem
+solger butt'ns off sho', an' Grab-All roll hisse'f up ergin like he done
+gone back ter sleep er nuth'r hund'rd ye'rs.
+
+"Soon es Cap'n Hawnit g'long off, Grab-All onrap hisse'f ergin, an' swing
+er long on de lim' er de trees by his spid'r web."
+
+"Mammy, why didn't he walk on the ground?"
+
+"'Caze, son, he nuv'r want ter make no tracks, so fokes kin fine out his
+biznes'.--Nor, suh, he swing hisse'f by dat spid'r web er his'n tell he
+come ter Mist'r Inch Wurm's house. Inch Wurm's old lady say, 'Yond'r come
+dat old Grab-All Spid'r, yer bett'r take keer how yer fools wid 'im.'
+
+"Jes' den Grab-All th'ow his hat on de flo' an' bow low down ter Miss Inch
+Wurm an' sez he, 'I jes' come ter tell yo' ole man whar dar's er sight er
+money waitin' fur somebody ter come 'long an' pick up.'
+
+"Ole lady Inch Wurm sort'r take notice, she do, an' ax 'im ter pass de
+news erlong. Grab-All say: 'Nor, you jes' set right still tell me an' yo'
+ole man come back an' fetch yer er hat full er money.'
+
+"Old lady Inch Wurm git up an' g'long down town, an' start ter spindin'
+dat money right den. Soon es she done out'n de way, Grab-All tell Inch
+Wurm 'bout de cid'r in de pan b'hime de ash-hopp'r; an', sez he, 'we'll
+make de Hawnits an' Yall'r Jackits fight derse'fs ter death, den me an'
+you'll 'vide de cid'r, dat is ef you kin mea'jer off how much dey is in de
+pan 'thout lettin' fokes know whut you doin'.'
+
+"Yer see Grab-All sich er big biznes' man dat he bleege ter know how big
+de pan is, an' how much's in dar, down ter de ve'y drap. So Inch Wurm he
+put on his ole close an' went er crawlin' off ter mea'jer de cid'r, an'
+'tain' long 'fo' hyah he come back ergin wid de news fur Grab-All.
+Grab-All tell 'im: 'You done wurk fine, an' you done wurk quick,--in
+fack,' sez he, 'you done yo' wurk s' good I gwine fix yer, so you doan
+hatt'r do no mo' wurk long es you live.' Den he laf in his sleeve.
+
+"Mammy, don't let Grab-All hurt Inch Wurm," begged Mary Van.
+
+"Dat can't be hop'd, honey, Inch Wurm know too much 'bout Grab-All's
+biznes', an' Grab-All got ter shet his mouf some way,--He take an' spin er
+teenchy-weenchy lit'le web, right whar Inch Wurm got ter git out at. Inch
+Wurm, he start off, feelin' pow'ful fine he do, an' 'fo' yer knows hit,
+dar he wus all tangle up in Grab-All's web. Grab-All, he run 'roun' like
+he tryin' ter hope 'im out, but he jes' spinnin' de web tight'r so Inch
+Wurm nuv'r is ter git out no mo'.--He got ter starve ter death, 'caze he's
+in Grab-All's way, an' Grab-All gwine see nobody doan come 'roun' dar ter
+hope 'im neeth'r. 'Cose he doan mine Miss Lightnin' Bug passin' de time er
+night wid him, 'caze she can' do nuthin' mo'en ter bright'n 'im up er
+lit'le,--but he keep his eye on her, too.
+
+"Nex' day, de fight commence! Suh, I tell yer hit wus de pepperes' fight
+yer ev'r seed. Dem Hawnits fly inter dem Yall'r Jackits, tell yer can't
+see de groun' fur de dead Jackits; but hyah come de Jackits back at de
+Hawnits! Lawdee! dey come wid der foots, an' der han's, an' der haids all
+tergeth'r.--Yas, suh, dey come er buttin' an' er bitin' an' er stingin'
+mouty nigh at de same time! Yas, my Lawd, de dead Jackits wus kiv'r'd up
+wid de dead Hawnits! Oh! I tell yer dem varmints fit like sho' nuf war
+times!
+
+"Whin bofe sides 'ud stop ter sorter blow er lit'le, an' think mebbe dey
+kin confab de res' er de fight out,--ole Grab-All'd come fus' ter de
+Hawnits, an' den ter de Jackits, an' tell 'em dey boun' ter whup out de
+nex' jump. Whin he see de Hawnits gittin' de wus er de charge, he run tell
+'em wharbouts ter hit de Jackits. Whin he see too minny er de Jackits
+gittin' kilt, he run tell dem wharbouts ter cripple de Hawnits. He keep on
+gwine fus' ter one, den ter de uth'r twell dey wusn't er han' full lef' on
+bofe sides."
+
+"Why didn't they turn in and beat old Mister Grab-All?" Willis bristled.
+
+"'Caze bofe uv 'em think Grab-All wus on der side. Grab-All ain' lef' no
+tracks ter pint out whar he bin--nor, suh, he so full er dat spid'r web
+biznes' er his'n dat he kin swing hisse'f fum ennywhar,--an' fo' yer kin
+kitch 'im, he done swing 'roun' in ernuth'r place onti'ly."
+
+"Captain Yellow Jacket's side beat the fight, didn't they, Mammy?" Mary
+Van desired the hornets vanquished.
+
+"No, they didn't," contradicted Willis, "a hornet can beat a Yellow Jacket
+every time!"
+
+"Jes' hole on dar!" Phyllis steadied the hammock. "I'm de onlies' one dat
+seen who 'twas whup'd."
+
+"I want Captain Yellow Jacket's side to kill all of the hornets,"
+whimpered Mary Van.
+
+"But they can't," persisted Willis vehemently.
+
+Once more Phyllis held the hammock. "You dunno nuthin' tall erbout hit,
+suh," as she saw the little girl about to cry, "Hawnits is got mo' pow'r
+en Jackits is got, but er Jackit is mo' smart'r en er Hawnit. I 'speck ef
+Grab-All had er helt his mouf out'n de fracus, de Jackits wud er outfit de
+Hawnits, but es hit wus, Grab-All keep 'em fightin' tell dem whut wusn't
+kilt wus hit so hard dat hit 'twan' long 'fo' de ve'y las' one uv 'em
+died. Atter dat hap'n Grab-All, he got de cid'r!
+
+"He spin erlong b'ildin' on some houses he fixin' ter rent tell bimeby
+Mist'r Blue Bot'le Fly an' his fambly come erlong. Mist'r Blue Bot'le
+whisper ter his chillun ter give Grab-All plenty er road. I tell yer
+Grab-All swing hisse'f down, he do, an' ax Mist'r Blue Bot'le whut ail his
+fambly dat dey look so po'ly.
+
+"Blue Bot'le say: 'I ain' nuv'r see sich er time in m' life! De rich fokes
+done stretch wire ov'r de vit'als s'tight dat dey ain' nuthin' fur de po'
+flies ter do 'cep'n ter starve.'
+
+"Grab-All say, 'Dat's de trufe, Brer Blue Bot'le, an' I feels s' sorry fur
+yer dat I'm gwine give you an' yo' fambly all de vit'als yer kin eat.'
+
+"Bot'le Fly so glad he gwine git sumthin' fur nuthin', dat he fergit ter
+'member how raskilly Grab-All wus, an' whin he do 'member 'bout hit, he
+think he gwine keep his eye op'n an' git de fus' lick. He jes' nachelly
+can't let dat free vit'als git way fum 'im, doan keer how low down
+Grab-All wus. So him an' his fambly foll'r Grab-All ter de pan er cider,
+an' dey so hongry, dey fergits 'bout ev'ythin' 'cep'n eatin'. Grab-All set
+up on de ash-hopp'r an' mos' kill hisse'f laffin'."
+
+"Why, Mammy?"
+
+"'Caze, son, he jes' fatnin' dem flies ter kill 'em off like yo' ma do
+chickins. Whin de flies 'gun ter git fat, he spin er teenchy, lit'le web,
+an' whin dey git kotch'd, he run an' make like he tryin' ter onhitch 'em,
+but he tie 'em up wusser, an' sting 'em tell dey dies. Den he take 'em ter
+one dem houses an' sto' 'em erway."
+
+"Did he kill all of Mister Blue Bottle's family?" asked Mary Van.
+
+"Dey wusn't er one uv 'em lef', honey, not eb'n Miss Blue Bot'le's baby
+gal, an' nobody dunno de money Grab-All make on de fly trade dat winter
+nuth'r."
