The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-06-23
UNCLE FELIX'S ST0Rt,

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 sundown-
''De sum en- substins oh de matter am
dat dc big fish skeet of inter deep water
wen day hears folks chinnin', I" 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 story.
Charlie had little book Of nonsense
rhymes" in his pocket and, opening it at
q place where leaf was turned down,
he pretended 10 read
''wat dat yo're readin'Y asked Uncle
Felix.
About the Jobberwock, said Charlie.
'cDe watw
"The Jobberwock; did you ever hear
of such an animal2"
'sMos' pears to me has" said Uncle
Felix, closing both eyes and letting his
head fall back against the tree at the
roots of which he was sitting, for Uncle
Felix never would admit his ignorance
of q thing. MOS pears to me-" he
continued, "dat-us boys cot a jabber-
wuck way down in de swamp long while
back, wen was bout yo' size"
How did il 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 hghtnin' In
de yeah AZ. In de day time We darkeys
hoed con, and many Q night We treed
coons in de swamp. De las coon hunt
we TUX togedder was ON cloudy night
bout fifty yeah back. We clipped long
inter de hawt of de woods, tarrin' tro
briers en- wadin' tro muck, but de dogs
fust smelt dis tree, en- den dat widout
findin nary coon. Bimeby old Snap,
Pomp's dog, Civ q snort en- was off OBJ
coase we follered heels ober head, en-
purity soon bof dogs anker'd d under gum
tree, en- gun to rip music outen dere
froats wussen q whole team OBJ bullfrogs
on an April ebenin."
"Dat coon's up dis gum,' Pomp sez,
en- sez: NCoase he am Den Pomp sez:
Il sees de moon up dis gum 'Whar?
sez me, lookin' whar Pomp was pintin.
Oar, sez Pomp, sezzee. Sho' nuf dar
wuz roun' ball of fire way up on de top
lim'."
Felix sez Pomp, kline o. feelin
skeered, watts de moon doin' out ON q
cloudy night like dis fur?"
"Mitey Gurus, sez me-"
"Let's 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-wuckl ker-hool ker-hooi'
Lissen, see me, gibbin Pomp's hand a
pinch, but Pomp was shakin' all ober
wild an ager. Den spy de moon en- hel
my bref. De moon was uncurlin' hisself
on dat linn. en- soon / sees dat he hab
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-wuckl Ker-wuckl Ker-hool
Run, little nigger, runsp Up bof OBJ us
bounced, but fore we got outen de BUSH
es down cum de moon like fash OBJ fire.
Pomp yelled loud nuf fur a steam injine
wen dar's COW on de track. Way we
scampered wild de four-leggd moon arter
us, de dogs runnin' wild der tails twixt
dar legs yelpin' en- howlin' fit to kill"
did you get caught, uncle?" asked
Charlie.
WAITS dat? Git cotched? Bress yo'
little soul, honey, we made tracks outen
de swamp quicker's fash OBJ ighthin'.
Git cotched? No sir-ree."
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.
"Bress yo' souls, chillen, it was no
mo de moon den it was dis ole hat OBJ
mine. 1t was rale ibin COON"
"a coonl"
"Sho's yo' bon dat's wat it 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 OBJ
young 'un, en- he cot q 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 at school
en- den sot him free, kind O. knowin' dat
me and Pomp'd tree him fo' mo'nin.
Laws-a-massy but dem little darkeys
was skeered to def fur q monfp'
just then Uncle Felix felt nibble at
his hook, and indicating to the boys with
several energetic bo5s Of his head that
he was through with them for the day,
he bent to the task Of searching for his
supper.