Page:Southern Life in Southern Literature.djvu/344

 "'Ladies, Brer Fox wuz my daddy's ridin' boss fer thirty year; maybe mo', but thirty year dat I knows un! sezee, en den he paid 'em his 'spects, en tip his beaver, en march off, he did, des ez stiff en ez stuck up ez a fire-stick.

"Nex' day, Brer Fox cum callin', en w'en he gun fer ter laff 'bout Brer Rabbit, Miss Meadows en de gals, dey ups en tells 'im 'bout w'at Brer Rabbit said. Den Brer Fox grit his toof sho' nuff, he did, en he look mighty dumpy, but w'en he riz fer ter go, he up en say, sezee:

"'Ladies, I ain't 'sputin' w'at you say, but I'll make Brer Rabbit chaw up his words en spit um out right here whar you kin see 'im, sezee, en wid dat off Brer Fox marcht.

"En w'en he got in de big road, he shuck de dew off'n his tail, en made a straight shoot fer Brer Rabbit's house. W'en he got dar, Brer Rabbit wuz 'spectin' un 'im, en de do' was shet fas'. Brer Fox knock. Nobody never ans'er. Brer Fox knock. Nobody ans'er. Den he knock ag'in—blam, blam. Den Brer Rabbit holler out mighty weak:

"'Is dat you, Brer Fox? I want you to run fer ter fetch de doctor. Dat bait er pusly w'at I et dis mawnin' is gittin' 'way wid me. Do please run quick, Brer Fox, sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.

"'I come atter you, Brer Rabbit,' sez Brer Fox, sezee. 'Dere's gwineter be a party over at Miss Meadows's,' sezee. All de gals 'll be dere, en I promus' dat I'd fetch you. De gals, dey 'lowed dat hit would n't be no party 'ceppin' I fotch you,' sez Brer Fox, sezee.

"Den Brer Rabbit say he was too sick, en Brer Fox say he wuzzent, en dar dey had it up and down, 'sputin' en contendin'. Brer Rabbit say he could n't walk. Brer Fox say he'd tote 'im. Brer Rabbit say how? Brer Fox say in his arms. Brer Rabbit say he'd drap 'im. Brer Fox 'low he would n't. Bimeby, Brer Rabbit say he'd go ef Brer Fox tote 'im on his back. Brer Fox