+
+"Mammy Phyllis, are all spiders kin to Grab-All?"
+
+"Dey's all kin, but dey ain't all got de same name, 'caze yer see all uv
+'em ain't got de same slicknes' ter git way wid fokes like Grab-All do,"
+she explained.
+
+"Did Mister Grab-All give the other spiders some of Mister Blue Bottle's
+children to eat?" asked Mary Van, by way of suggestive generosity.
+
+"Nor, suh, Grab-All say he ain' got no pockit book kin--he say he need all
+he got, an' mo' b'sides." Then she added: "But dey doan need Grab-All ter
+give 'em nuthin' 'caze none uv 'em wus po'--all uv 'em got nuf spid'r web
+in 'em ter swing erlong 'dout trackin' up der biznes'."
+
+She reached out to steady the hammock as Willis scrambled out.
+
+"Mammy," he exclaimed, "Captain Yellow Jacket and Captain Hornet didn't
+get a thing."
+
+"Nor, suh," said Phyllis, lifting Mary Van to the ground, "an' nobody
+nev'r do git nuthin' dat keeps der senses in der fistes 'stid er der
+haids--Ketch Ma'y Van by de uth'r han' an' come on."
+
+
+
+
+XIV
+
+MISTER RATTLESNAKE
+
+
+"Whut yer givin' dat boy, Zeek?--I boun' hit 'tain' nuthin' fur no good."
+
+Phyllis started for the garden gate, where a suspicious conference was
+going on between Willis and the gardener. "Howcum yer can't op'n yer haid
+whin fokes speaks ter yer?" Seeing his unwillingness to reply, she threw
+her apron partly over her head and quickened her pace.
+
+"Me an' de lit'le man wus jes' fixin' ter make yer 'quainted wid er
+present I fotch him fum ov'r t'oth'r side de creek," explained Zeek.
+
+"Whar de present?" she interrupted with annoyance, as she perceived he
+was trying to tease her.
+
+She took the little boy by the hand and started for the house.
+
+"Wait, Mammy," he begged, pulling back; "Unk Zeek, please gimme the
+snakes."
+
+"Give you whut, in de name er de Lawd!" exclaimed Phyllis.
+
+"Jes' two lit'le gyarters I kotch an' put in er bottle fur de chile," Zeek
+explained again.
+
+"Yas," returned Phyllis angrily, "you kotch dem snakes fur nuthin' but ter
+tu'n 'em loose 'bout my foots, soon es you gits me in er tight place--I
+knows yer. Yer orter be 'shame er yo'se'f,--an' callin' yo'se'f er deac'n,
+too!"
+
+Zeek threw his head back and gave a roaring laugh. "Whew!" he finished,
+"Sis' Phyllis, you is de slickes' 'ooman I ev'r seed. How yer know I
+gwine tu'n dem gyrters loose on yer?" and Zeek laughed again until he held
+to the gate for support.
+
+Phyllis turned without deigning a reply.
+
+"Hole on, Sis' Phyllis," Zeek ran and caught her by the arm, "hole on,
+Sist'r,--you ain' mad sho' nuf, is yer?"
+
+"Tu'n me loose, Zeekiel," she demanded furiously.
+
+Instead, he caught the other arm also. "I ain' gwine let yer go mad like
+yer is," then consiliatingly, "yer knows dem gyart'rs snakes can't bite
+nobody--I jes' wanter see yer dance er lit'le," and again he laughed, as
+the picture presented itself.
+
+"I gwine call Miss Lucy, ef yer doan take yer han's off'n me," stolidly
+demanded Phyllis.
+
+"All right," he said holding on as tightly as ever, "I jes' want yer ter
+wait hyah tell I goes down ter de orchard an' gets yer er hat full er dem
+big peaches." This argument lessened the rigidity of her face. "Dey's de
+fines' thing ter swage mis'ry er de speeret yer ev'r seed." She allowed
+him to shove her gently to the ground under the lilac bushes. "Hyah, set
+right hyah tell I comes back." Seeing the old woman partly restored to
+good humor, he slammed the garden gate behind him and went down the path,
+singing.
+
+"Come on, Mammy, less us get my lit'le green snakes Unk Zeek brought me,"
+Willis started back to the garden.
+
+"Come back hyah, boy," as she caught him by the skirt of his blouse, "dem
+snakes wusn't brung hyah fur you, Zeek jes' makin' er 'cat's paw' er you.
+He 'ceivin' you jes' like Mist'r Rattlesnake done Miss Eve."
+
+"No, he ain't, Unk Zeek loves me," defended the boy.
+
+"Dat's jes' whut Miss Eve think whin de sarpint temp' her."
+
+"What's er sarpint?" He still pulled against her.
+
+"Er sarpint is er snake, honey--dat's jes' his scriptur' name--come on an'
+set in Mammy's lap an' she'll tell yer 'bout how ole Mist'r Rattlesnake
+fix hisse'f up so fine, way back yonder time, an' come struttin' roun'
+Miss Eve. He nuv'r come crawlin' like snakes does dese days neeth'r, nor,
+suh, he come walkin' plum on de een' er his tail; an' he look s' fine an'
+starchy dat--"
+
+"Didn't he have to hop?" Willis scrambled into her lap.
+
+"Nor, de Lawd fix hit so he doan hatt'r hop. I'm tellin' 'zackly de
+trufe,--he come walkin' on de een' er his tail," she insisted, "an he look
+s' fine an' gran', like some er de fine men folks, dat Miss Eve cudn't see
+how black wid sin he wus."
+
+"You are not black with sin," and he pulled the wrinkled face to him and
+kissed it.
+
+"Bless my baby," looking into his face as she hugged him, "dis hyah black
+on Mammy's face is nig'r black," she squeezed him again, "but sin black,
+like Mr. Rattlesnake got, stays in fokeses hearts whar hits hard ter see,
+whin hit's kiv'r'd up wid fine man'rs an' er slick tongue.
+
+"So whin Mist'r Rattlesnake come bowin' an scrapin' ter Miss Eve wid dat
+beav'r hat on, an' dat walkin' stick whirlin' roun' in his han', she git
+so airish tryin' ter th'ow off man'rs like his'n, dat whin he tell her ter
+eat dat pis'n apple, she et hit 'dout knowin' whut she doin'. Howsumev'r,
+whin Mist'r Rattlesnake but'n up his long tail coat sort'r keerles' like,
+an' strut hisse'f off, Miss Eve, she 'gun ter feel de mis'ry er dat pis'n
+apple."
+
+"Did her mama give her some castor oil?" Willis sympathized with Miss Eve.
+
+"No, my Lawd, she sot dar an' holl'r tell Adam come an' ax her whut ail
+'er. She start ter laffin' she did, an' say: 'I jes' callin' you ter eat
+one dem fine meller apples Mist'r Rattlesnake fotch' me!'"
+
+"Did Mist'r Adam eat it?" asked Willis with much concern.
+
+"Who gwine hind'r him fum eatin' hit? An' de Eveses is bin pis'nin' de
+Adamses ev'r sense--you 'memb'r whut Mammy tell yer, an' look out fur
+'em."
+
+"Why didn't Mist'r Adam kill Mist'r Rattlesnake?" he resented.
+
+"'Caze his own sin done make him er coward, dat's de trufe!--Whin er man
+do mean an' low life tricks hisse'f, he ain' got de face ter stan' up an'
+whup nobody fur doin' de same thing; but Adam didn't hatt'r whup de
+Sarpint 'caze de Lawd knock 'im flat 'pon de groun' an' tromp on 'im, an'
+tell 'im he got ter crawl de res' er his life, ter keep up wid his low
+down ways."
+
+Mary Van's voice sounded from the gate, "I can't open it."
+
+Willis sprang to her assistance, but Phyllis caught him: "Will yer run
+right straight back, ef Mammy let yer onfas'n de gate?"
+
+The promise was given, and in a moment Willis returned with: "Mammy, less
+show Mary Van m' two lit'le green snakes." He was off in a second, but
+Phyllis again detained him.
+
+"Nummine 'bout dem gyrt'r snakes,--I ain' got start'd ter tellin' 'bout
+Mist'r Rattlesnake yit. Come on hyah Ma'y Van, an' set down on de grass,
+an' Mammy gwine spread out her ap'on fur you ter set on, 'caze she hatt'r
+hole dis wiggly boy in her lap."
