The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-06-24
UNCLE FELIX'S STORi,

In the summer time old Uncle Felix
used to sit under the willows down by
the creek for hours and hours. When
the fish were in biting humor Uncle
Felix didn't like company, but when his
line hung idly in the water he would tell
stories from noon until shutdown.
"De sum en- substins OBJ de matter am
dat de big fish skeet off inter deep water
wen day hears folks chinnin' he would
remark, by way of apology for refusing
to entertain the boys on busy occasion.
One afternoon the boys came along
and, seeing by the empty basket that
Uncle Felix wasn't catching anything,
they began to pave the way for a story.
Charlie had little book of nonsense
rhymes" in his pocket and, opening it at
a place where leaf was turned down,
he pretended to read.
''Wat dat yo're readin'?" asked Uncle
Felix.
about the Jobberwock, said Charlie.
"De wat?"
"The Jobberwock; did you ever hear
of such al animal?"
"Mos' pears to me 1 has," said Uncle
Felix, closing both eyes and letting MS
|
roots of which he was sitting, for Uncle
Felix never would admit his ignorance
of a thing. MOS pears to me-" he
continued, ''dat us boys cot jabber-
wuck way down in de swamp long while
back, wen L wigs bout yo' size"
How did it happen, uncle?" asked
John; and the three boys cuddled around
the old fisherman, whose eyes were bent
upwards, evidently searching for facts in
the topmost branches of the willow.
'In dem days, said the old man, "yo'
| Unkle Felix was wukkin for Moss Billy,
| en- dar was annuder darkey named Pomp,
de same dat was struck by lightnin in
de yeah AT. In de day time we darkeys
hoed con, and many a night we freed
coons in de swamp. De las coon hunt
we tux togedder was on a cloudy night
bout fifty yeah back. We slipped long
inter de hawt of de woods, tarrin' tro
briers en- wadin' tro muck, but de dogs
fust smelt dis tree, Ell den dat widout
findin nary coon. Bimeby old Snap,
fomp's dog, Civ snort ell was Off Oh
cease we follered heels ober head, en-
purity soon bot dogs anker'd under gum
tree, en- gun to rip music outen dere
froats wussen q whole team oh bullfrogs
on an April ebenin.
dat coons up dis gum, Pomp seq,
en- SEE: 'Coase he am Den Pomp sez
Il sees de moon up dis gum. Wharf
seq me, lookin whar Pomp was pintin. ;
Oar SEE Pomp, sezzee. Sho' nuf dar
wuz roun' ball of fire way up on de top
linn. +"
"'Felix, SEE Pomp, kline o feelin
skeered, watts de moon dom out on a
cloudy night like dis fur?"
".Mitey GURUS, SEE lie.
"'Lets run, says Pomp."
"Jess den de moon gin to mobe, en-
Pomp en- me drapped down under de
bushes. Ez we drapped dar cum voice
! from outen de bushes behine us, sayin' ::
'ker-wuck! ker wuck! ker-hoo ker-hoo!
'Lissen, seq me, gibbin Pomp's hand a
pinch, but Pomp was shakin all ober
wild an ager. Den spy de moon en- hel
nv BRET. De moon was uncurlin' hisself
on dat lin, en- soon ! sees dat he hab a
tail en- head en- body, jess de same ez
emmy animul. De dogs by dis time he'd
gun to sneak off. At dat minnet dar cum
annuder voice from outen de bushes say
| in: 'Ker-wuck! Ker-wuck! Ker -hool
Run, little niger, runsP Up bot oh us
| bounced, but fore we got outen de bush
es down cum de moon like flash oh fire.
Pomp yelled loud nuf fur steam mime
wen dar's COW on de track. Way we
scampered wild de four-legg'd moon arter
us de dogs rnnnin' wild der tails twixt
dar legs yelpin' en- howlin' fit to kill. i"
did you get caught, uncle?" asked
Charlie.
Watts dat? Git cotched? Bress yo'
little soul, honey, we made tracks outen
de swamp quicker's flash oh lightnin
Git cotched? No STREE"
but what was 1.-THE jobberwock?"
Uncle Felix folded his arms around his
knees and squeezed himself as though
to hold in the laughter with which he
threatened to explode.
Dress vo' souls. chillen, it was no
mo- de moon den it was dis ole hat OBJ
mine. 1t was rsle libin coon."
"a coon"
"Shos yo' bon dat's wat il was, and
dis am de way it happen: Young Moss
Billy he'd cum home from school up dar
in Phildelfy. He was jokin' sort oh
- voung mn. eli he cot coon en- rubbed
him all ober wild fussfurus dat berry
night"
Rubbed the coon with phosphorus. "
Deed he did; rubbed him wild dat
shiny stuff he'd learn'd bout ut school
EN- den sot him free, kind o. KNOWN dat
me and Pompd tree him TO monin.
Laws-a-massy but dem little darkeys
was sleered to def fur mont"
Just then Uncle Felix felt nibble ut
his hook, and indicating to the boys with
| several anar0atic loha of his boa1 fhaf
he was through with them for the day,
he bent to the task Of searching for his
supper.
susies Dancing Lesson.