Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-06-05

know e jes tu'nnin roun en- de road
p'intin er new way ev'y time"
Tom rolled over on the ground outside
and kicked his heels in the air, convuls-
ed with laughter. Somebody done got
squar' wild Unc' Dan, >" he gasped. Then
he quickly rose up and glued his eye to
the crack again. The preacher was
standing with uplifted hands over AN
other imaginary sinner.
can heah ole Black Aleckl Bre'r
Aleck got weights. No clutch on Sun
hunt squ'r'L Mus hoe de gyardin I'M
hunt guinea nes en- de jimsun weeds.
Mus do anythin but heah de Lords
word, 'cept'n' ole Unc' Josh come ter
preach. Dem de weights Bre'r Aleck
got Shake EN- off, er-rerl Shake 'em
off Oh, wat es sech er sinner like? He
like er las yer wasp en- er spider web
holler an dry, an is wings won't flop
no mo-.
can heah es Bre'r Clayl Heah es my
dear Brer Clay! Bre'r Clay got weights,
Wat kind err weights e trying ter run
wid2 Lazy weights. Won't work cott'n
patch, won't work later patch, won't
work collurd patch, won't work nowhar.
o Lord! did anybody ever see er lazy
man win er race? IT amt gwine ter
hep yer, Bre'r Clay, ter put on dem
good clo'es heah an say Amen an
Bless de King an Hep Lordr loud
n anybody eff yer lef' de ole 'ooman an
de chilun ter work all de week. Shake
off de weights, Bre'r Clayl Shake 'em
off! Oh, w at es sech er sinner like? He
like er tadpole en- er mud puddl' wat
done dry up TO time come fur i'm ter
drop is tail an be er frog"
Tom went over ON the ground while
Black Aleck was being dealt with, and
he was too weak with laughter to sit up
during the time devoted to Clay. Pres
emily he heard:
"An heah Sis lilly! Heah es dear
Sis lilly. Wat es Sis Tilly's weights?
| She got weights ter shake off. She run
roun tellin tales on oth'r 'oomen' hus-
bun So
"Ooom-hoow
Tom cooked his head up as he uttered
this asserting exclamation and listened.
can she scole"-
Dat $ right!
can mex troubl ev'ywhar she go. "
Somebody done got squar' wild Aun'
| Tilly" Tom ducked his head down and
rolled over again.
"Shake 'em off, dean s:sterl Shake
'em Off Oh, wet es sech er sinner like:
She like er cockleburr en- de tail NV CT
dry cowhide an gone ter markit-no
good hcah an no dood der.
An hcah Bre'r Tormr' The preacher
was right over the crevice, and his voice
sounded like thunder In the ears Of the
startled eavesdropper outside. Little
Bre'r Torn. He tryin ter run wild big
weights. Wat es Bre'r Torn S weights?
He heah ter see dis 'oowan, an yonder
ter see dat CONAN; fus' one way and
den ernudder, an er wife down yonner
home t'ink e gone huntin ev'y time e
take is gun.
| A horrible groan broke from the lips
of the trembling man without, and
cold sweat started forth all over him.
In frenzy Of terror he raised himself
to his knees and brought the old gun
full cock. Then realizing what he was
doing he returned the hammer to a safer
place with feverish anxiety. The Rev.
Joshua Sims heard nothing but his
own voice. "Shake 'em off, Bre'r Torn!
Shake 'em off Yer can't run no race
wild dem weights er-hangin ON yer. Oh,
wat es sech er sinner likei He like er
snake en- de grass, an fus' ting e know
e gwine ter Ian en- de fire wild is back
broke"
Toms hilarity was all gone. If that
sermon was preached on the morrow he
might not literally land in the fire with
bis back broke, but his back would suf-
fer until the sensations would make it
appear so. He left almost as suddenly
as his mirth. Gliding into the woods he
made his way to the bend in the road /;
then, as if struck with a new idea stop
ped short and took seat on a stump.
In an attitude of profound reflection he
waited until, having finished his ser
mon, the preacher came down the road
with great dignity. When he reached
the vicinity of the little man, the latter
started suddenly, looked over his shout
der, and an affable and delighted ex-
preston dawned upon his face
''How do yer do, Bre'r Sims? Lord.
wuz DIES er-sayin how 'u'd like ter see
Bre'r Sims, an heah e come er-walkin
right erlong" By this time he was up
and shaking the newcomers hand.
"Wha' yer gwine dis time er day." The
Rev. Joshua returned the greeting, but
with less demonstration
well wuz er-gwine down ter Sis
Thomson's."
"Wha' datp' Tom threw up both