Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-09-06
How Mr.. Rooster Lost his Dinner.

The following is from "a Rainy Day
with Uncle Remus," by Joel Chandler
Harris, in the Midsummer Scribner.
The afternoon wore on and the rain
continued to fall. In some mysterious
way, as 1t seemed to the little boy. the
gloom of twilight fastened itself upon
the dusky clouds. and the great trees
without, and the dismal perspective be-
yond, gradually became one with the
darkness. Uncle Remus had thoughtful.
ly placed tin pan under leak in the
roof, and the drip drip drip of the wa.
ter, as it fell in the resonant vessel,
made not unmusical accompaniment
to the storm.
The old man fumbled around under
his bed and presently dragged forth q
large bag filled with lightwood knots,
which, with an instructive economy in
this particular direction, he had stored
away for an emergency. A bright but
lickering flame was the result of this
timely discovery. and the effect it pro-
duced was quite in keeping with all the
surrounding. The rain, and wind, and
darkness held sway without, while,
within, the unsteady ightwood blaze
seemed to rhyme with the drip drip
drip in the pan. Sometimes the shadow
of Uncle Remus, as he leaned over the
hearth, would tower and fill the cabin,
and again it would fade and disappear
among the swaying and swinging cob
webs that curtained the rafters.
"W'en bed time come, honey" said
Uncle Remus, in soothing tone, "I'll
des snatch down yo' pa buggy umbrell'
fun up dar in the corner, en- I'll
take'n' take you und' my arm en- set
you down on Miss Sally hath des ez
dry en- eZ won eZ rat'-nes' inside q
fodder-stack."
At this juncture. 'Tildy, the house,
girl, rushed in out of the rain and dark.
ness with waterproof cloak an um.
brella, and announced her mission to
the little boy without taking time to
catch her breath.
"Miss Sally say you gotter come
right long" she EXCLAIMED. "Kaze she
skeered lightnin' gwine strike round
in yer 'mongs' deze Ugh trees some'r's."
Uncle Remus rose from his STOPPING
sumed threatening attitude.
"Well, is anybody year de beat er
dat ~ was his indignant exclamation.
"Look yer, gal! don't you come foolin''
longer me-now, don't you do 1t. Kaze
eff you does, I'll take'n' hit you a clip
w'at'all put you ter bed 'fo' bed time
comes. OATS w'at!"
"Lawdy! wat done gone en- done
ter Unk' Remus, now?" asked 'Tildy,
with great affectation of innocent ig.
norance.
"I'm gwineter put on my coat en-
take dat ar umbrell" en- I'm gwin right
straight up ter de big house en- az Miss
Sally ef she sont dat kinder wud down
yer, wen she know dat chile sittin'
yere' longer me. I'm gwineter AK her. y
continued Uncle r mus, zen ifshe aint
sont dat wud, den I'm gwinter fetch
myself back. Now, you des watch my
notions"
"Well, year Miss Sally say she
feared lightin' gwineter strike some'r's
on de place." said 'Tildy, in tone
which manifested her willingness to
compromise all differences, zen den she
say I better bring deze yer cloak en-
pairsol."
"Now you dun brung um," respond
ed Uncle Remus, 'syou des better put
um in dat cheer over dar, en- take yo'se'f
off. Thunner mighty ap' ter hit close
ter what deze yer slick-head niggers
is"
But the little boy finally prevailed
upon the old man to allow 'Tildy to re-
main. and after while he put matters
on q peace footing by inquiring If
roosters crowed at night when 1t was
raining.
Dat dey duz," responded Uncle Re-
mus. "Wet er dry, deysfops der wings
en- wakes up all de neighbors. Law
bless my soul !" he exclaimed, suddenly
"w'at make I done en- fergit bout Mr.
Roosterw
"What about him ?" inquired the lit
tie boy.
"One time, way back yonder." said
a's h.Bs and Rnsas as1 the ashes of
n'er, en- on bofe er deze plantations wus
mighty sociable in dem days, en- 1t tu'n
out dat de fowls on one plantation gun
party, witch dey sont out de invites
ter de fowls on deter plantation.
"W'en de day come, Mr.. Rooster. he
blow his hawn, he did, en- 'semble um
all tergedder, en- after dey 'semble dev
got in line. Mr.. Rooster, he tuck de
head. en- after Inn come ole lady Hen en-
Miss Pullet, en- den dar wuz Mr.. Pea
fowl, en- Mr.. Turkey Gobbler, en- Miss
Guinny Hen, en- Miss Puddle Duck. en-
all de balance un um. Dey start of
sorter raggedy, but 'twa'n't long 10
dey all kotch de step, en- den dey march
down by the spring, up thoo de hoss. .lot
en- cross by de gin house, en- 'twa'n'l
long TO- dey git ter whar de frolic wuz
''Dey dance. and dey play, en- dey
sing. Mo- 'speshually did dey play On
sing dat ar song w'ich it rrn on like
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