Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-01-31
'POSSUMS FOR SALE.
ONLY A FEW FOUND IN THE NEW
 YORK MARKET.

ONLY A FEW FOUND IN THE NEW
 YORK MARKET. An old Darkey Talks About the Favorite
 Dish That Tickles the Palate of His
 Fun Loving Race, and Tells How to
 Cook It.
 A reporter was leaning against popular stall in the Washington market recently. when countryman came along with small bag swung across his broad shoulders He paused before the stall and eyed the bulky form of the ponderous marketman with a twinkle in his eye which proclaimed that be was not stranger to the man he finally winked at. The huge butcher returned the silent greeting with the humorous stoicism of his tribe, and, after a decorous pause, re- marked with satisfied blandness he did not attempt to conceal:
 "Ahi zee you've got 'em.n
 "Yas; I've got 'em," replied the country man, ''an' they's jess tn purtiest critters you ever lay y'r eyes 'pon-"
 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 a large animal by long, clean, white tail. The animal looked like pig, and it didn't It had iron gray hair all over it in thin patches. It was remarkably fat. The countryman repeated the operation unti! 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 O 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 and produced @ silver dollar, which he handed to the countryman, who took the coin and went his way, only grunt of satisfaction disclosing thas he was amply satisfied.
 "Opossum. ehf' said the reporter.
 "Yes, and mighty fine ones they are; plump as they can be, and first class in every way" said the butcher
 "Who buys themr'
 "Who buys 'em" 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 sec 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 colored man II buy as long as one of them animals is around" "You make good profits on them"
 well. you see, take ell that John brings: and not stl the butchers cares about bother ing with 'em. They don't ornament a stall to kill, you know"
 The reporter could not subscribe to this sentiment, but before he had time to remark lie caught sight of an aged African bearing down upon the stall with all the expedition his years would allow.
 "How much fur dis, boss" he said, grab ping the largest opossum by the tail. "Sold!" said the butcher, with emphasis s'SorI Great ScottIn exclaimed the Afri- can. with lamentation in his voice and con- sternation in his looks. "You don sol em, ] eh' Too bad! I don set my heart on dat 'possum. Y can't femme have 'emr' ''No. He's sold; sold him before I got him."
 "But you ain't don' sop dis onegn said the | customer, seizing the next in size with look of defiance.
 | "No; that ones for sale" Before the conversation had proceeded fur l ther 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 compete for the possession of it.
 "How much does y'r want fur itln asked the first customer, eyeing the second conner | with volumes of oistrust. "I want seventy-five American pennies with Pocahontas stamped on the back, ;" said the butcher, with a wave of his hand.
 "Im gin y'r CT dollah, boss" said the sec ond conner.
 "No, VT won't do no sich, Mir. Smartie,' ? exclaimed the first customer "Dat's my 'possum, an I'm gwinter have i'm, an VT needn't let y'r mouf juice up ober de hopes ob gittin' im." The man held the opossum firmly in his strong grasp with his right hand while he skirmished in all bis pockets for his money. After a while he produced the required pennies and said with lofty mien: "Dar's y'r money, sah, Pokeehuntus an' all."
 The second customer said nothing, but as. certaining that the remaining opossum could be had for fifty cents, paid down the tariff and shuffled off, casting upon tho first cus- toner, however, glance which looked like razor in the sharpness of its direct view and in the bluntness of it in its sidewise sweep.
 ''Tell the gentleman here something about the 'possum, Uncle Jack," said the butcher.
 "Cert'nly," said Uncle Jack, with @ chuckle. "I's been buyin' 'possyms from VT moren five year, ain't it. guess it am. An mighty nice 'possums dey is, ter be | sho'. But they don't hoP CT candle light ter 'possums in de lam where was fotch up. cums from ole Virginy, were de 'possums grow on de 'simmon trees"
 "I see. Your mind goes back to the good old days before the war. You can't forge, those days, even here in New York, ehF'
 "Well, mout furgit de days, but can't furgit de 'possums," said Uncle Jack, and there was levity in his voice which indi. cated that the sly old fox knew a thing or l two.
 "Wel, tell us all about it. Tell us how you cook the opossum," said the reporter.
 "How you cook 'em, boss. Oats fine quest'n. De people up dis way doan know muffin bout cookin' CT 'possum. Dey goes bout it like dey want de 'possum ter swim erway in grease. Wy, look at dat 'possum Do he look like he want eny mo- grease tel cook he'self in itl An den dey go skin de | 'possum!" And Uncle Jack burst out in 8 fit of laughter which was simply indescriba | ble.
 "Lemme tell y'r how y'r do it. Y'r tek dc 'possum an hold i'm ober fire mek of corr shucks till VT dun singe all de ha'r off him Den y'r scrape i'm wid a dull case knife; an den y'r put i'm in hot water, jess like y'r dc CT pig. By dat time he be clean an w'ite | IL -sI .