The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-10-23
A STORY FOR THE CHILDREN
THE CREATURE THAT HAD NO CLAWS.
Uncle Remus Talks Again-Other Enter.
tainment For the Young FoIks-Doing
It's Best-What Do the Kids Say
Some KnOtty Problems.

you is, money, SAID Uncle RemuS TO the
little boy. you'll know lots mo- dan you
does now"
The old man had pile of white oak
splits by his side. and these he was weav-
ing into a chair bottom. He was an ex-
pert in the art of "bottoming chairs" and
he earned many silver quarter in this
way. The little boy seemed to be much
interested in the process.
Hits dess like 1 tell you" the old man
went on; 81 dun had the speunce un it,
dun got so now dat don't b'lieve wat L
see, much less wat | wear. 1t got ter be
whar 1 kin put my nam on it en- tumble
wild it. Folks kin fool deyse'f lots wuss
dan yuther folks kin fool um, en- eff you
don't b'lieve wat I'm a-tellin' 'un you,
you kin dess ak Brer Wolf de mex time
you meet i'm in de big road"
What about Brother Wolf, Uncle Re-
musY' the little boy asked, as the old man
paused to refill his pipe.
"Well, honey, Z Amt no great long rig
marole; hits des one er desc yer tales
wat goes in a gallop twel it gifts ter de
jumpin' off place.
Zone time Brer Wolf wuz gwine long de
big road feelin' mighty proud en- high
strung. He wuz a mighty high-up man in
dem days, Brer Wolf wuz, en- mos all de
yuther creeturs wuz feard un m. Well,
he wuz gwine long lickin' his chops en-
walkin' sorter stiff-kneed wen he happen
ter look don pom de groun' en- dar he seed
a track in de san. Brer Wolf stop, he
did, en- look at it, en- de he low:
Hevol wat kind OF creetur dish yer?
Prar nOor ofv,ff Oh Iof& roolr
Brer Fox. Hit one er desc yer kind er
creeturs wat amt got no claws. I'll des
bout foller i'm up, en- eff ketch i'm he'll
sholy be my meat
"Dat de way Brer Wolf talk. He fol-
lowed long after de track, he did, en- he
look at it close, but he amt see no print
er no claw. Bimeby the track tuck n tu'n
out de road en- go up dreen whar de rain
done wash out. De track was plain dar
in de wet san, but Brer Wolf amt see no
sign er no claws.
"He toller en- foller, Brer Wolf did, en-
de track git fresher and fresher, but still
he amt see no print er no claws. Bimeby
he come in sight er de creetur, en- Brer
Wolf stop, he did, en- look at him. He
stop stock-still and look. De creetur wuz
mighty quare-lookin', en- he wuz cuttin'
up SEINE nightly quare capers. He had
big head, sharp nose, en- bob tail, en- he
wuz walkin' roun' en- roun' big dog
wood tree, rubin his sides ag'n it. Brer
Wolf watched m right smart while, he
act so square, en- den he low:
'Shoo dat creetur done bin in fight
en- los de bes' part er he tail, en- W at make
he scratch hisse'f dat way? lay I'll let
i'm know who he foolin' long wild
after while, Brer Wolf went up a
leetle higher de creetur, en- holler out:
'Heyo, dar w at you doin' scratchin'
yo' scaly hide on my tree, en- tryin' fer ter
break hit down?
'De creetur amt make no answer. He
des walk 'roun' en- 'roun' de tree scratchin'
he sides en- back. Brer Wolfholler out.
Il lay I'll make you year me ef l hat
ter come dar whar you is
ode creetur DIES walk 'roun' en- 'roun'
de tree, en- amt make no answer. Den
Brer Wolf hail i'm ag'in, en- talk like he
mighty mad,
faint you gwine ter min me, you
imperdent scoundul? Amt you gwine
ter money out my woods en- let my tree
lone?
ovid dat. Brer Wolf march todes de
creetur des like he gwine ter squ'sh i'm in
de groun'. De creetur rub hissef agin de
tree en- look like he feel mighty good.
Drer W OIL keep on gWlne IOueS iii, en-
bimeby wen he git sorter close de creetur
tuck'n set up on his behime legs des like
you see squir'ls do. Den Brer Wolf,
he'low he did:
"'Ah-yil you begin, is you? Butt
amt gwine ter do you no good. l mout
er let you off Of you'n a-minded me wen l
fus' holler after you, but l amt gwine ter
let you off now. I'm a-gwine ter Farm
you a lesson dat II stick by you
"Den the creetur sorter wrinkle up he
face en- mouf, en- Brer Wolf low:
"'Oh, you neen'ter swell up en- cry, you
'ceitful vilyun. Pm a-gwine ter gi' you
frailin' dat / boun' you won't forgit.'
"Brer Wolf make like he gwine ter hit
de creetur, en- den"
Here Uncle Remus paused and looked
all around the room and up at the rafters.
When he began again his voice was very
solemn.
"Well, sub, dat creetur des fotch one
swipe dis away, en- 'n'er swipe dat away,
eh mos TO you can wink yo' eye-balls.
Brer Wolf hide wus mighty nigh teetotally
tor'd off n i'm. After dat de creetur
sa'ntered off in de woods, en- gun ter rub
hisse'f on 'n'er tree"
"What kind of a creature was it, Uncle
Remus?" asked the little boy.
"Well, honey" replied the old man in
a confidential whisper, "hit want nobody
on de top-side er de yeth but ole Brer
Wildcat"