+
+"I want to see Willis's snakes," demurred the little girl.
+
+Phyllis looked thoughtfully a moment, then throwing her hands up suddenly,
+"I wond'r is enybody got de news 'bout Mist'r Rattlesnake's toofake? You
+ain' heah nuthin' is yer, Ma'y Van?"
+
+Mary Van shook her head in the negative.
+
+"Who you shakin' dat haid at, gal?"
+
+"No, ma'm," quickly corrected the child.
+
+"De las' time de snake doct'r come by hyah, he wus huntin' fur some yerbs
+ter put in Mist'r Rattlesnake's toof," continued the old woman in an
+interested tone. "Miss Eve, she tell de doct'r ter g'long an' git de same
+kind er yerbs he give fur rattlesnake bite, dat Mist'r Rattlesnake jes'
+got mad an' bite his own se'f, an' dat whut ail his toof."
+
+"Who made him mad?" Mary Van knelt on the edge of the apron.
+
+"De Lawd make him mad whin He tell him he can't git no mo' free vit'als
+out'n Eden. De Lawd say, 'Nor, suh, yer got ter wurk, an' sweat, an' crawl
+fur vit'als de res' er yo' life--an' you an' Miss Eve gwine fight one
+nuth'r tell one er yer gits kilt.'"
+
+"When are they going to fight?" asked Willis eagerly.
+
+"Dey fit dat ve'y day; an' whin hit git too hot fur Miss Eve, she take an'
+jump on top er ole man Elerphant's back 'fo' Mist'r Rattlesnake cud git
+her. He try ter crope up ole man Elerphant's legs, but Elerphant keep his
+foots wurkin' s' much, an' his snout flyin' roun' s' tur'bul, dat Mist'r
+Rattlesnake hatt'r keep out'n de way. Miss Eve she set up an' laf' at him,
+an' dat make Mist'r Rattlesnake so mad, he rip an' tar', an' fome at de
+mouf, an' mos' turn hisse'f wrong side out'ards tryin' ter hop up an' bite
+Miss Eve. Miss Eve she th'ow herse'f eroun' laffin' an' say: 'Ynan, ynan,'
+at 'im, tell Mist'r Rattlesnake git so mad he jes' up, an' bite his own
+se'f."
+
+"Did it kill him?" Mary Van crawled further on the apron and sat beside
+the little boy.
+
+"Hit wud er kilt him ef he hadn't er run'd an' got dem rattlesnake yerbs
+mouty quick,--an' dat's howcum Miss Eveses' chilluns know how ter kyore
+rattlesnake bite."
+
+"How, Mammy?" demanded Willis.
+
+"'Caze Miss Eve watch de yerbs Mist'r Rattlesnake eat ter swage his pis'n,
+den she tell her chilluns ter eat de same kine ef he ev'r bite dem."[2]
+
+    [2] The old Cherokee Indian cure for rattlesnake poison is "Robin
+    Plantain, Sweet Fern, Pine Snake root, Salve Weed, Devil's Shoe
+    String, Wild Rosemary, and Red Joint." It was said that by infuriating
+    the reptile until a wound was self-inflicted and then observing his
+    selection of herbs as a remedy, the Indians found the antidote for
+    rattlesnake bite. Reptiles that were bitten and kept in confinement
+    died, while those allowed freedom to select and bite the herbs,
+    recovered.
+
+"Did Mist'r Rattlesnake bite Miss Eve's children?" asked Willis.
+
+"He bite 'em ev'y time he git er chanct."
+
+"But it don't kill them, because they know how to get cured, don't they,
+Mammy Phyllis?" Mary Van disliked tragedy.
+
+"Miss Eve's Injun chillun kyores derse'f, but de res' er de fambly dies."
+
+"No, Mist'r Rattlesnake shan't bite Miss Eve's children," said Mary Van,
+shaking her curls.
+
+"You late in de day gittin' in yo' sayso, 'caze Mist'r Rattlesnake bite
+you ef you fools wid 'im; he ain' nuv'r git in er good hum'r wid nobody
+sense de Lawd make him wurk fur his livin'. He bin crawlin' crookid, an'
+doin' fokes crookid ev'r sense."
+
+"How does he work?" Willis pulled her face to him.
+
+"He wurk makin' uth'r fokes do his wurk fur 'im, dat's how he wurk. His
+ole 'ooman an' de chillun keep de sto', an' Unk Toad Frog try ter wurk de
+farm fur 'im, but Mist'r Rattlesnake done eat up so miny er de Toad Frog
+fambly dat Unk Toad ain' got nuf han's lef' ter make er crap. He tell
+Mist'r Rattlesnake ef he doan git sumbody ter hope him, he ain' gwine have
+no corn, so Mist'r Rattlesnake take out down de big road huntin' fur farm
+han's, he do. He come ter er passel er Hop'r Grasses settin' down on de
+side de road doin' nuthin', an' he tell 'em ef dey come an' hope him raise
+er crap er corn, he'll give 'em ha'f de crap. Well, suh, dem Hop'r Grasses
+plow an' hoe, an' weed, an' pick bugs off an'--"
+
+"Mammy, don't call them 'hopper grasses,' Mary Van says you must say
+'Grass-hoppers.'"
+
+"In de name er de Lawd, whut do Ma'y Van know 'bout varmints an' beastes?"
+
+"My papa says you must call them Grass-hoppers," protested Mary Van.
+
+"I doan speck Mist'r Hop'r Grass menshun ter yo' pa dat Hop'r wus jes' er
+nickname, did he?"
+
+The little girl was obliged to acknowledge that no such communication had
+taken place.
+
+"Den he ain' got no 'pin'ons ter scat'r on de subjec'--Hop'r Grass say he
+wush ter de Lawd fokes'd stop nam'n' him hine part b'fo', ennyhow. He say
+he plum ti'ed white fokes med'lin' in his 'far's--"
+
+"Mammy, go on about Mister Rattlesnake," Willis began to fidget.
+
+"Set still den, lemme see whar 'bouts I wus at--"
+
+"The Hopper Grasses were working in the field," Mary Van prompted.
+
+"Dat's de trufe, dat's jes' whar dem po' things wus at. Lawdee, how dem
+varmints jes' nachelly wurk derse'fs mouty nigh ter death. Bimeby, de corn
+'gun ter tos'l an' git ripe, an' Mist'r Rattlesnake see de harves' ain'
+fur off, an' he know he bleeg'd ter 'vide dat corn wid dem Hop'r Grasses.
+He lay out on de creek bank an' study how he gwine ter cheat 'em. One day
+de Hop'r Grasses wus er settin' down in de shade er de corn jes' waitin'
+fur Mist'r Rattlesnake ter give de wurd ter go ter cuttin', whin Mist'r
+Rattlesnake crope up ter de back er de fiel' an' clim' on top er de fence
+an' give er crack er his tail so loud dat de po' Hop'r Grasses scat'r all
+ov'r de country ev'y which er way. Dey wus so skeer'd, hit take 'em er
+long time fo' dey darsen't ter come back ter see whut 'twus skeer'd 'em.
+By dat time, Mist'r Rattlesnake had done trench hisse'f on dis side de
+law. Yas, suh, he tak'n his seat 'pon top er dat gate, an' 'fuse ter let
+er one on 'em come in de fiel'. He tell 'em dey done flew'd off an' lef'
+him 'fo' harves' time, an' dee done broke der corntrack, an' no law ain'
+gwine hole him ter his'n, an' dey mout jes' es well ter g'long off an' git
+ernuth'r job."
+
+"Didn't the Hopper Grasses fight him?" Willis' fists closed at the
+thought.
+
+"Fight? Whut chanct wud dey had 'ginst dat low down Rattlesnake?" lifting
+Mary Van from her apron and trying to pull herself up by the bushes. "Dey
+done whut ev'ybody does dat runs up 'ginst snake law--dey got swindl'd."
+
+"What's snake law?" he tried to assist her.
+
+"Snake law is sin law, doan you nuv'r fergit dat," she smoothed her apron
+out, and adjusted the little boy's blouse, "an' whin you gits ter be er
+big man like yo' pa, jes' recoleck whut yo' Mammy tole yer, dat law whut
+ain't right right, is snake law, an' dem whut foll'rs 'long b'hime hit has
+got ter go in er crook'd track. 'Memb'r dat long es you live, Mammy's
+man."
+
+Willis again begged to show Mary Van the green snakes, when Phyllis
+exclaimed, "Sakes er live, look at de peaches dat nigg'r Zeek is got."
