The age-herald., 1899-07-09

ter eat. an huff cloze to war, an dey'n go on behavin' better an better; but stint um, an dey'll go on behayin' wuss an wusS. Now dats de plain, naked trufe an you'll fin it out when you git big nun fer ter take notice CT all de gwines-on you see 'roun' you. Well, 'twuz endurin' deze hard times Itellin' you bout dat de creeturs gun to hunt one amer down. Up ter dem times dey went on an plant der craps an work um an house um des like folks does now. Dey had der corn patches an der goober patches an der tater patches and der peach orchards, an dey'd have der bar becues an dinners, an oP Miss Meadows an de gals wuz dar fer ter have quiltin' bees, an dey had der log rollins and sech like
 But when times got hard an dey got wusS stidder gittin better, they drap der work, kaZe 'twant no use ter work, an den dey tuck ter stealth, an bimeby here dey wuz clawin' an chawin' one CT; de big ones eatin' de little ones, an de little ones eatin' de littlest up an down thoo de woods; an fun dat time on dey wuz will. Dey quit warn cloze an h'ar grow'd on um. an alter dey'd had blood bread didn't tas'e good no mo.
 "Yit de time I'm gwine ter tell you bout wuz when times wuz gittin' wusser, but hadn't come ter de wuss. De creeturs wuz scuff1in' an scrablin' for sump'n t eat an none 'cept de biggest had gun ter claw an chaw amer. For dem hard times dey had been a heap talk bout a damon min in dem parts, an all dat talk Lad been handed down for de longest. Brer Wolf had heard his great gran'daddy talkin' bout it; Brer Fox gran'daddy know'd sumpn bout it, an Brer Rabbit gran'mam- my had lowed dat eff she wuz young ez she ter be an had good use CT her limbs an eyes, she could go right straight an put her han on de place whar de dia- mon min wuz at. All de ol creatures talk 1at opt 1 o1' fas 1a,,, back van when de creatures wuz bigger dan what hosses Is now"
 Bigger than horses The children began to open their eyes, and Sweetest Susan snuggled up to Aunt Mnervy Ann with that delightful thrill of make believe dread that only children can feel Aunt Minervy Ann knew she had scored a point.
 "Yes, la! Bigger dan what hosses is now. Dey'd set up cross-legged an run on bout dat diamon' min, dcs like der gran'daddies had done befo' um, an des like der gram chillun done alter um. An when de hard times gun ter pinch um, dey start in ter hunt fer dat damon min. Elf dey'd 'a' worked ez hard ez dey hunted. maybe dey mought been better; anyhow dey'd "a felt lots better
 "Brer Wolf went off in de woods by his- sef, an Brer Fox by hissef, an Brer Rab- bit by hisse'f. an dat wuz de way wid all de yuthers. Dey don't want nobody ter know eff dey fin de damon min. Dey hunt an dey hunt fum dawn twel dark an when night come dey'd dream bout it. But dey wuz bleege ter cat an some days dey'd go 'roun' huntin' fer vittles. Brer Rabbit had some acorns dat his ol' 'oman had saved up, an he foun' some sugar cane dat had been buried in de san when de freshet come, an he got long tollable well; but he want none too fat. Brer Wolf was thin ez fence rail, an Brer Fox wuz so gaunt dat his family aint never got fat down ter dis day.
 "well, one time when de creatures wuz takin' a day off, Brer Fox, he low dat he don't b'lieve deys any diamon' mine any whar 'roun' in dat country. But Brer Rab- bit say his great-gran' nanny wuz quaint ed wid dem dat own de mine. Brer Fox, he ax what der name wuz. Brer Rabbit low dat der name wuz needer mo ner less dan Mammy-Mammy ig-Money, an de way she got her name wuz on count CT de damon mine. -.
 "Brer Wolf laugh and say. Dat de trufe. an what's mo, Brer Fox wouldn't know a damon fun pebble lessen it wuz cleaned an rubbed up.'
 "Brer Fox say, Don't dey shine like dey got fire in der entrails?
 "Bros Wolf shake his head an low Mot les'n deyer cleaned an rubbed up
 "Dis make Brer Fox open his eye. He say, T been huntin' fer shine-things; may