The National tribune., 1893-06-22

POPLAR TREE.
of de book When he finds de place he calls
ont: 'Marier Mornin'l' Den a big brindle cat
reports OH de fairs of dc Mornin' family, an
SO it 60 for long time. De cats report all de
mean, thievin' don's of de men, an all dc
froiics of de married women an gals, an /
hear so much rascality, meanness, and slippery
and sinful doin's dat feel like want TO hide
my head. l was completely SOUNDED wild
bearin' of de capers OF de wimmin folks of
some families what knowed. When Mollie
come to report on the Paxton family, 'clar' to
goodness If de eyes o. me didn't moas pop out.
Good Lord what settin' up dem Paxton gals
did git! An ole Massa Paxton-his doin's
make de berry air smell OBJ birthstone. But all
dis kline of doiu's tickle de debbil he grin an
his eyes trinkle as he look ODER de top de book.
All to once de debsl fro down de book an
look sirious He say he omit de rest OBJ de
roIl-cali for dat night, kase he find dat dars
pressin' business down to Maysvile He den
splain dat dar's mighty big rich man down
to Maysville OATS bout to make will leavin'
all his property to his chilun an pore rela-
tions, an say he gotten be on ham an put it
inter his head to give ebberyting to build some
kline OF public instertoutiens. Dat away
he say, dat propty be some use ter me-den,
sides, got do suffin for my friens de lawyers
Is Den de debbl take up his fiddle an says:
All take pardners for de 'cludn' dance Mol
lie grabs me an Pm jes' as wild as any OBJ de
cats for dancn.' Sich wicked fiddlin' neber
hesrd. 1t jst lifted me an l could see de FIRE
fly at cherry rake OBJ de bow acrost de fiddle
strings.
"Wben de dance is ober de debbil says: All
dat want special powers for de comm week will
kiss de snake as usual At dis a mon 'sus big
snake let himself down by do tail from de roof
oh de cave an hung wild his head 'mong de
dancers. Sebberal go an kiss de mouf OBJ de
ugly old sarpint. an Moliie 'mong de rest Den
de sarpint say: Now, my good child'n. scatter
for mischief till de break OBJ dayi' AM by de
voice know dat de snake is de debbil himself
"Mollie froze onto me for her pardner for de
nights work, an' we sot out for the nearest set
Element. Fore long We come to a cabin an
Molie tole me to watch outside for dogs an
she'd slip in an tend to Bit o. business. After
she'd been in some time l hserd fearful
scream from a woman inside. Jist then Mollie
came fyin' out. an we tuck to the tops of the
fences across the fields. wifi great barkin' of
dogs an yelin' behind us. Soon as we was safe
Molie tole me she had sucked the bref of q
chile in de cabin an left it dead When hear
dat feel like / want'er suck the bref of a
chile, too. an j AK if it wur good. She say:
It's good for dis-pow myself git for nv life
all de years dat chile would have live if let
alone Den ! say want to do de next one
butt Mollie say dat If Pm goin' inter de
business Of ben' a WITCH / goper begin wild
maxim cows give bloody milk, tyin' knots in
hosses' tails an de like. Den she tell me otter
kissed de snake and made wish, for den I'd
git de power to take any shape please an do
all kline of things.
mex we come to de double log cabin of Jim
Sipples, and dar wur light burnin' in one
part Mollic left me outside sayin dat dis time
she wur goin' to do different business. She
wur so long inside dat / jumped up to de win
der of de room dat had de light in it and looked
in. Oar seed young woman layin' dead in
wit IN oil i'm in,
cheer in de mex room. AS look sees Mollie
climb onto de coffin an begin biting at de face
of de corpse. Dis make me feel like / want to
do de same, and de fust knowed / give an
awful yowl. In half second a real cat, an
mighty big one, jumped of'n q shed an lit
onto my back. We he'd it rough and tumble
for time, den GENE de dogs for boff of as.
81 flew up q tree to git away from de dogs,
hut no sooner was l out of dare reach before
Sippes come tearin' out of de house wifi gun.
He blaze away at me, an for half q second it
'peared like my whole head was shot off
Runnin' out onto limb of de tree jumped to
de FOOT of de smoke-house an from dar got on
de top of big rail fence, an soon got out de
way of de dogs.
lin de Mex field Mollie came to me- / ND
an AK her bout her doins in de house, an she
'span to mo dat by tastin' de flesh of de corpse
she kin take dc same 'pearance an look no older
dan de young woman was when she died.
Already says she, : ! feel young and strong.
/ wur pretty ole last ebenin' but now Pve got
FER young body agin; sides Pve got ell de
years OF dat chile, an dey may be good many,
but dat ksint TELL Den she notice dat de
whole top of my right year bin shot of. DE
debbil!' says she. dat ar Jim Sipples is
man We goter look out for-dat wur a silber
bullet jes rs shore as Pm witch! II de bullet
BIN lead it woaldn't hurt you hit more dan SO
much smoke