Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1891-09-25
Uncle Remus on CHA 'nts.

One morning recently Uncle Remus
sat in his Miss Sally's kitchen with his
! chair tilted back and his head leaning
against the wall His attitude was re
flective, though there was twinkle
of humOr In his eyes rs he watched
Chloe, the cook, preparing to make
waflles for breakfast.
dat 'tain't no use fer ter have no cook
in dis house
mo cook" exclaimed Chloe. An
why amt dey no use fer cook?'
"Ah, Lord, chie," exclaimed Uncle
Remus, shaking his head, you mos
too much fer he when you ak me dat.
You know what de preacher say: so
is desso; how come you so is more 40. y
Il amt hear no preacher say dat
yit,n said Chloe complacently. Eff
dey ever Is say 1t dey say 1t long 10
my time
Il hear talk" said Uncle Remus,
closing his eyes and elevating his eye
brows, dat all you got ter do is ter
git you some -four en- lay 1t dar in de
pantry Ell walk out back ards, en- de
mex mornin' dar you'll find yo' light
bread done riz up en- baked.
1T don't do dat away fer ne, re-
marked Chloe. 'ef it did boun' you
Ia feel mighty thankful
"Dey tells me- the old man contin-
ued, dat 70 me an Miss Sally come
here de whole place was ha'nted.
30. hush. man" exclaimed Chloe,
"who tell you dat?'
Dem what know" said Uncle Re
mus. solemnly. But, bless yo' soul,
honey, dey ain't had no needs fer ter
tell me, kaze time | sot my foot on the
place | seed the signs. | seed paths
runnin thoo de grass en- no tracks in
um, EN- de red spiders WIZ a-spinnin'
de wheels on the front porch. Dat
dey wuz. Roun on de side er de house
twant no better, and right ont dar on
the back steps de snails had done writ
der names on de planks. | knowed
right den dat ha'nts had been projik-
in roun' dar in dem neighborhoods.'
What you do den?' inquired Chloe
a. Uncle Remus paused.
Jat hoI haan tnny' tip
old man asked in an argumentative
way
"Mau-Sir.' exclaimed Chloe. flour
ishing dish-rag wildly above her
head, 'ef dat had been me, Id des
riz and fiew-dat | would Ef you
don't want ter see human folks fly do
not put me whar dey's any ha'nts.
Now. | des tell you dat =
We'll, said Uncle Remus, Il stood
dar. | did, en- scratch my head. |
knowed in reason dat dem kinder do
ings can't be put up wild. Den it tuck
an come in my head dat de signs
what | seed wa mt sho' nuir ha mt signs.
Dar dey was es plain es day, but
low ter myself dat maybe | done got
so old and fibble minded dat | can't
tell hant signs like useter. So, den,
what | gwlne do? | gwine see fer my
se'f. | gwine ter come down dar arter
dark en- see what kinder capers dey
cut up twiX sundown en- moonrise.'
"Oh, go way, man exclaimed Chloe,
with unfeigned astonishment.
"Yessum." said Uncle Remus, dat
zactly de way de idee struck me, en-
she struck me hard, mon. | put out
fer home EN- got what little scraps er
vittles de ole oman done save up fer
Inc. Some er deze | made way wild
den ell dar, and the yuthers | tuck en-
wrop up in little piece of paper Ell
put in my pocket Den after it got
dark good | got down my hat en- my
cane en- come back fer ter see how de
Ian lay"
We'll, tell you, now," said Chloe,
"ef dat had er been Inc, boun' you
I'd er been gwine t'other way"
Il come back, | did, - the old man
continued, zen sot out dar on de front
steps. De grass wuz GROWN rank in
de yard. de front gate wuz of de
hinges, en- de winder blin's ratified ev-
ery time de win drawed bref. High
ez de grass wuz dey want no crickets
a askreakin' in it, en- day want none of
deze yer big night bugs a-zoonin'
'roun'. | sot dar, did, en- low ter
myself / dunner how come Marse john
en- Miss Sally want ter buy dish yere
place whar yuther folks fuse ter live. "
OATS de Lords trufe,n exclaimed
Chloe with unetiOn Uncle Remus