Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-04-04


80 was the pride Of old
Aunt Silva's heart.
AS Jerry and the singing approached
even Uncle Ike felt his rheumatic legs
limbering up and longing to cut the
pigeon wing" or to perform some oth-
er feat of youthful days.
Possum up de gum stump, cooney III oe
Little boy at my house, fat as ne can
waller.
Such was the sounding couplet that
Jerry has welded to this merry tune.
AS he came in sight, it was easy
enough to understand how the lines
had been suggested to him. Slung over
his shoulder was some kind OF an AMI
NAL; at least, it was to be presumed
that some kind of an animal was
hitched to the tail that eJrry grasped.
Victory evidently thought there was
something beyond that tail. She hao
been sitting on the ground, pouring me
dirt in little rills through her fist INTO
her lap. From the size of her eyes ana
the gap between her lips, she must nave
thought unutterable things; probapy
there was a lion at the other end OF the
tail.
Uncle Ike came around from ms
patch, bringing a rusty hoe. he nau
been digging for sweet potatoes. he
had found three, one almost as large
as his forefinger. Uncle likes sweet po-
tatoes usually averaged about the size
of his little finger
What you reckon 1 got yere?" Jerry
asked.
The tail slipped down his back with
the question, as though the animal
whatever he was, might be crawling
away with it. But Jerry had lowered
it so that his cOnumdrum would be
harder to guess. Only the brush-llke
tip of the tail was now visible.
Uncle Ike made a guess. Postum
he said, and with the word there came
into his yellow eyes a hungry look.
Look yere at his tall" said Jerry,
with tone of superiority. You neb-
Der seed no possum wild tail like dis
yere. Postum tail smooth like rat tall
Postum tail bar. What you reckon It's,
Vict'ry?" and he turned to the little
girl
Il s'peck it's a painter or a bar, one
or t'other," and the little lady squared
herself in a stately way, and folded
her arms behind her, as if to do battle
for her opinion.
"Geewhillikens! I couldn't tote bar
no more'n 1 could tote a bawn full er
horses. or dis yere plantation. B'lieve
in my soul gals is gese. Here's what 1t
is; it's a COON" Jerry continued, swing
ing his booty to the front, AN
cOtched de genulman all by myself;
nebber had a single solitary soul ter
hep me-"
Here Tiger, as if to recall the part
he had borne in the matter lifted his
head, and with a low growl, shifted at
cooney's nose.
rs he clean dead?" asked Victory.
Law, yes! Eff he wasn't he'd spit in
Tigers face. He wouldn't stand no
dogs nosin'."
Wizard We cotch it, anyhow" asked
Uncle Ike.
I'm 'simmon tree, OBJ course"
What yer dom at de 'simmon tree?
Amt dar no cotton in de cotton patch |
ter pick? Simmons amt good, nohow
till fros'. Better ten to yer cotton
pickin' an let simmons an coon lone"
Reckon Use got right to git red Nv
de chills eff 1 kin. Aunt Silvy tole me
how eff I'd walk round 'simmon tree
fOu' times widout thinkin' NV possum |
I'd git we'll Nv de chills, sho'. 1 was
tryin' ter do dat puskiption, an I'd |
"a done it eff it hadn't been for dis we're |
Varmint. l was mos gettin' so 1 could |
walk roun' WidOut thinkin' Nv possum. |
1t is den I look up in de 'simmon tree, |
an dar sot coon, layin' right out on |
limb, playin' pOssum. Els soon es he |