Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-07-23
THE EVENING STAR.
Plantation Witch.


''CCNJCN' DESCRIBED By UNCLE RMCS.
From "Uncle Remus: His Songs and his
sayings; by Joel c. Harris; newly published by
"tncle Remus, what are witches likee"
Dey comes difunt," responded the cautious
OLD darkey. ''Dey comes en- dey cUnjuS foxes.
Squinch owl holler eve'y time he see a witch,
en- wen you hear de dog howlin' In de middle er
lin 'roun' Cunjun folks kin tell a witch de
mfnnu Ger lays der eyes on it, but dem wat
amt cunjun, hits mighty hard ter tell wen
dey see one, kaze dey might come in de pear
unce IN COW en- all Kinder beaS'S- | amt
Deen useter no cuniun myself, but | bin Twin
long n Il fer ter know Wen you meets up wild
big black cat In de middle er de road. wild
ya!lef eyebaLs, dars yo' witch fresh fun de Ole
Boy. In fuddermo' know dat faint proned
inter 10 dogs fer ter ketch de rabbit wat uses
IN oerl. in;groun'- Dey er de mos ongod-
lies cretturS " at you ever laid eyes on con-
tlnued | ncie RemuS with JUNCTION. "Down d9r
Ia Putmon county yo' [ nk Jeems. he make like
ne gWneter ketch wunner dem Oar graveyard
rabbits. Sho nuff, out he goes en- de dogs amt
no mon got Ter de place To- up lump de old rab-
bit right 'mongst UNI, en- after runnn' 'roun' a
TINE or Two. she skip right up ter Mars JeeGls.
en- Mars Jet MS he GeS put de gun bairl right
On 'er EN- damned a!ooSe Hit. tored UP de
groun all foun' en- de dogs, dey rush up, but
dey want no rabbit Oar: but bimeby Mars
} ems, he ST ell de dogs tuckin' der tails tween
der legs, en- lie look up, en- dar wuz de rabbit
caperin' 'roun' on a toomstone, en- wild dat
Mars Jeems say he Sorter feel like de time done
come wen yo gran'ma was speckin' un him
home en- be call of de dogs en- put out But
dem WIZ la'ntS. Witches is dele yer kinder
II ks wat kin drap der body en- change inter a
cat en- wolf en- all kinder creeturs."
tie boy interrupted.
Mars John atn't live long ez Isl said
I nee Remus oy way Of comment. "He amt
bin brooZin' 'roun' all hours err night en- lay.
know'd niger witch his brer wuz a witch
kase he up'n tOle me how he tuck d kyo1 i'm.
en- he kyod 'iln good. mon
" HOW was thatc" inquired the little boy
I" Hit seems like continued Uncle RenuS
dat Wltch-fokes is got a slit In de back er de
neck, en- ven dey Wanter change derSef day
deS pun de hide over Ger head same ez If twuz
shut en- dar dey is.
=" DO they get out Of their skins asked the
little boy In an awed tone.
"Ioopy sho. honey. You see yo' pa pull mis-
duz But dish yer niger wat I'm tellin' you
bout, ekyod his brer.d ve'y fls pass he made
at Lin. Hit got so dat foxes in de settlement
in de mawnins Wild dor ha'r tangle up. en- wild
scratches ON ON like dey bin tho0 brIer-
patch, tWel oimeby one DAY dis niger he low
preI; Ell sho nun dat night dez ez de chickens
Wu CROWN fer y UP jump de brer an pull off
bis skin en- sail out'n de house in de shape un a
pat en- wat doz dc niger do but grab up dc
nice, en- turn it wrongsud-0ut'ardse en- sprinkle
1t wild salt. Den he lay down en- watch fer ter
see wat de news wuZ gwineter be. Des 'fo'
day yer come big black cat in de do, en- de
yer come big black dog snuftfn' 'roun', ende
niger up wild chunk en- damned i'm side de
head. Den squinch owl Lit On de koam err de
house, en- de Niger jam de shovel in de fire en-
make i'm flew away. Las yer come a great
big black wolf Wild his eyes shinin' Ike fire.
Goals, en- he grab de hide and rush out. 'Twan't
long To- de Niger hear his brer hOllerin' en-
Squalltn' en- he tack HIGHT, he did en- went
out, en- OAR wuz his brer Wal!erin' on da groun'
en- squtrmtn' roun'. kaZe de salt on de skin WIZ
stfDgin' Wuss'n eff he had his britcnes Ide wild
yaller- Jackets By mex mornin' he got so he
could sorter shuttle long, but he gun up cum
gunen Ct Ger WIZ emmy mo- witches in dat set
tlement dey KEEP mighty close en- dat niger
ne amt skuDt hiSsef no mo- not cDdurln' er my
membunce."
The result OF this vas that Uncle Remus had
to take the little boy by the hand and 90 with
him to the "big house. which the Old man was
not 10th TO do; and when the child went to bed
be lay awake long time expecting an I'M
Seem1y visitation from some mysterious
source. 1t soothed him. however to hear the
strong, musical voice OF his sable patron, not
very 1ar away. wrestling, so TO speak. with a
lusty tune; and to this accompaniment the lit
tie boy dropped asleep
Hits eighteen hunder'd forty-eneiglt
Christ done made that crooked way straight
In don't wanter stay here no longer; .
Ilt's eighteen hunder'd, forty on-nine,
Christ done turn dat water inter wine
En- don't wanter stay here NO longer"