The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-06-02
miscellaneous.
BRER POSSUM ASA FARMER.

An ideal night for story, with the
wind serenading without-now with
a wild burst of melody, as though the
sound issued from thousand Threats
singing in concert, and then coming
faint, yet clear, as if q tender female
voice, taking up the sweet refrain,
chanted a solo. An ideal place for it,
too-that old Virginia farmhouse,
with it's mysterious attic, roofing its
imaginative young inmates over with
vague terrors, and its dark cuddy
holes, wherein possible dangers lurk-
ed. Surely a ghost story should have
been provided for that wintry night,
vocal with the wild symphony of ma
enced han wild chillen,n and, having
worried patience" with Rob and Su-
sic Barksdale all day, was ambitious
that her selection should be narcotic
rather than stimulating in its effects.
"Shet yo' eyes now, chillen," she
said as she tucked them into their
trundle bed; don't Nanny Amy
aim gwine tell you no tale" Then
she seated herself before the wood
fire.
dat was in de Bible days." she be-
gan, when ole Satin walk roun' de
yearth draggin' he tail behine i'm, an
folks could see i'm. Now, he done
got so busy twell he amt got time to
go roun' an take de ar. He got to
git inside o. folks an put 'em up to all
kinder meanness an mischeeyious
ness. He bleege to be here due when
Bobbie dressin',n she continued, cast
ing look of severity towards the lit
tie mound in the trundle bed.
Il see i'm here dis morning big as
OK when tryin' to git he face wash
an he hyar comb. You needn't think
he gone far DIES cause you can't zern
| i'm wild yo' eyes. Well, de 'possum
was de cunnines' O. all de beases in
dem days. He, like some folks you
see, when he make out he sleep an
amt studyin' bout nothing dat de
very time he watchin' you Out'n de
cornders O. he eyes an got he years
cock up list'nin'
"'Brer Possum, de debil say to i'm
one day, 's'pose you an me try farm
| in together orn sheers. You take one
harf de CROP seszee, AN l take de
| yether hart
"'Well, SEE Brer Postum. Den de
debil he TOXIN plant de fieP all over
wild osh taters, an reckly he gotten
| through he say to Brer Postum: Now,
| done de plantin' O. de crop, Brer
| Postum, an you mus do de workin',
an I'll take dat part for my sheer
WHARF come out'n de groun', an you
| take dat part for yo' sheer WHARF
grow orn top de groun'.'
AN Brer Postum he say, Well
agin. .Ev'y day Brer Postum was in
dat fieT due, hoein' away an dem
1 taters grew, dey did, an ran over de
groun' same as punkin vine. An
4 Brer Postum look an look, an he
/ squinch he eyes up an look agin, but
he amt zern no fruit orn 'em. Den
arfter so long IL time when dey come
to gether i'll de crap Brer Postum see
de trick WHARF de debil play orn i'm,
but he never let orn.
"Howsomever, long toads plantin'
time he meet de debil i'll de big road
one mornin'. Mr. Debil,' he say,
speakin' mighty mannerly, our crap
pin pear to turn out SO well las ear
spose we try it again an eft you was
saterfied wild yo' sheer dat time, faint
wuth while to make no alterations in
de arrangements. You ken take dat
part WHARF come out'n de groun' an
ken take dat part WHARF grow orn top
de groun', same us done befo'.'
well seq de debil, an mex day
he went to de f1el' wild Il bag o osh ia
tiers flung over he back, hut Brer Pos.
sum was too smart for i'm. He done
| bin dvar de day befo' an plant de fiel
| over wild corn Mr.. Debif he say, !
/! done de plantin dis time an you mus
do de workin'.'
.'Well, de debil he work an work,
he did, all tn ough de hot summer day:
twe!l de water run otf'n i'm, ali, time
| dew come to stack de corn he see what
he done learn lie possum. He smile
| mighty sweet, dough, twell Brer Pos
sum turn he back Den he r'ar an
charge twell de sparks fyarly fly out'I
he eyes. He done got qualified in M
mine time de fall come, an one morn
| in he went over to pay he respects t.
| Brer Postum.
"' Brer Possum,' he say, time h,
sot down, we all pear to git orn S.
I we'll crappin', seszee, look like cyaI
\ wait twell plantin' time come to loci
| teams wild you agin. S'pose we fattel
| some horgs together dis fall. Del
= when horg KILN time come you an
me ken Jump in de pen, an de on
WHARF fling out de mos horgs will hal
de mos horgs.'
"Well, Brer Postum he was 'greea
= BILE, an de debil he bring his sheer G
feed, an sot it down mighty fyar an
easy. Rrer Postum he amt trussil
he debil, an he look an look an watcl
. 4 an watch, but he cyan see WHARF h
was gwine play i'm no trick. How
\ so1never, when horg KILN time com
de debil took II grease dem horgs, h
\ did, twell dey was slick as cells. De
: 4 he tie bag o. cornmeal 'rouRN h
l wais, an rub he hands wild de inca
bout dis time Brer Postum com
j. | I'D an bofe Oh 'em git in de pen. De
l Brer Postum run roun', he did. al
81 ketched big horg by de tail, but h
slip way f'om i'm. Den he ketche
i'm by de foots, but he couldn't git Il
holt dyar, an ev'y horg whore Br'
Postum handle he hans git dat niue
slicker All dis time de debil WI
: evermo' flingin' out de horgs, 'cau
he got he hans roughed wild de inca
'twell he git de las. one oh 'em.
But de possum was cunnin' Ell |
= / did let de debil git ahead of i'm, eau
| he know when to stop. He see
amt no match for i'm, an arfter d
\ when he gin to talk bout craps a
\. \ horg raisin', Brer Possum lay dow
- an shet he eyes like he sleep; t
amt like some chillen WHARF L kno
dat keep orn lettin' &c debil fool 'em