+
+
+
+
+XV
+
+MISS QUEEN BEE
+
+
+"Keep way fum dem bee hives, yer hyah?" admonished Phyllis from her old
+rocking chair under the cherry tree, where she alternately dozed and kept
+watch on the children playing around her in the yard.
+
+"Mammy, the bees are all crawling out of the hive," exclaimed Willis.
+
+"Lawdy mussy, dem bees fixin' ter swarm!" then raising her voice,
+"Zeek'l,--ah Zeek!--come quick, yer bees fixin' ter swarm!"
+
+Zeek came running up through the garden, with a tin pan and stick in hand
+calling, "Which way'd dey go?"
+
+But the bees answered the question themselves, for at that moment they
+started in the direction of the garden. Zeek began to beat furiously upon
+the tin pan, while the children screamed in excitement as they beheld the
+bees hover a moment above Zeek's head, then descend one and all upon his
+hat. Many straggling ones crawled about his face, one in its distraction
+landed upon his eyelid, closing the eye.
+
+Zeek walked steadily without batting the open eye, until he reached an
+empty gum. There with the assistance of Phyllis, he carefully relieved his
+head of its dangerous burden.
+
+"Whew!" he exclaimed, wiping the perspiration from his head, "dat's de
+out-bangin'es' hivin' I ev'r done in all m' life, an' dat hive in dat ole
+gum ain't wurth er cent," he ended reflectively.
+
+"Howcum yer sayso?"
+
+"Lawd, Phyllis," he replied pushing his hat on the back of his head and
+folding his arms across his chest, "you'se he'rd er menny time dat
+
+  "'De bees dat swarms in May,
+  Is wurth er load er hay,
+  De bees dat swarms in June
+  Is wurth er silv'r spoon;
+  Dem dat swarms in July
+  Ain't wurth er house fly.'
+
+An' dem bees er swarmin' hyah in Argus' ain' wurth nuthin' but ter show
+you whut er bee-hiv'r I is."
+
+"Hit show pertic'ler you ain' nuthin' ter make honey out'n," Phyllis
+laughed.
+
+"I ain' notice none uv 'em smackin' der mouf' ov'r you yerse'f, Sis'
+Phyllis," he retorted grinning.
+
+"Bees don't eat people, Uncle Zeek," Mary Van endeavored to explain, "they
+just sting them like hornets do."
+
+"Does dey, honey? Well, I boun' none uv 'em ain' gwine wase er sting on
+dat ole black bag er salt ov'r yond'r," pointing at Phyllis.
+
+"My Mammy's not any old black salt either!" And Willis squeezed her around
+the neck.
+
+"She's er ole black nigg'r, dat's whut she is," teased Zeek.
+
+"She's not black!--and she's not a nigger either!" and he began to kiss
+her face.
+
+"Name er de Lawd, ef she ain't er nigg'r, an' she ain' black, whut is
+she?" Zeek thoroughly enjoyed the little boy's very evident discomfort.
+
+"She's my Mammy,--and she's purty like my mama." Willis was dangerously
+near tears, as he left Phyllis's lap and made for Zeek. "I'll hit you if
+you call my mammy a nigger."
+
+Mary Van had thrown an iron toy at him, whereupon Phyllis interfered.
+
+"G'long an' 'ten' ter yer biznes', Zeek,--I'm gwine call Miss Lucy ef you
+starts dese chillun ter cryin'.--Chillun, youall bring yer lit'le cheers
+yond'r an' set hyah in front uv Mammy, an' she'll tell yer 'bout Miss
+Queen Bee an' her fambly."
+
+"Mammy, what made Miss Queen Bee move out from her house just now?" Willis
+interposed.
+
+"'Caze she wanter git erway f'um An' Polly Parrit--she say she ti'ed An'
+Polly pokin' her nose in her biznes'."
+
+"Papa says she has to move 'cause her children take up all the room."
+Willis gave this information with an air of knowing more on the subject.
+
+"Dar now, yer hyah de preach'r, doan yer?" chuckling and looking with
+pride upon him.
+
+"I speck you done outgrow'd dat confab Miss Queen Bee speak wid me too,
+ain't yer?"
+
+Willis did not entirely gather her meaning, but he replied:
+
+"My papa says they won't sting you if you don't bother 'em."
+
+"Aha, yo' pa tole de trufe--'cep'n sometimes. Bees is cur'us creeturs, I
+tell yer dey is. Dey ain' nuthin' but er passel er fokes wid wings on 'em.
+Ole Miss Queen Bee settin' up dar, make 'em walk er chalk line, she do.
+She de law--she sho' is. Ef she say fight,--dey fights. Ef she say, ax
+der pard'n,--dey axes hit. But,--" and she hesitated, rubbing her arm,
+"dey is sometimes whin bees gits jes' like crazy fokes an' loses all der
+senses."
+
+"That's when they swarm, ain't it, Mammy?" suggested Willis
+authoritatively.
+
+"'Tain't no sich er thing,--You done give out all de knowin' you know'd
+'bout bees. Set still an' lis'n ter sumbody else," reverting to her
+subject. "Dis time I'm talkin' 'bout wus whin triberlashun 'pon
+triberlashun hap'n ter Miss Queen's fokes.
+
+"One day Miss Queen Bee's chillun was gittin' honey out'n de clov'r wid
+Miss Black Bee's chilluns. De Bizzy Bees notice Miss Black Bee's fokes
+doan seem ter be totin' much honey back and furrards, but dey ain' got no
+time ter confab, so dey doan say nuthin'. Bimeby, Miss Queen Bee see one
+de Black Bee fokes come in wid her chillun, an' she notice he ain' brung
+no honey in wid him, but she do notice dat he tak'n considerbul out wid
+'im."
+
+"Mammy, my papa says they ain't any little bees that don't work except the
+drones," corrected the little boy.
+
+"Lemme tell yer sump'in, yo' pa know mo' 'bout pol'tics dan he do 'bout
+bees. 'Caze I knows whin bees starts ter stealin', dey's de bigges' rogues
+in de woel. An' dese black bees whut I'm talkin' 'bout, wus scan'lus
+steal'rs, too. Bimeby, hyah come sum mo', an' mo', tell Miss Queen holl'r
+out fur her fightin' squad! Dem Bizzy Bee boys swarms quick whin dey heahs
+de war holl'r, an' 'tain' long 'fo' de Bizzy Bees an' de Black Bees wus er
+buzzin' an' er clippin' at one nuth'r's wings, tell de wings wus fallin',
+'round thick es gnats. I tell yer Miss Queen Bee's chillun had er mouty
+hard fight ter keep der honey, but bimeby dey run all de Black Bees off
+'cep'n dem whut dey kilt."
+
+"The Black Bees didn't hurt any of Miss Queen's children, did they?" asked
+Mary Van.
+
+"'Cose some uv 'em got hurt'd, an' some uv 'em wint so far es ter git
+kilt, but--"
+
+"Wasn't Miss Queen mighty sorry for 'em?" sympathized the little girl.
+
+"She ain' know nuthin' 'bout hit, 'caze Miss Queen Bee's chillun dat gits
+sick er hurted doan nuv'r come home. Nor, suh, dey g'long off an' die by
+derse'f."
+
+"I don't want 'em to go off. I want all of them to sleep with their mama
+till they get well;" Mary Van nudged the old woman's knee, "make 'em go
+and tell their mama wherebouts they hurt."
+
+"No, mam, Miss Queen say she ain' got no time ter nuss nobody, 'caze
+Mist'r Rattlesnake crawlin' 'roun' her gum right now, an' she gittin'
+pow'ful nervious. She know Mist'r Rattlesnake know how rich wid honey she
+is, an' Rattlesnake know her boys comes home wid der pockits full ev'y
+trip. Ole Grab-All Spider know hit, too, an' he crope up on de uth'r side
+er de gum ter ketch de Bee boys whin dey lights. Whin Miss Queen see
+Mist'r Rattlesnake an' ole Grab-All Spider settin' 'long side er her do',
+she sen' Buzzy Drone Bee ter tell de fightin' squad ter git reddy ter
+fight ergin whin dey heahs de war holl'r."
+
+"Why didn't she ask Mister Man to help her?" Willis stood up and leaned
+against her knee.
+
+"Miss Queen ain' gwine ax nobody ter hope her do nuthin'. She fixin' ter
+have er set'lement herse'f, but jes' es she fixin' ter git reddy, Mist'r
+Rattlesnake an' ole Grab-All Spider start ter gobblin' de Bee boys es dey
+lights."
