The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1891-08-08
EEow TO Eat "a Esossusaa,.

4 acquaintance outside of business re
lations with the modest Represents
| tive from the Second Louisiana dis
triet know that Hon. Hamilton Dud
ley Coleman is one OF the best story,
! tellers ever member of Congress,
| In distant Southern town the writer
has heard him talk, read and sing to
applauding groups Of delighted lis.
tenefs. There are people in Wash
ipgton, too, who have enjoyed his
happy gifts ia way they will long
| remember. No member in the Fifty.
first Congress who does not come
back here reelected will be more
missed by the social circles that
know him than Mr.. Coleman. He is
particularly happy il reading or
telling stories which are Illustrative
Iof the dialect as well as of the humor
of the genuine far South plantation
negro, excelliDg quite as much in
this manner Of Interpretation of his
genius as does the famous Joel Chan
Edler Harris in his incompatible folk.
lore tales Of Uncle Remus to ",he
little boy"
A year or two ago, it was at a
club, after promising meeting of
one of the American shipping con-
ventions, that a score or more of
gentlemen were enjoying lively run
of such stories as .set the table on
roar" Mr.. Coleman was called
upon by q companion aud told what
is given below, being twice en-
chored, so inimitably did he tell it.
It is the story Of an old plantation
negro
IT ron wants to know what's
good, des lis'en: You look at de
'possum and smack yer lips, for he
big, fine feilar. Den yuh take 'em
an go rite back home, an ,jes' fo
you git to de do ynh take 30 axe
helve an pat 'em across de neck an
brake de neck by pal!in' Of de tail,
Den yuh take lin in de house an de
ole oman done lef great big fire
place heep full hick'ry ashes; yuh
takes de ehubbfe an opens er big
hole in dem pile er ashes an draps
dat 'possum in dar; an when yer
takes i'm outer dar de h'ar dess pull
off dess as easy, an ynh put i'm in
some hot water an' serapes i'm wild |
er case knife an he Gums Just as
clean. Den yuh takes out der in
trails, hang i'm up an wash lin good
an den yuh salts i'm down an puts
I'm away twel Monday lnawnin'.
Monday maWnin' cain, de ole oman
take I'm out an parbiles i'm good; |
deu she gifts bout peck o. taters, an
den slices dem taters an piles 'em
all ober i'm, an den she bakes i'm
twel de greese run all ffu dem taters.
Den she takes i'm out, ar' puts i'm
in de big dish, an sets i'm on the
dinner table, wid de taters piled up
all ober i'm. Yuh cum ter dinner
from der fep, an yuh walks in an
sets down to de table, out yuh doan
eat dat 'possum den. Ehl Eh! Ehl
Eh!
No, sab; doan eat dat 'possnm
den. Arter dinner yuh' takes inn
an de. taters an sets i'm up in der
subburd. Bimeby yuh Gums home
FUN de days wuk; fer ynh Gums
home fer yuh supper. Yure nifty
wore out; fer yuh ben Wukin in de
iep hard all day Yuh sets down
outside de cabin do an takes yer
pipe an' smokes. Fore loug Eph-
rem say: Daddy, daddy, thupper's
ready But yuh dess sets dar; yer
Joan get in at all. Yer wait twel
lie ole oman an de chillun 60 off Ter
oed -sho nnff ! Den yuh knocks de
ashes out yer pipe-an' goes in
Yuh moves de !iltIe squar table front
lie fire an puts yerchar close up dar
" it. Den yuh goes ter der cub
3urd an: gets de .possum an de
aters. Yuh puts 'im on de table.
Yuh tel de ole oman for to 60 our
Ia lock de do. Den dar yuh isF
Yuh an de possum all by yesselves
Yuh frows yer ole hat
IN de flo, takes yer seat 10 dat char
IN gibs up yer sooI to Cord 2
When vau critieise the mistakes I /.