Page:Southern Life in Southern Literature.djvu/346

328 he did, en shake han's wid de gals en set dar smokin' his seegyar same ez town man. Bimeby, he draw in long puff en den let hit out in er cloud, en squar' hiss'f back, en holler out, he did:

"'Ladies, ain't I done tell you Brer Fox wuz de ridin' hoss fer our fambly? He's sorter losin' his gait now, but I 'speck I kin fetch 'im all right in a mont' er so,' sezee.

"En den Brer Rabbit smile, he did, en de gals giggle, en Miss Meadows, she praise up de pony, en dar wuz Brer Fox hitch fas' ter de rack en could n't he'p hisse'f."

"Is that all, Uncle Remus?" asked the little boy as the old man paused.

"Dat ain't all, honey, but 't won't do fer to give out too much cloff fer ter cut one pa'r pants," replied the old man sententiously.

When "Miss Sally's" little boy went to Uncle Remus the next night to hear the conclusion of the adventure in which the Rabbit made a riding horse of the Fox to the great enjoyment and gratification of Miss Meadows and the girls, he found the old man in a bad humor.

"I ain't tellin' no tales ter bad chilluns," said Uncle Remus, curtly.

"But, Uncle Remus, I ain't bad," said the little boy, plaintively.

"Who dat chunkin' dem chickens dis mawnin? Who dat knockin out fokes's eyes wid dat Yaller-bammer sling des 'fo' dinner? Who dat sickin' dat pinter puppy atter my pig? Who dat scatterin' my ingun sets? Who dat flingin' rocks on top er my house, w'ich a little mo' en one un um would er drapt spang on my head?"