+
+"Please, Mammy, make 'em stop!" Mary Van was up tugging at Phyllis'
+shoulder. "Quick, Mammy, before they eat any more!"
+
+"Lawd, chillun, Miss Queen so mis'erbul 'bout dem chillun, she plum crazy
+by now--she tell her chillun ter light out fum dar an' sting ev'y thing
+dey kin git on, an' dey does hit, too, fer de Bizzy Bees allus tends to
+dey biznes'."
+
+"They stung old Grab-All and old Rattlesnake first, didn't they?" Willis
+was half in her lap.
+
+"No, suh, whin Grab-All an' Rattlesnake seen de blood in Miss Queen's eye,
+dey lit out fum dar, an' de Bizzy Bees come down on Jack Donkey. Jack he
+had jump de fence an' come up in de upper lot ter git er lit'le
+watermillon rine he seen by de back porch, an' I tell yer he kick out
+consid'rble whin dem bees drap derse'fs on him. He tak'n out fur de stable
+ter git Brer Dur'am Cow ter rake de bees off'n him,--ev'y one Brer Dur'am
+rake, light on his own se'f an' 'tain' long 'fo' him an' Jack takes out
+fur Mist'r Man's, an' ax him fur de Lawd's sake ter cl'ar 'em uv de bees.
+Mist'r Man's old lady, an' de lit'le boy come out ter see whut ail de
+beastes, an' I tell yer de bees start dem ter holl'rin' an' dancin',--An'
+Polly Parrit, she come out ter git de news, an' I tell yer de ole lady
+git in de hottes' part er de fracus, too."
+
+"Did they sting Mister Man's little boy much?" Mary Van pushed Willis, who
+was dancing all around Phyllis, out of her way. "Sit down, Willis."
+
+"Lawdee," continued Phyllis, gently forcing the little boy into his chair
+again, "doan yer heah dat boy squallin' right now? Dem bare legs er his'n
+right full er bees. Mist'r Man, he run an' start ter smokin' de bees, fas'
+es he kin, an' bimeby, atter er long time, de Bee boys goes back ter dey
+ma."
+
+"Mammy, you tell Miss Queen Bee to tell John Mocking Bird to eat old
+Grab-All up," pleaded Mary Van, putting her arms around Phyllis's neck.
+
+"Ain' I done tole yer Miss Queen ain' gwine ax nobody fur nuthin', an'
+she ain' gwine give nobody nuthin' neether? She tell her chillun ter
+scuf'le hard an' make er heap er honey, an' den hit doan make no diffunce
+whut happ'n. One day, one er her boys come out uv er flow'r so full er
+honey dat he come _blump_ on de groun'. Ev'y time he try ter fly, hyah he
+come back _blump_ on de groun' ergin. Nancy Hummin' Bird tell him ter git
+up on her back an' she'd give 'im er lif'. He crawl on Nancy's back an'
+she tuk 'im home. Whin Miss Queen seed him, she ax 'im how he got dar wid
+sich er load er honey. He tell his ma Nancy fotch 'im. Hoopee! she buzz on
+him I tell yer. Yas, suh! She say: 'Yer go straight es you kin an' pay fur
+dat ride.'"
+
+"Did he pay five cents money, Mammy?" Willis rocked over backwards but was
+up before Phyllis could rise. "It didn't hurt. Did she give him five
+cents, Mammy?"
+
+"Nor, he give Miss Nancy some honey, whut she love good es de bees does,
+but Nancy got nuf mann'rs ter tell him she doan charge 'im, but Bizzy pay
+her enyhow, 'caze his ma done tole 'im dey ain' keerin' ter make no
+'quaintance wid nobody 'cep'n wid flow'rs. Miss Queen say: 'Hit's all
+right ter mix up wid de flow'rs, 'caze dat's biznes', but de res' er de
+woel kin g'long whar dey's er mine ter.' Miss Queen totin' her haid
+pow'ful high dese days, 'caze dat gum's full er honey an' she ain' owin'
+nobody er cent. She say she ain' got no use fur nuthin' 'cepin' biznes'.
+Dey g'long ter bed mouty biggity, an' feelin' pow'ful rich, but 'long in
+de night er bad old man come an' take'n ev'r speck er honey in de gum.
+Miss Queen think she done dremp er nightmar', but whin she git up in de
+mawnin' sho' nuf dey ain' got er Lawd's bite er brekfus'. Miss Queen, she
+say: 'G'long in de fiel', chillun, an' git us some brekfus'. 'Tain' gwine
+be long 'fo' we'll git rich ergin.'
+
+"But Jack Frost meet 'em at de do', an' say, 'I'll bite de fus' man dat
+sticks his nose out.'
+
+"Miss Queen say, 'Lawdy, Lawdy, whut we gwine do? De idee er rich fokes
+like we all wus, settin' hyah waitin' fur po' fokes ter hope us.'
+
+"Jack Frost say, 'You done slip up right dar, Sis' Queen Bee, de Lawd ain'
+nuv'r make nobody so big dey kin git 'long by derse'f, an' ef you had er
+drapt er lit'le er dat honey 'long side de road whilst yer wus er makin'
+so much uv hit, you'd er had some uv hit layin' 'round whar Mist'r Bad
+Man cudn't er foun' hit.'"
+
+"Make old Mister Bad Man give 'em back some honey," Willis insisted.
+
+"Mister Bad Man done sole dat honey an' got hisse'f er pa'r er shoes ter
+keep Jack Fros' fum bitin' his foots."
+
+Both children were clamoring for the rescue of the bees.
+
+"Nor, suh, dey done live by derse'fs whilst dey wus rich, an' now mis'ry
+done ketch up wid 'em, dey got ter perish in de same way."
+
+"Boo hoo, boo hoo," wailed both, "I don't want Miss Bizzy Bee's children
+to perish."
+
+"Hush cryin'."
+
+But they continued in genuine sympathy.
+
+"Y'uall cryin' so hard, yer can't see Mist'r Good Man comin' wid his han's
+right full er bee vit'als. But dat ain' gwine be no less'n ter dem bees.
+Dey gwine do de same thing dis time nex' ye'r, 'caze dey's dem kine er
+fokes."
+
+
+
+
+XVI
+
+MISTER TALL PINE'S CHRISTMAS TREE
+
+
+"Mammy, I wanter telephone Santy Claus," fretted Willis, seeking excuse to
+leave the nursery.
+
+"Nor, he done gone erway fum home ter hunt up whar de good chilluns stays
+at," as she moved about putting the room to rights; "you an' Ma'y Van fix
+dat lit'le Chrismus tree ov'r yond'r fur Ma'y Van's dolls, an' you be ole
+man Sandy."
+
+"I got ter telephone Santy Claus about little Leonora--he don't know she's
+come," insisted Willis.
+
+"I dunno whut's de rees'n--he brung her hisse'f dis mawnin'," still
+moving briskly about.
+
+"I got to telephone Santy what to bring her," he persisted.
+
+"Dat baby ain' got her eyes op'n yit."
+
+"Yes, she has, Mammy," and Mary Van crossed the room and looked into
+Phyllis's face, "they're big brown ones, 'caus I went over to Uncle Hugh's
+house and looked at 'em good m'self."
+
+"Well, I doan keer nuthin' tall 'bout dat, Sandy Claus say she too lit'le
+fur him ter fool wid yit."
+
+Mary Van turned to Willis, "Less us fix this tree for little Leonora."
+
+"No, I'm got to telephone to Santy Claus." He clung to the knob of the
+locked door.
+
+"Well, ef yer 'bleege ter pass er wurd wid 'im, holl'r up de chimbly--he
+settin' up dar lis'nin' ter see ef you'se er good boy."
+
+"No, I want to go downstairs and see my mama!" and he kicked violently
+against the door.
+
+Instead of coercing him, Phyllis took her seat by the fire, and placing
+her elbows upon her knees, spoke with her face towards the chimney: "Suh?"
+pausing a moment to listen; "yas, suh--yas, suh, dat's Willis, but he ain'
+no bad chile,--yas, suh, dat's him kickin' 'gainst de do', but he jes'
+playin' foot ball wid hit--nor, suh, Willis ain' bad, he's de bes' boy in
+dis town."
