The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-04-25
JAY BIRD ASHES.
How the Old African Prevented a
 Second Calamity.

Second Calamity.
 "Uncle Ike," asked young Mulkittle, what made you sprinkle ashes on the doorstep just now?"
 "Who said dat sprinkled ashes on de step7 ?"
 "l saw you"
 Whut yer come spyin' roun' heah, fur2 Ain't yer been brought up wid better raisin' den dat"
 couldn't help but see you when l saw you"
 "No, reckons not. Powerful han ter git outen Ter thing, sees dat. One O desc days yer'll heah somethin' thumpin' de groun'. Lookin' roun' yer'll see ole Satan retchin' out arter yer"
 "What did you sprinkle the ashes there for, Uncle Ike ?"
 "Ef 1 was ter tell yer, boy, yer'd go an tattle it ter yer ladder an he'd come out heah an mowl an make fun O me. 1 doan like dat mans side ermarks. Thinks dat case he breaches in CT big church all de folks in de country oughter take up his views"
 No, l won't tell him. Cross my heart and look to heaven"
 |" So fur, we'll an good, but whut's | gwineter git fur all my trouble? Ef CT lawyer talks ter yer five minits he charges yer five dollars"
 What must give you"
 "Didn' see lem take some bottle beer in de house2"
 "Yes, sir"
 "Wall, CT bottle O dat beer, honey would open my mouf like CT bar trap"
 All right, tell me an I'll see if can get the beer"
 "No foolin', recolleck."
 "No fooling."
 "Dem ashes you saw me sprinklin' wuz de ashes O CT jay bird"
 "A jay bird?"
 "Dat's whut said. Er piz'nus ole black oman what doan lib fur from heah, hab been cunjerin' me. She wanted me ter marry her, some time ergo. tole her dat want a marvin man. Uh huh, laws CT mussy, what CT howl she did set up. Dat night, bout twelve CT clock, CT awful pain struck me in de heel. got up an rubbed some liniment on it an hope ter die ef l didn' think wuz gwine ter burn up. De liniment gunter smoke an den it gunter blaze. Wall, got de fire out arter CT while, an went back ter bed. Den CT ole houn' gunter howl at the cornder O de house. opened my mouf ter yell at de dog and blame ef I coup shet it ergin. Yer bet ter blebe dat by dis time l wuz putty badly skeered. 1 clapped my hans on my head an tried ter shet my mouf, but 'twarnt no use in tryin'. poked out my tongue, an sakes CT live, couldn' git it in no mo-. went out in de yard an looked all CT roun'. Couldn' see nuthin'. Bimebi l seed dat old dog ridin' erroun' on bari hoop. He come CT ridin' at me an tried ter git outen his way. but 'twant no use, fur de 6rs. thin knowed he had dun runned ober me. My mouf shet down on de bari hoop an couldn't git it out. De dog he run on CT way an dar wuz holdin' de hoop in my teeth. went inter de house an got CT hatchet an tried ter chop de hoop, but couldn' hit nushin' but my self. sot down, den, an' gunter think. l dunno whut would CT come O me efI hadater thought O dis heah song, whut my gran'muder learned ter me: Oh, de punkin mighty yaller in de eornder
 O de fence,
 Hoo dar, hoo dar; Oh, de ole Guinea nigger ain' got haf sense;
 Hoo dar, hi, hoo hew. Oh, de black mule pull wid de switch O his
 Hoo dar, hoo dar; Oh, de ole bay steer creeps CT long like CT
 snail,
 Hoo dar hi, hoo, hew.
 " hadn' morn hammed dat song till my mouf flew open aE' de hoop rolled out. It knocked at de do' an let it out. De naixt mawnin', my 'spicions habin' been sortez reused by dis time, I turned ober de do' step an un'er it 1 isund' CT bunch CT black sheep's wool, CT rat tail, CT snakes head, q pinch bug am some bird claws, all tied up in de toe O CT sock. Oh it wuz all mighty cpzr den. moved