Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-10-09
A New "TncIa Remusu St0r

Gwen you git leetle bit older dan W. at
you is, honey" said Uncle Remus to the
little boy, ''you'll know lots mo- dan you
does now."
The old man had q pile of white oak
splits by his side and these he was weaving
into chairbottom. He was an expert in
the art Of ''bottomiDg chairs" and he earn
ed many silver quarter in this way. The
little boy seemed to be much interested iu
the process.
"Hit's des like tell you," the old man
went on; 81 done had de spennce un it. /
done got so now dat 1 don't b'lieve wat
see, much less wat year. 1t get ter bs
whar kin put my ham on it en- tumble
wit it. Folks kin fool deyse'f lots wuss
dan yuther folks kin fool um, en- eff you
don't b'lieve wat IN a-tellin' un you,
you kin des ak Brer Wolf de mex time you
meet i'm in de big road"
"What about Brother Wolf, Uncle Re-
musf' the little boy asked, as the old man
paus"d to refill his pipe.
"Well, honey, 'tain't no great long riga
marole; hit't des one er deze yer tales wat
goes in a gallop twel it gits ter do jumpin'-
off place.
Zone time Brer Wolf wuz gaine slong
de big road feelin' mighty proud en- high.
strung. He wuz mighty high-up man in
dem days, Brer Wolf wuz, en- mos all de
yuther sreeturs wuz feard un i'm. Well,
he was gwine long lickin' his chops en-
walkin' sorter stiff ,kneed, wen be happen
ter look down pom de groun' en- dar he
seed track in de SAN. Brer Wolf stop,
he did, en- look at it, en- den he low:
'Heyol wat kind er creetur dish yer?
Brer Dog amt make dat track, en- needer
is Brer Fox. Hits one or deze yer kind or
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 de track tuclz'n tu'n out
de road en- go up dreeu whar dc rain done
wash out De track wuz plain dar in de
wet SAN, but Brer Wolf amt see no sign or
no caws!
''He foller en- foller, Brer Wolf did, en-
de track git fresher en- fresher, but still he
amt see no print er no claw. Bimeby he
conc in sight er de creetur, en- Brer Wolf
stop, he did, en- look at 'im. He stop stock
still and look. De creetur wuz mighty
quare-lookin', en- he wua cuttin' up some
mighty quare capers. He had big head,
sharp nose, en- bob tail; en- he wuz walkin'
rouu' en- roun' big dog-wood tree, rubbin'
his sides ag'in it. Bier Wolf watch 'im a
right smart while, he act SO quare, en- den
he low:
"'Shool dat creetur done bin in a fight
en- los' de bes' part er he tail; en- " at make
he scratch hisse'f dat away? l lay I'll let
i'm know who he foolin' 'long wid.'
"Atter while, Brer Wolf went up leetls
higher de creetur, en- holler out:
ss tHavO dari wat Won dOin, Hcratchin'
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 Wolf holler out:
~ lay I'll make you year me eff halter
come dar whar you is!"
'De creetur des walk 'roun' en- 'roun' de
tree, en- amt make no answer. Den Brer
Wolf hail i'm a9'in. en- talk like he mighty
mad
- 'Aint you gwine ter min' me, you i'm
perdent scouodul? Ain't you gwine ter
mozsy outer my woods en let my tree
'lone?'
sWid dat, Brer Wolf march todss de
creetur des like he gwine ter squ'sh i'm in
de grouR'. De creetur rub hisse'f ag'in de
tree en- look like he feel mighty good. Brer
Wolf keep on gwine todes i'm, en- bimeby
wen he git sorter close de creetur tuck n
sot up on his bshine legs des like you see
squr'ls do. Den Brer Wolf, he low, he
did:
'Ah-yi you beggiu', is you? But It
amt gwine ter co you no good. l mout er
let you off eff you d a-minded me wen l
fus' holler after you, but amt gwine ter
let you off now. m a-gwiue ter rarn you
a lesson dat II stick by you
''Den de creetur sorter wrinkle up he
face en- mouf, en- Brer Wolf low:
oh, you nee'n'ter swell up en- cry, you
'ceitful vllyun. l IN gwine ter gil you a
frailin' dat boun' you won't forgit.'
"Brer Wolf make like he gwine ter hit
de oreetur, 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,
en- mos 'fo' you can wink yo' eye-balls,
Brer Wolf hide wuz mighty nigh teetotally
tor'd off n i'm. After dat de creetur sa' MT
cred off in de woods, en- gun ter rub hisse'f
on 'n'er tree"
"What kind of creature was it, Uncle
Remus?" asked the little boy.
'Well, honey" replied the old man in
confidential whisper, shit want nobody on
de top side er de yeth but ole Brer Wild
cat. From 1.-THE Creature arith no Clatos, 7"
by Joel Chandler Harris, in st. Nicholas
for October.