+
+Immediately both children were climbing into her lap asking and answering
+their own questions. "Lawdy mussy 'pon me! Set down like fokes--whut's dem
+lit'le cheers fur?" They, however, seated themselves upon the rug, and
+pulled her down with them so as to be more convenient for further chimney
+discourse.
+
+"Mammy, did he say he was going to bring my drum, an' billy goat wagon,
+an'--"
+
+"An' my dolly with long hair that can talk, an' my--"
+
+"He say," she interrupted quietly, "he gwine bring yer all dem things you
+done writ erbout, ef yer be's good chillun. De speshul news he giv' me
+den, is 'bout de beastes; an' creeters' Crismus tree. He say Tall Pine
+gwine be de Crismus tree, an' Mist'r Race Hoss gwine read out de names on
+de pres'nts."
+
+"Mammy, can Mist'r Race Hoss climb up Tall Pine Tree?"
+
+"Whut he hatt'r clime hit fur? Ain't Mist'r Wile Cat dar ter scale de tree
+an' ain' Doct'r Peckerwood settin' up dar wid his doct'r sissors, jes'
+waitin' ter clip de strings?"
+
+"But Mister Wild Cat might eat up Doctor Peckerwood," said Mary Van,
+distrustfully.
+
+"Honey, Mist'r Wile Cat's like er heap er slick fokes in de woel--he'll
+wurk pow'ful good an' squar' long es he know fokes watchin' 'im. All de
+beastes an' creeturs come ter de tree--an' I tell yer dar wus er Crismus
+gif' fur all de good ones."
+
+"Mister Rattlesnake didn't get any, did he?" asked Mary Van.
+
+"Rattlesnake say Decemb'r too late fur him ter be settin' up, an' he say
+he'd ruth'r sleep dan go ter enny ole Crismus tree ennyhow."
+
+"Tishy Peafowl was too bad, too, wasn't she, Mammy?" Mary Van remembered
+the bad ones.
+
+"You slip up right dar, yas, mam, you is, fur Tishy done got 'ligion an'
+jine de church."
+
+"Did her pretty feathers grow out again?"
+
+"No, mam! sin done eat 'em out by de roots, but de Lawd hang er mouty
+prutty fe'th'r coll'r on de tree fur her, jes' ter show Tish he know she
+tryin'."
+
+"And Tishy never was bad any more," assisted Willis.
+
+"Dat she wus, sin ketch'd up wid her er heap er times, but she recoleck
+'bout de col'r, an' fight de bes' she kin, an' de Lawd doan ax fur no
+mo'."
+
+"Was Jack Donkey too bad to come?"
+
+"Jack Donkey wusn't no wusser'n er heap uv 'em dat gits ter Crismus trees.
+Jack he writ'n an' ax Sandy ter bring him er fine kiv'r so fokes can't
+fine out he's er donkey. Sandy, he sen' him de kiv'r wid all sort er fine
+doin's on hit, but whin Cap'n Goat fling hit on Jack, dar wus his b'hime
+legs prancin' erbout, an' his long ye'rs still er stickin' out. Cap'n
+Goat, he pull an' pull ter stretch de kiv'r, but hit won't stretch, den de
+Cap'n tell him, 'Jack,' sez he, 'long es you keeps dem b'hime foots
+wurkin' like you does, an' dem long ye'rs gwine ev'y which er way, yer
+mout jes' es well call yo'se'f donkey, 'caze no kiv'r ain' gwine stretch
+big nuf ter hide dem p'ints.'"
+
+Willis pushed her knee: "Give Cap'n Yellow Jacket and Cap'n Hornet
+something nice 'cause old Grab-All got all their cider,--they didn't do
+anything bad."
+
+"Lawdy, boy, dem fokes done kilt one nuth'r long ergo. Doan yer 'memb'r?
+But der wid'rs got ax ter come, an' dey nev'r went, 'caze Grab-All Spid'r
+tryin' ter dance 'tendance fus' on one, den tuth'r uv 'em."
+
+"Don't let old Grab-All get any present."
+
+"Lawsee, I mos' fergit ter tell yer 'bout de axdent dat hap'n ter ole
+Grab-All, whin he come er sneakin' up de side er Mist'r Tall Pine. Yassuh,
+Mist'r Wile Cat an' Doct'r Peck'rwood tryin' ter handle dat buckit er hot
+cowpeas an' pot licker fur Sis' Cow, whin de whole thing slip an' come
+down _blump_, on ole Grab-All."
+
+"Did it kill him?"
+
+"Nor, dorter, he too mean ter die, but dat's whut he got off'n de Crismus
+tree."
+
+"Didn't Sis' Cow get some more peas?" asked Willis.
+
+"Nor, she say her an' Brer Dur'am 'ud jes' lick up whut dey cud off'n de
+groun'. Sis' Cow say she willin' ter lose de peas jes' ter see ole
+Grab-All git fixt. I tell yer de tree lookin' mouty fine by de time ole
+Crismus night come. Yer see de beastes hatt'r have der doin's on ole
+Crismus night."
+
+"What's Old Christmas?"
+
+"I donno whut 'tis, son, 'cep'n I allus heah dat twelve days atter
+Crismus, 'zackly at twelve erclock in de night time, all de beastes an'
+creeturs falls on der knees an' glorifies de Lawd,--an' I allus heahs
+fokes call hit 'Ole Crismus.'"
+
+"Birds can't kneel, Mammy Phyllis," announced Mary Van.
+
+"Dey kin put der haid on de groun', an' make der cross mark, I reckin."
+
+"Where was Miss Queen Bee; you left her out?"
+
+"Miss Queen lef' herse'f out, she say she feer'd her rumaticks 'ud git
+wusser, but dat ain' so--she feer'd sumbody gwine ketch her 'Crismus
+gif'."
+
+"Did God fix their eyes like Johnnie Squinch's, so they could see the tree
+good at night?"
+
+"Whut he got ter do dat fur, son? Ain' you seed de candles dat grows on de
+een' er ev'y pine tree branch?"
+
+"No, Mammy Phyllis, I haven't," Mary Van insisted upon an explanation.
+
+"Shucks, gal, ain' yer seed dis hyah lit'le light green candle sorter
+lookin' things comin' out'n de bushy een' er de pine tree branches?"
+
+"Are they candles?" the little girl did not quite remember.
+
+"Whut else is dey ter light up de Lawd's birfday party wid? I'll show yer
+dem candles de nex' time we goes on Tink'r Knob. I tell yer whin de
+Roost'r telerfome: 'Come on ter de Crismus t-r-e-e-,' 'Come on ter de
+Crismus t-r-e-e-!' dey all comes er tar'in'. Ole man Roost'r, he fly up
+ter de highes' rock on Tink'r Knob, an' watch de clouds. Miss Moon, she
+bus' th'u er big Black bank uv 'em an' tetch off ev'y candle on dat
+tree--an' ole man Roost'r say, 'Blessed be de L-a-w-d,' an' all de beastes
+draps on der knees, an' says der pra'rs. Den dey gits up an' ketches one
+nuth'r Crismus gif', an' den dey gits der pres'nts."
+
+"Mammy, did Ned Dog, an' Lilly Dove, an' Big Eye Buzzard get sumthin'?"
+Willis wanted to remember all.
+
+"No," interrupted Mary Van, shaking her finger at Willis. "Mammy said the
+bad ones couldn't come, and Big Eye was bad."
+
+"Well, I tell yer, dey let Big Eye come an' clean up de scraps fur 'em,
+'caze he done name hisse'f Buzzard ergin, an' he wus gittin' long bet'r."
+
+"Mammy, did everyone that was good get something?"
+
+"Not ev'y single one, baby. Hit hap'n dat Sandy Claus make some mouty bad
+meestakes, ev'y now an' den. Some time he give bad fokes de things de good
+fokes orter have. You 'memb'rs dem fire crack'rs dat lit'le yaller dog ax
+us ter take off'n his tail las' Crismus? Well, dat Weed boy's ole bad bull
+dog gits er heap mo'n him."
+
+"Mammy, let Yellow Doggie come to Mister Tall Pine's Christmas Tree,"
+begged Willis.
