Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1900-08-22
UNCLE REMUs' VACATION.

UNCLE REMUS VACATION
During the present summer -
Chandler Harris. the wer known writer
Of many delightful folklore stories aAl
other nction. has been trying the ex-
pertinent of spending his vacation ~
home. IN the quiet suburb Of West EnA
on the outskirts Of Atlanta.
Uncle Remus. as he Il called by ~
friends and readers, began his vaca.
| ton with the idea that he would escape
the newspaper interviewers and other
! strangers who. with the best intsa-
tions. have heretofore kept him In Q
| furry OF embarrassment and dread on
his occasional trips to foreign parts. or
to speak within bounds, certain 10
calities in the east and west.
My wife is away" he said. ANA %
nobody will be likely to call can spend
my time In dreaming and In planning
some literary work for the faIl and
winter. I'll loaf about in my garden
and imagine that I'm out IN the couA.
try"
| The second morning after his tempe
rary retirement to his pleasant suburb
an home he was Unexpectedly surprised
by the sudden appearance Of q young
newspaper woman. who ran him down
and halted him not far from his froAe
| door.
She introduced herself and told him
| that she was sent by q northern daily
to describe the confederate reunion and
write up the old south. but the most
important object Of her visit was ts Get
a column of fresh gossip about Uncle
Remus. Would he aid her?
No he would not. He shook his head
positively and drew his big straw hat
down over his eyes. He did not know
anythink new about himself; was GER
tain that no gossip about him could
had no story to tell.
Everybody is interested In you - .
literary man." said the visitor. and
they would like to read something Of
your tastes your method of work, your
favorite authors. etc"
Don't know anything about it" re-
piled the victim. You've got me down
wrong. I'm no literary man-Tm only
a cracker"
The newspaper girl whipped out her
notebook.
That's goodw she said. what kind
of cracker are you?"
Just a plain, ordinary. Georgia
cracker" answered Uncle Remus IN
amazement.
Better still-' commented the inter-
viewer. Now what is a Georgia crack
, err"
The prosecuted story writer could
stand it no longer. With q trumped-up
excuse he bowed to his tormenter ana
, fed around corner, ostensibiy 60
catch q car.
"Do you know what I did them"
asked the newspaper woman, after re-
turning to Atlanta. "I called on the
neighbors and interviewed them about
Uncle Remus. 1 questioned the chill
dren about him. and also talked to the
negro cooks. o. Tve got enough about
him to fill several columns. One little
child told me that he had three names,
Joel Chandler Harris, Uncle Remus
and plain Mr. Harris. This youngster
told me with an important Iook that
Uncle Remus rarely ever noticed the
grown people out there. but he always
played with the children. It is said
that he generally runs from ladies, but
not always. For instance, there is q
lady at West End who said that she
could not read his negro dialect sto-
ries. After hearing this he declared
she was a very sensible woman, and he
frequently had strawberries and now
|, ers sent to her from his garden. But
I'm not going to tell you the good
things I heard. Wait till write my
sketch"
One mornig there was q violent ring
, at his door and as the servant did net
|, not Immediately answer II, Uncle Re-
, mus went forward.
A genteel-looking man stood there
with a box of soap. .s--., ifss
Ten cents cake-worth twenty-five
best toilet soap you ever saw" said
the man.
Uncle Remus said that he was well
supplied with soap. Then the peddier
spoke of his hard luck. and said that
he was almost on the verge Of starva-
ton.
.Why. your coat - q better one than
! | mine" remarke dthe other. irritated
by the mans persistence. You look
prosperous"
Tears rushed into the strangers eyes
and his voice trembled.
IF you had seen my poor wife," said
he, when she brushed my coat this
morning and did her best to make IL
appear presentable. you would not talk
so.'
.I beg your pardon" replied Uncle
Remus II spoke thoughtiessly. You
say that soap is Blanks? 1t is just what
. I want. Give me - worth-here's the
. money. You say you have only 80
worth? All right, just leave that ami
/, send the balance. Take the money. tn
pay you for The whole lot now"
, The poor fellow in the shabby, but
neat-looking suit was overjoyed He
, left his package of soap. thanked the
purchaser. and walked of with
, brighter face.
5 Don't know whether TIL finish my
vacation at home or take trip said
a lee IN a Fri