# The Chronicles of Aunt Minervy Ann

Stories of the American South during the Reconstruction era. Many of the chapters were first published as individual short stories in magazines. [
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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THE CHRONICLES
OF
AUNT MINERVY ANN
BY JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS
ILLUSTRATED BY A. B. FROST
1899.
LONDON: J. M. DENT & CO.,
29 AND 30, BEDFORD STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
"I ain't fergit dat ar 'possum."
THE CHRONICLES OF
AUNT MINERVY ANN
CONTENTS
* PAGE
* I.An Evening with the Ku-Klux ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................1
* II."When Jess went a-fiddlin'" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................34
* III.How Aunt Minervy Ann Ran Away and Ran Back Again ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................70
* IV.How She Joined the Georgia Legislature ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................97
* V.How She Went Into Business ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................119
* VI.How She and Major Perdue Frailed Out the Gossett Boys ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................139
* VII.Major Perdue's Bargain ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................157
* VIII.The Case of Mary Ellen ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................182
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
* "I ain't fergot dat ar 'possum" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Frontispiece
* FACING PAGE
* "Well, he can't lead me" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6
* He wore a blue army overcoat and a stove-pipe hat ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................8
* "Sholy you-all ain't gwine put dat in de paper, is you?" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................10
* Inquired what day the paper came out ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................14
* "I was on the lookout," the Major explained ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................18
* In the third he placed only powder ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................26
* We administered to his hurts the best we could ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................30
* "I'd a heap rather you'd pull your shot-gun on me than your pen" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................32
* The Committee of Public Comfort ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................72
* Buying cotton on his own account ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................76
* "Miss Vallie!" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................78
* "I saw him fling his hand to his shoulder and hold it there" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................80
* "Dat ar grape jelly on de right han' side" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................82
* "'Conant!' here and'Conant' dar'" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................84
* "Drapt down on de groun' dar an' holler an' cry" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................90
* "Oh, my shoulder!" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................122
* "Marse Tumlin never did pass a nigger on de road" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................124
* "We made twelve pies ef we made one" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................126
* "I gi' Miss Vallie de money" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................128
* "Ef here ain't ol' Minervy Ann wid pies!" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................130
* "You see dat nigger 'oman?" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................132
* "An' he sot dar, suh, wid his haid 'twix' his han's fer I dunner how long" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................134
* "You'll settle dis wid me" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................136
* "Dat money ain't gwine ter las' when you buy dat kin' er doin's" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................160
* Trimmin' up de Ol' Mules ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................162
* "She wuz cryin'—settin' dar cryin'" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................164
* "Here come a nigger boy leadin' a bob-tail boss" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................166
* "He been axin' me lots 'bout Miss Vallie" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................172
* "Marse Tumlin 'low he'll take anything what he can chaw, sop, er drink" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................176
* "I hatter stop an' pass da time er day" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................178
* "Hunt up an' down fer dat ar Tom Ferryman" ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................180