The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-02-16
'POSSOIfS FOR SALE.
ONLY A FEW FOUND IN THE NEW
YORK MARKET.

stall in the Washington market recently
when a colntryman came along with small
| bag swung across his broad shoulders. lie
paused before the stall and eyed the bulky
form of the ponderous marketman with a
twinkle in his eye which proclaimed that he
was not a stranger to the man he finally
winked at. The huge butcher returned the
silent greeting with the humorous stolclsm
of his tribe, and, after decorous pause, re-
+ marked with satisfied bandness he did not
attempt to conceal:
"Ahl l see you've got en-"
"Yas; I've got EN-" replied the country
man, IAN they's jess tn purtiest critters you
ever lay y'r eyes pom"
The countryman slowly shifted the bag
from his shoulder to the floor, and then thrust
his ample right hand into it, but with the
measured slowness which denoted long prac-
tice in the art of subjecting haste to science.
Slowly he drew his hand out of the bag and
held up large animal by long, clean,
white tail. The animal looked like pig, and
it didn't. 1t had iron gray hair all over il in
thin patches. 1t was remarkably fat, The
countryman repeated the operation until
three of the animals lay upon the stall. The
butcher gazed at them with admiration.
Then turned them over and over Then held
them up, one at time, by the long tail, and
finally dumped them in the scales. one at a
time When he had finished he went to his
drawer aud produced a silver dollar,
which be handed to the countryplan, who
took the coin and went his way, only grunt
OF satisfaction disclosing thas he was amply
satisfied
"OposSum. eh!" said the reporter.
Eyes, and mighty fine ones they are; plump
as they can be, and first class in every way"
said the butcher.
"Who buys themm
"Who buys 'eml" exclaimed the butcher
"Why, my dear fellow. them 'possums won't
hang on them pegs twenty minits by my
watch. Every colored man what comes
along this way will see them 'possums the
mint he strikes the entrance, and he'll make
break for my stall. There's nothing in this
market in the meat line q colored man II buy
as long as one of them animals is around"
''Hou make good profits ON them"
"Well, you see, | take all that John brings
and not all the butchers cares about bother.
ing with EN- They don't ornament a stall
to kill, you know"
u6 IGl lOlJ tI cOulu HOt SuDSCIlDt 10 tnlS
sentiment, hut before he had time to remark
b. caught sight of an aged African bearing
down upon the stall with all the expedition
his years would allow
"How much fur dis, BOSE he said, grail
bling the largest opossum by the tail
"Soldr' said the butcher, with emphasis.
'SOl'I Great Scott!n exclaimed the Afri
can, with lamentation in his voice and con-
sternation in his looks. "You dom sol elm,
eh' Too badl / don set my heart on dat
'possum. " can't femme have 'emF"
mo. He's sold; sold him before 1 got
him"
"But you amt don sol dis one3n said the
customer, Selling the next in size with look
of defiance
''No; that ones for sale"
Before the conversation had proceeded fur.
Their another ancient representative of Ham
had come upon the scene and was waiting
his turn. He looked upon the second prize
with longing eye, and the reporter could
see that he was anxious to compate for the
possession of it.
"How much does y,r want fur itM asked
The first customer, cycling the second conner
with volumes of Gistrust.
II want seventy-five American pennies
with Pocahontas stamped on the back said
the butcher, with wave of his hand
I'm gin y'rer dollah, boss" said the Sec
ond conner.
mo, y'r won't do no SIGH, Mr.. Smartie,n
exclaimed the first customer. Oats my
'possum, an I'm gwinter have Inn an yr
needn't let y'r mouif juice up ODER dc hopes
Oh glttln i'm" The man held tho opossum
firmly in his strong grasp with his right
hand while he skirmished in all his pockets
for his money. After while he produced
the required pennies and said with lofty
mien: Oars y'r money, sab, Pokeehuutus
an all.n
The second customer said nothing, but as
pertaining that the remaining opoSsum could
he had for fifty cents, paid down the tariff
and shuiiled off, casting upon the first GUS
toner, however, glance which looked like
a razor in the sharpness of its direct view
and in the buntness of it in its sidewise
sweep.
TEL tho gentleman here something about
the 'possum, Uncle jack said tho butcher.
"Certny," said Uncle Jack, with a
chucklc. us been buyin' 'possums from
yr moren five year, amt it, | guess it am
An mighty nice 'possumS dey is, ter be
sho. But they don't hol er candle light ter
'possums in de Ian where was fotch up. I
Gums from ole Virginy, Were de 'possums
grow on de 'simmon trees"
81 see. Your mind goes back to the good
old days before the war. You can't forget
those days. even here in New York, ehfn
"Well, mout furgit de days, but [ can't
iurgit de 'posSums,' said Uncle Jack. and
there was levity in his voice which indi-
Gated that the sly old fox knew thing or
two.
"Well, tell us all about it. Tell us how Won
cook the opossum," said the reporter.
"How you cook 'em, boss? OATS a fine |
luestn. Depeople up dis way doan know
muffin bout cookin' er posSum. Dey goes
bout it like dey want de 'possum ter swim
erway in grease. Wy, look at dat 'possum.
Do lie look like he want eny mo- grease ter |
cook hesclf in it, AM den dey 20 skin de |
possumn And Uncle Jack burst ont in n |
fit OF laughter which was simply indescriba.
BILE
"Lemme tell y'r how y'r do it. Y'r tex de |
postum an hold i'm ober fire mex of corn
shucks till y'r dun SINCE all de hair off him
Den y'r scrape i'm wild dull case knife. nm, |
den y'r put i'm in hot water, jess like viz do |
1r pig By dat time he DO clean an wife.
Den y'r clean i'm jess like y'r wo'd n pig.
But now comes de pint Yo mex y'r stufTin' |
l