The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1882-06-29
Uncle Remus Queer Vision.


animal stories as were current among the
negroes Oh the plantations during the
days OF slavery. There was one season,
tor instance, when Uucle Remus was
troubled with the toothache, and he not
only refused to tell any stories, but he
was cross and impatient besides He
had periods of toothache and impatience,
and periods Of toothache and remorse.
One morning he said to the little boy:
"Aou nee'nter min me, honey, wen
YOU year me rippin 'en snortin roun' yer,
kaze man wid desc yer kinder gallopin's IS
Ell gWines on in his mouf' bleedg ter
tromplc on somebod teelin's. Seem like
ef had dish yer ole toof sOme'rs whar
could draw back en- fetch it joe-dar-
ter, cn den taken stomp it in de groun,
IN mash 1t tWiX' a couple er rocks, |
! mont soltcr git yengcr'd on it; but, bless
yo' soul, honey, hits one er dem az kinder
creeturs wat you can't strak back. Std
der dat, you got ter set down en- nuss it
up, en- stan by it, same ez eff You done
bin tuck wild a likin' un it, But I'm
gWine up ter-day,' continued Uncle
Remus, with a sigh, zen hunt fer de man
Vat kin kyo de tootache wild col Jun. en-
| speck eff you'll drap in on me after
supper maybe you won't fin me 50 up
! on-!eady fer ter 'spute long wild YOU
Dish yer Jaw bin er huttin' me owdashus
mon"
"When papa has the toothache," said
the little boy, sympathetically, che goes
and has it pulled out"
"Dats 50, honey" responded Uncle
Remus, with a groan; "but Mars John
Young, EN- mo- dan dat, he got mo strenk
iii bis neck dan wat is"
The old man put on his coat, seized
his huge walking cane, and went off. and
the liGtIe boy saw HIM no more until night
when, as was his custom, he made an in
| informal call at the cabin. The door
was open, a fire was blazing upon the
spacious hearth, and the old man was in
such good humor that the child fully eX-
pccted to hear something further about
the curious adventures Of Brother Rabbit
and Brother Fox. All the indications
pointed in that directions but Just as
Uncle Renus seemed to be ready to ac-
commodate the youngster, Aunt Tempy,
a large, fat, motherly looking negro
woman, walked in the door Aunt
Tempy WAS the mixer, and her position
gave her almost as mach authority on
the place as that supposed to be vested
in ncle Remus/ She wore a flaming
read and yellow head kerchief, and she
had habit Of shutting her eyes and
holding her head on one side when she
talked. which 10y some curious process
gave unusual emphasis to what she said.
Aunt Tempy and Uncle Remus were in
the habit of treating each other with the
respectful indifference of rivals who are
secretly jealous OF each others influence
and authority, bat who have too much
tact to quarrel. The visit OF Aunt
Tempy was a concession calculated to
disturb Uncle Remuss plan of defense,
but her dOgmatic manner WAS an assur-
ance that no concession was intended.
She scorned to knock at the open door,
but Stalkcd in and seated herself upon
Il wooden bench without waiting for an
invitation. and with a marked air of
proprietorship. When she spoke her
voice WAS elevated to a pitch not at all
calculated to conciliate.
Il yer talk er yo' troubles, Brer Remus,
un say to myself, ST, III up n take some
el dish yer truck ter dat OF sufferin'
sinner, un | boiler out ter Sol, 81. You
Sol. 81, come yer dis instance 81, 'un
git me down dat bag er sage, un dat red
oak bark ST, 'un III take n mix up
poultice what II mighty nigh kiyer yo'
unk Remus Jaw 81, 'kaze Fm a oman
iipt out, he did, un totch um. un dar dey
iS.'
Aunt Tempy held in her hand what
appeared to be steaming bag Of muSh,
which she deposited on the floor as she
spoke, and then sat and looked at Uncle
Rcmus with that resigned air which, the
world over, is one of the most dishearten-
Ing accompaniments Of human sympathy.
But there was I; touch of delightful
humor delightful by comparison in
the utter and arrant deceit which Uncle
Remus summoned to his aid-decet
which found queer expression in tone
and word and feature.
"Goodness knows, | much 'blige, Sis
Tempy,' he exclaimed, with ettusiveness.
''Mighty few 'omans desc days 'ud er
tuck de trouble fer ter rack 'roun' en- fix
up plarsters fer po' OF sick nigger like me,
en wild der head full er yuther bizness at
dat. I'm 'blige ter you, Sis Tempy, good
ness knows is"
"Well, | des tell yo' how | is, Brer
Remus,' said Aunt Tempy, closing her
eyes and folding her fat hands across
her capacious stomach-'I des tell yo'
how ! is: wen | yer talk er folks wild
pains, des nat'ally folIer um wild my
min, kaZe Wen yo' come ter call um by
name, dey amt skacely no pains gwine
wat | amt had um some'rs fust un last
Tn il you'll des SEN up ter Miss Sally,
un make 'er drap some lodum 'roun' on
de aidges er dish yer poutice, lay it II
kyo yo' jaw. Leas ways, hit alters kyo'd
mine. OATS de kinder oman is, Brer
Remus. Yo' amt ketch me lookin one
way TN hollerin' de udder-d dat yo' amt"
81 amt 'sputin' dat, Sis Tempy,' re-
piled Uncle Remus, Gen amt sputin' but
what dat ar plarster would er rebuke
dish yer jaw er mine, Ell dough yo' come
too late, it looks so nice Pm great
min ter slap it on de side er my head en-
60 ter bed wild it anyhow, spite er all
dat mOut be said er done. But my toOf
done bin kyo'd."
"ToOby shoz Well | amt yer de beat
er dat How yo' bin kyo' yo' toof Brer
Remus ?"
81 des tuck'n brace up, en- sail myself
'roun' ter de man wat handle de tongs,
en- dat de las wat dat toof bodder me-"
''Des lissen at dat" exclaimed Aunt
Tempy, with increased JUNCTION. 'Is yo'
git er tuck out, Brer Remuse Manys un
manys de time wat my jaw fairly rankle
in my head, un yit amt had de nerves
ness fer ter git no toof drug out"
''Well, den, Sis Tempy,' said Uncle
Remus, solemnly, 81 hope de lord II stan
'twiX' you en- dish yer pullin' bizness"
"Ah, Vi" exclaimed Aunt Tempy, in
a tone that might be called the cxult-
alton OF curiosity.
II put on my coat dis mawnin', ell
tuck up my cane"-here Uncle Remus,
paused, and looked at the little boy with
the wellteigned expression of one en-
deavorng to recall half forgotten event.
''Is say dis mawning', honey? Kaze it
look like ter me w'ich it mout cr bin las
year, or dc year 'fo' dat. Wen man."
continued Uncle Remus, retlectively,
"done git de sperience wat | got, en- mo-
speshually wen he git it all up in bunch,