+
+"He say he ruth'r eat Crismus dinn'r wid Ned Dog. But dar's er heap er
+yall'r dogs 'mongst fokes I tell yer. Dat po' white 'ooman come beggin'
+hyah las' week, wid dat raggity boy tryin' ter hope car'y de po' lit'le
+ha'f froz' baby. No, Lawd," she shook her head, "dem fokes ruth'r have er
+piece er corn bread, an' er han'full er fier'n all de Crismus tree yer kin
+stick at 'em." The mental picture of the woman was still vivid, for she
+continued: "I speck dat 'ooman got dat quilt yer ma give her, wrop roun'
+her right now, squattin' close ter some hot ashes in de fierplace, wid de
+baby squose up right clost ter her, an' dat boy gittin' clost es he kin
+ter her und'r de quilt--an' I speck he say,
+
+"'Ma, doan yer wush we had er stockin' ter hang up, so Sandy Claus 'ud
+bring us sumpin'?'
+
+"I speck his ma hug him tight wid one arm, an' moan, an' moan, an' moan,
+an' I speck de boy say:
+
+"'Ma, yer reckin' Sandy 'ud give us er piece er bread, ef I wuster go down
+ter de sto' wind'r an' ax him fur hit?'
+
+"An' I speck his ma jes' keep on er moanin', 'caze she know dat ole sto'
+man's Sandy Claus ain' no bett'r'n de sto' man hisse'f.
+
+"He say, 'Ma, yer reck'n May Van an' Willis 'ud lemme look th'u de wind'r
+at der nice warm fier, an' all der good sump'in' ter eat, an' de purty
+Crismus tree?'
+
+"An' his ma mos' bus' her heart in two, 'caze she can' do nuthin' but jes'
+luv 'im."
+
+"Mammy," trembled the little girl's voice, "why didn't the little boy
+write to Santy like me and Willis?"
+
+"'Caze he nuv'r had no stamp ter put on de let'r. I tell yer hit takes
+money ter buy Sandy Claus stamps."
+
+"We just sent ours up the chimbly," refuted Willis.
+
+"Dat boy didn't had ernuf fire ter make his'n go up de chimbly."
+
+"Why didn't his mama ask God?" half whispered Mary Van, as she laid her
+head on Phyllis's shoulder.
+
+"Dat po' creetur's moanin' an' groanin' wus er heap loud'r'n enny pra'r
+she cud pray."
+
+"Couldn't God hear her?" Willis clutched her by the arm. "Ask God to lis'n
+good, Mammy."
+
+"De Lawd know his biznes', baby, bet'r'n we does. Dat 'ooman got ter set
+dar an' shiv'r tell de Lawd git somebody ter het her up ergin."
+
+"Mammy," said Willis, his lips quivering, "le'ss weall take 'em some of
+our goodies an' things."
+
+Mary Van begged, "Please."
+
+"Dar now!" She placed a hand on each baby head: "De Lawd done he'rd dat
+po' creet'rs pra'r right now. He want you chillun ter go fix dat po'
+'ooman's fier, an' give her sump'n' ter eat, so you won't nuv'r fergit how
+good He is ter you, an' whin you kicks at de do', an' holl'ers loud,
+you'll 'member ter fight sin like Tishy Peafowel do."
+
+Her suggestion went to each eager little heart.
+
+"Yas, suh, an' de Lawd say: 'Doanchu both'r no mo', lit'le boy, er ole
+black mammy comin' roun' hyah terreckly wid er lit'le boy an' gal, an' dey
+gwina bring all der ole toys, an' some der warm close too, 'long wid some
+nice vit'als, an' der pa gwine sen' yer some fier, ter make er fier wid.'"
+
+There was no need to lock the nursery door on Christmas Eve afternoon, for
+Phyllis and two radiant little children were in the rockaway, fairly
+packed in under the good things they carried to some of the homes Santa
+didn't know about. And when the happy little boy said his, "Now I lay me"
+that night, he asked, "An' please tell Santy not to forget m' goat harness
+and m' goat, an' m' drum, an' bring Mary Van a harness like my race hoss
+harness with bells, an' please show Santy the way to all the lit'le poor
+children's houses, an' give 'em some stamps for their letters, too. An'
+please God tell Santy to hurry up an' come on. Amen."
+
+
+
+
+XVII
+
+AN AFTERWORD
+
+
+Expressions of regret have reached me that "Bypaths in Dixie" does not
+open with a tribute in verse to old Mammy. Let me confess I share this
+regret. It, therefore, occurs to me that the sympathetic readers who have
+missed "Lines to Mammy" from my little book may be interested in the
+following faithful account of the author's failure to furnish this tribute
+to the heroine of these stories. I am, indeed, the more persuaded to offer
+this personal experience of authorship, because I believe it explains in
+no mean degree the missing poems from the pages of many women who follow
+Art for Art's alluring sake along various pleasant byways, but who
+journey for the most part on the broad highway of a very practical life.
+Moreover, those who hold that poets are born, not made, may by the
+following true story be constrained to add to their creed that born poets
+may by some circumstances be unmade.
+
+The poem above referred to was thought of but not until the manuscript was
+on the press, hence when the publisher wired "send at once" the would-be
+poet succumbed to a nervousness calculated to destroy rather than inspire
+poetic impulse. A chair from the chimney corner was drawn closer to the
+fire in hopes that the odor of burning logs might woo association away
+from radiators back to the old wood-pile, the chip basket, and the
+lightwood knot. Nor did this simple ruse fail of expectation, for soon
+the old home took shape in the flames. I could see the heavy green
+shutters that tempered the summer sun in the nursery, and through these,
+flung wide, I could look into the high pitched room, big and square, not
+crowded for all the crib-beds of varying sizes, and Mammy with a child in
+one arm stumbling over toys to the bedside of a rebellious charge: "Bett'r
+shet yer eyes 'fo' ole Mist'r Grab All come an' git yer." And so the
+pencil moved:
+
+  In dreams I see thee bending o'er me.
+  To the old plantation home we rove,
+  Where--
+
+At this moment Aunt Ellen opened the door and waited. Seeing she was
+unnoticed, she began:
+
+"You ain' tole me er Lawd's thing 'bout dinn'r er bre'kfus, er supp'r."
+
+"Oh, Aunt Ellen, don't ask me what to have--fix anything."
+
+  In dreams I see thee bend--
+
+"Yassum, but yer got ter have sump'thin' ter fix 'fo' yer kin fix hit."
+
+"Mercy me," I fretfully turned, "have that roast from yesterday,--it was
+scarcely touched." Then again over the fire:
+
+  In dreams I see thee--
+
+"Cose I kin heat de roas', an' put taters 'roun' hit, an'--"
+
+"Aunt Ellen," an idea seized me, "you know that old black dress of mine
+you've been begging me for? Well, I'll give it to you if you will arrange
+everything nicely and not ask me a thing."
+
+  In dreams I see thee bend--
+
+"All right, honey, I'll do hit too, att'r I tells you dey ain' no flour in
+de house."
+
+"That barrel of flour gone?"
+
+"Good Lawd, Miss Sa', how long you 'speck flour ter las' an' you all
+eatin' like yer does?"
+
+"Well order a sack, and I'll see about another barrel when I go down
+town."
+
+  In dreams--
+
+"Now, Aunt Ellen, go on."
+
+"Yassum, but I'm bleeg'd ter tell yer de kitchen b'iler's leakin'."
+
+"Oh, for pity's sake!" I started for the kitchen, then remembered: "Go
+tell the man working on the furnace to fix it,--and remember, no dress
+for you if you keep interrupting me." Once more to the fire I turned,
+trying to conjure back the nursery, bedtime, Mammy, or anything. I bit my
+pencil and read once more:
+
+  In dreams I see thee bending o'er me,
+  To the old plantation home we rove,
+  Where--
+
+"Miss Sa', dat man say he ain' got nuthin' ter do wid kitch'n fixin's.--He
+say he's er furniss man. An' Tom done cut de wat'r off, an' I can't git
+dinn'r tell de plumb'r come."
+
+A prolonged telephonic agony ensued with the plumber, which entirely
+dispelled the charm I had half invoked. On the way back to the library, I
+heard Tom at the front door: "Yassum, dat's her, but she's pow'ful busy
+ter day." The next moment Tom's tall figure appeared at the library door,
+and over his shoulder peered the taller one of a woman whose masculine
+features were shaded by a hat of garish variety.
+
+"I simply could not pass without recalling myself to you, and getting one
+more peep," exclaimed my visitor as she brushed past Tom, "into this
+old-fashioned library with shelves up to the ceiling."
+
+"Will you have this seat?" I murmured, trying to recall a previous
+meeting.
+
+"Oh, no, I'll just sit in this seat in the corner."
+
+This she did, upsetting pencil and paper on the table near-by. Both of us
+reached over,--I to rescue my lines, she to raise her skirt, from the
+narrow confines of which also she drew forth a book of dimensions that I
+hesitate to specify.
