Page:Southern Life in Southern Literature.djvu/192

 you bominable fool!" ses I, and I felt all over in spots, for I spected every minit he'd nip me, and what made it worse, I did n't know wharabouts he'd take hold. "Bow! wow! wow!" Then I tried coaxin—"Come here, good feller," ses I, and whistled a little to him, but it was n't no use. Thar he stood and kep up his eternal whinin and barkin, all night. I could n't tell when daylight was breakin, only by the chickens crowin, and I was monstrous glad to hear 'em, for if I'd had to stay thar one hour more, I don't blieve I'd ever got out of that bag alive.

Old Miss Stallins come out fust, and as soon as she saw the bag, ses she: "What upon yeath has Joseph went and put in that bag for Mary? I'll lay it's a yearlin or some live animal, or Bruin would n't bark at it so."

She went in to call the galls, and I sot thar, shiverin all over so I could n't hardly speak if I tried to, but I did n't say nothin. Bimeby they all come runnin out.

"My Lord, what is it?" ses Miss Mary. "Oh, it's alive!" ses Miss Kesiah. "I seed it move."

"Call Cato, and make him cut the rope," ses Miss Carline, "and let's see what it is. Come here, Cato, and git this bag down."

"Don’t hurt it for the world," ses Miss Mary.

Cato untied the rope that was round the jice and let the bag down easy on the floor, and I tumbled out all covered with corn meal from head to foot.

"Goodness gracious!" ses Miss Mary, "if it ain’t the Majer himself!"

"Yes," ses I, "and you know you promised to keep my Crismus present as long as you lived."

The galls laughed themselves almost to deth, and went to brushin off the meal as fast as they could, sayin they was gwine to hang that bag up every Crismus till they got husbands,