The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-06-23
UNCLE FELIX'S SroRr,

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 q 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.
ode sum en- substins OBJ de matter am
dat de big fish skeet off inter deep water
wen day hears folks achinnin,," 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 o story.
Charlie had little book Of nonsense
rhymes in his pocket and, opening il at
q place where o leaf was turned down,
he pretended to read. 5gtH f, i
'sWat dat yo're readin'Y' asked Uncle
Felix.
"Aboutthe Jobberwock, said Charlie.
tDe wat?" 2&rAE
ssThe Jobberwock; did you aver hear
of such an animal2sT ~ =
stMos' pears to me I has" said Uncle
Felix, closing both eyes and letting his
head faliback against the tree at the
roots of which, eawas sitting, for Uncle
Felix never would admit his ignorance
of o thing. 'rMos, pears to me- he
continued, 'tdat US boys cot a jabber-
wuck way down in de swamp long while
back, wen Twas 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. Ell
"In dem days, said the old man. styo'
Unkle Felix was wukkin for Moss Billy,
en- dar was annuder darkey named Pomp,
de same dat was struck by Ightnin, in.
de yeah AZ. In de day time We darkeys
hoed con, and many o night we freed
in de swamp. De las coon hunt
we TUX tegedder Has on q cloudy night
bout fifty yeah back. We slipped long
inter de hawt of de woods, tarrin' tro
briersen wadin' t. smuck, but de dogs,
fust smelt dis tree, en- den dat widout
fndin nary coon. Bimeby old Snap,
Pomp'sdog, CIV ausnort-en was of. YOb
coase we follered heels ober head, en-
purity o bot dogs anker'd under q gum
tree, g U, gun to rip music outen dere
froats wussen q whole team OBJ bullfrogs
on an April ebenin."
"Dat coon,sup dis gum, Pomp sex,
en- 1 seq: sCoase he am Den Pomp SEE:
q sees de moon up dis gum. Wharf
seq meylookinsw WHARF omps was@pintin.s.
OAR SEE Pomp, sezzee. Sho' nuf dar
wuz q roun' ball of fire way up on de top
lim'.n Z
Felix sez Pomp, kline o. feelin
skeered, watts deemoon dom outson a
cloudy night like dis fur?n
ttMitey cu'rus.' SEE me.o
"Lets rum says Pomp."
"Jess den de moon gin to mobe, en-
Pomp en- me drapped down under de
bushes. Ez we drapped dar cum 0 voice
from outen de bushes behiner us, sayin'::
'Ker-wuckl ker-wuckl ker-hool ker-hool'
Lissen, seq me, gibbn Pomp's hand a
pinch, but Pomp was shakin' all ober
wild an ager. Den l spyde moon en- hel
my BRET. De was uncurlin' hissef
on dat lin, en- soon Isees dat he hab q
tail en- a head en- a body, jess de same ez
emmy animul. De dogs by dis time he'd
gun to sneak of. At dat minnet dar cum
annuder voice from outen de bushes say
in: sKer-wuckl Ker-wuckl Ker-hooi
Run, little niger, runsrt up bofs oh us
bounced, but fore We got outen de BUSH
es down cum de moon like a fash OBJ fire.
Pomp yelled loud nuf fur a steam mime
wen dar's q eow on de track Way we
scampered wid de four-legg'd moon arter
us, de dogs runnin' wild der tails twixt
dar legs yelpin en- howlim fit to kll.s'
did You get caught, uncle?" asked
Watts dat? Git cotchedP Bress yo'
little soul, honey, we made tracks outen
de swamp quicker's q flash OBJ ightnin'.
Git cotched? No STREE =
'But what was 1.-THE j~obberwock?"
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 yo' souls, chillen, il was no
mo- de moon den it was dis ole hat OBJ
mine. It was a rale Iibin COON" ~
"sho;s yosbo,n OATS wat it ives, and
dis am de way it happen: Young Moss
Billy he'd cum home from school up dar
in Phildelfys He was ajokin' sort OBJ
young sun. en- he cot a coon en- rubbed
him all ober wild fussfurus dat &bery
night" rfE4i
"Rubbed the coon with phosphorus. +"
Deed he did; rubbed him wild dat
shiny stuff he'd learn'd bout at school
an den sot him free, kind O. KNOWN dat
me and Pomp'd tree him TO- tmo'nin.
Laws-a-massy but dem little darkeys
was skeered to def fnr amonfp
just then Uncle Felix felt a nibble al
his hook, and indicating to the boys with
several energetic hobs of his head that
he was through with them for the day.
he bent to the task of searching for his
supper.