+
+"I have here some literature," she drew forth yards of pasteboard arranged
+in economic design, "that I--"
+
+"Madam," I raised a hand in protest, "let these over-crowded shelves be my
+answer," my mind the while dipping again into the past where Mammy Phyllis
+seemed to whisper: "Bett'r look out, dat's Cap'n Yall'r Jackit's ole lady
+youse foolin' wid." Thus, while my visitor rehearsed the merits of "The
+American People in Literature and Art," and differentiated between book
+agents and traveling educators, I listened to Mammy telling about Cap'n
+Hornet and Cap'n Yall'r Jackit and Mist'r Grab-All Spider, until finally
+Mammy and I sat together out under the old cherry tree and watched their
+famous battle.
+
+"Being a traveling educator, may I see what books these shelves are lined
+with?"
+
+"Certainly," I subconsciously assented, while the muse ran:
+
+  Thy hand my toddling steps did guide,
+  Thy soft voice crooned to gentle sleep--
+
+no; that will not do:
+
+  Thy wisdom oft my--
+
+"Why on earth did you not tell me you had the books and save me this time
+and effort?" burst furiously from the far end of the room, putting to
+blush even Cap'n Yall'r Jackit's old Lady, "But you did not know it--did
+not know that such books as these existed, much less in your own library."
+
+All the while she was nervously repacking the wonderful hidden pocket.
+
+"I bid you good morning," now perfectly attired for another social call,
+"and ask you to pardon my emotion when I see such a library in the
+possession of a woman who does not know even the titles of her own books!
+I have heard of such ignorance, but never believed it until now!"
+
+"Good-bye, Miss Yall'r Jackit," I felt, and back in the chimney corner I
+dropped to dream again with the publishers' wire commanding me from the
+mantel-piece.
+
+  In dreams again thy hand doth guide
+  Through meadow land where kine doth--
+
+Tom so softly entered that his presence was unknown until he apologized:
+"De Bank Man say please ter step ter de telerfome."
+
+"Hello! Well?"
+
+"Did you get the notice of your overdraft yesterday?"
+
+"Indeed I did, and I was going to see you about it this morning and tell
+you there was some mistake."
+
+"In what way?" chillingly interrogated this voice of superior business
+intelligence.
+
+"You have me overdrawn ten dollars when I know I have twenty dollars and
+thirty-five cents to my account."
+
+"I am very sorry," he loftily and pityingly apologized, "but our books,
+according to your checks, show an overdraft."
+
+"Well," I sighed, perfectly sure I was right and perfectly sure he would
+convince me I was not, "I cannot attend to it to-day. Just let it stand
+until I come down town. I am very busy to-day."
+
+Oh! for an uninterrupted moment!--What so simple as lines to write, if
+only one has the time.
+
+I found a stingy blaze struggling up the chimney: "Do, Tom, run get some
+kindling and chips quick."
+
+"Kin yer wait, Miss Sa', tell I gits thu settin' de table? Hit's near
+'bout dinn'r time."
+
+Alas! even as he spoke the family began to assemble, and the library
+quietly and naturally changed into a family gathering room, where real
+people crowded out the dreams in a mother's mind.
+
+At length the meal ended, the house cleared, once more I turned to the
+lines. A seat was chosen by the window this time, in hopes that a view of
+the mountains would call up the spirits of Mist'r Bad Simmon Tree, Miss
+Wile Grape, de Reed gals, and their forest companions.
+
+  Thou lessons teachest through tree and vine
+  A crookèd twig's to thee a sign
+  For moral lect--
+
+In the dim perspective of the street a flying object arrested my thoughts.
+An instant more and it developed into one of my hopefuls tearing like mad
+on a four-year-old colt, without saddle or bridle. "Help! Catch him!" I
+cried, as I threw up the window sash. Passers-by rushed to the rescue as
+the colt took the hedge, crossed the lawn, and halted under the window
+without a quiver.
+
+"Mama! just look at these people! Send them away--the colt is as gentle as
+a cat."
+
+Echoes of Wild West, Buffalo Bill, came from the dispersing crowd, while
+the boy grumbled: "A bridle and saddle don't do a thing but make a 'Sissy'
+out of a boy."
+
+The mountain view resigned in favor of the chimney corner, where with
+limbs still trembling I sank almost resigned to give up the lines. Prose
+was easy enough to write, even with interruptions, but poetry, where one
+must dream and drift into the spirit of the thought,--this, alas, was not
+the calling of a busy mother of six, at least not of this busy mother.
+
+"Miss Sa'," Tom appeared bearing a cup of hot milk, "An' Ellen say drink
+dis an' hit'll set yer up ergin, den whin I gits dis fier ter blazin'" (he
+piled the logs higher), "yer'll write dem poetries 'fo' yer knows hit."
+
+Even as he swept the ashes from the hearth, "send at once" spurred my
+flagging mood to one more effort. Yes, once more I'll try! Let me see.--I
+rubbed my brow and tugged at the hair about my temples--Let's see--
+
+"Miss Sa'," he sheepishly turned, "I aint tole yer, dey telerfome fum de
+office comp'ny wus comin' ter supp'r--yas, mam--two gent'muns."
+
+"Tell Aunt Ellen to order some shad to go with whatever else she has, and
+please, p-l-e-a-s-e do not let the King of England open that door again."
+
+The flames licked up the chimney, the oak logs popped and crackled, and
+insisted they were singing the same tunes they sang in the nursery of old,
+when I gazed at them through the tall brass fender and listened to Mist'r
+Hickory Log and Mist'r Wise Oak telling Mammy all about their kinsfolk and
+friends. And as the wind whistled drearily around the north corners of the
+house, I seemed to hear Mist'r Tall Pine's lonely wail echoing the cries
+of "hants" and spirits in search of rest from unholy graves.
+Instinctively, I cuddled to Mammy, who took me by the hand, and led me
+into the summer sunlight, down the narrow honeysuckle lane, where Miss
+Queen Bee and Cap'n Hornit and Cap'n Yall'r Jackit droned lazily among the
+heavy blossoms, keeping rhythm to the low hum of Mammy's voice. Then,
+somehow, the pencil began of its own accord to move across the paper.
+
+  _TO MAMMY_
+
+  Thy beaming face woos me afresh to-night,
+  My eyelids droop, for with thy plaintive song
+  Old times drift back and tender memories throng
+  With fable-tales. I fondly crave the sight
+  Of wood and lane and towering mountain height,
+  With thee as guide. I hear once more among
+  The distant hills thy thrilling voice prolong
+  The lore of beasts, of birds, and glowworm's light.
+  Their secrets now are locked from anxious man,
+  And none, since mute thy tongue must ever be,
+  Can link our child-days with their mystery:
+  For thou hast passed beyond the mountain span
+  With faith unfaltering in thy Maker's plan,
+  And left to us thy vibrant memory.
+
+--and Mammy led me past honeysuckle lane, through field and grove to
+pastureland, where old Sis Nanny Goat lies in a corner of the fence
+moaning and groaning:
+
+Sis Wile Lucy Goose fly down an' ax:
+
+"Whut ail yo' haid, Sis Nanny Goat?"
+
+Sis Nanny Goat 'spon,' she do: "I bin tryin' ter git out'n dis heah ole
+pastur', ov'r yond'r in Mist'r Man's ole lady's flower gyard'n," sez she,
+"but dat ole wall so hard I done wase m'time, an' I ain' got nuthin' ter
+show fur hit but dese heah bumps on m'haid."
+
+Sis Wile Lucy Goose say, sez she: "Law, Sis Nann Goat, ain' you got no mo'
+sense dan ter try ter projick wid Mist'r Man's doin's? All yer got ter do
+is ter flop yer wings an' give er hop, an' dar yer is, ov'r de fence
+mongst de flow'rs."
+
+"But I ain' got no wings ter flop wid," spon Sis Nanny Goat.
+
+"Dar now," sez Sis Wile Lucy Goose, "den you got ter keep on eatin' dis
+same ole grass tell you sprouts somethin' nuther ter fly wid."
+
+I reached out for a firmer clasp on Mammy's hand, now slipping from me,
+when kindly sleep, with its visions, forsook me and left me only the
+picture of the impotent bumps on Sis Nanny Goat's head. But I seemed to
+catch the faint echo of Mammy's voice saying: "Hit taint time you orter be
+cryin' fer, hit's sense."
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 41598 ***