The gold leaf., 1902-12-25

nudder. case yo' boys run an lef' ne
an den | ha' ter git out the bs.s' kin.
Yo' boys can't fool ME dat erway.' Den
say. Ne min. be de ole headman.
Wen git er fo'ked linn. an put er
shirt n britches an er ole hat ON de
head, an we TAX some hogs bristles
an mex mustashes an whiskers, ap'
I'll git up on de roof an let de ole
Sandy Claws down des es softly Den
vile we fIin' up de ole man we all
sing some mo- er dat song an lafR
bout how We gwinter do 'em up.
After SO long er time. we git every
fing all right. an we start down ter
de Quatahs. Unc' Ike SO cuious an
contrary dat he can't live In peace wild
de res er der niggers. an ole marse
ha' ter bull i'm er cabin way or rom
de res web de ole man could fuss u
quail des SO much as he feel like. We
ha' ter be mighty keerful gwine trough
de weeds. case We see er light In Unc'
Ike's cabin trough er hole in de Chin
bly,. Any yudder time Aun' Sukie done
ben settin' by de fab er uoppin' AN
er' smokin' dat ole pipe twel de dead
hours er de night; but how she done
laid down, case she 'spectin ole Sa ndy
Claws, an she heah ole mis- say dat
he ain gwine come home long as any
pussOu wake bout de house. She lay
in down, an done had 'er head xiv
cred up wild de quilts. Unc' Ike. he
settin' up In de coner wild he shucks.
platin an ole hoss collar wat he gwine
ter sell mex day fo' ter git dc Crismus
dram wild. An he had free big ole
niggerkiller 'taters roastn' in de ashes
fo' de brekfus.
"Aun' Sukie keep er sayin': Ike.
wy dom yo' come ter bed: Don 20
know hits er gittin' lateT
"Unc' Ike says: 'Sukie. yo' des' shet
up yo' mouf l know wat yo' studyin'
bout, yo' ole fool. Yo' lemme lone. an
ef yo' sleepy so ter sleep. tell yO'.'
Den l sorter hum low:
"Paterroller. paterroller. let Ike pars.
Sukie cook slow. but she eat mighty fas:
Sorry 70 lame Niger gets dar las:
Do, Mistah Paterroller. let Ike pars.
"Unc' Ike. mus er hearn me. 'case
he stop right still an cock he yeah eide
ways an listen an den mumull out
sump'n' bout Ne min, git yo' sassy
rasc'ls yit. See 4 don tell ole marsc.'
"Aun' Sukie say: Wat yo' er NUT
term an mum'lin' bout. Ike? l does
wish yo'd come on ter bed an quit stir
rim up dem Goals
"Unc' Ike say: rs er-talkin' ter my
se'f, an 'tain't none er yo' business.
Sukie, yo' de bigges' gump evuh seed.
.l-t,~ l,t
bout Sandy Claws Hain't done seed
yo' ole stockin' hangin' dar? Yo' fink
ole Sandy Claws gwin ter pay any
'tention ter dat ole wool stockin'? No.
stree, bob! Ole mis- des' ruint yo'. an
yo' ba'kin' up de wrong stump dis
time, TO sho' yo' is.'
'Bimeby de ole man git sorter tied,
an he kiver dem taters up mighty good
an start ter bed. Den, alter de ole man
done laid down, he keep er-talkin' bout
crops an bout 'ligion an bout anything
fo' ter worry Aun' Sukie. who ain
sayin' noffin' tall. Alter long time
Unc' Ike drops Off ter sleep an gin
ter sno', an den Aun' Sukie rise up an
look all crroun' des as cunnin'lack
an den drap down lack she's er
sleep.
"Dey wus er little chunk er fab wat
KEEP er winkin' an er bllnkin' In de
hath, but we done ben er watchin'
trough dat hole twel we gittin' tied.
an las gon' ter climb up on de house.
l clumb right easy up de co'ner an
outer de aidge er de ruff. an f'om dat
l eased erlong twel ! got ter de chin
bly,. | got er straddle er de ridgepole.
an den | fix my ole Sandy Claws an
gun ter git ready To- de cirkis. DE
chimbly wus about er foot too low
down, SOS ha' ter let one foot res on
de chimbly an wen fotch de yudder
laig down l say ter myself:
"OIe Sukie Blueskin
She fell in love wild me.
An she AK me down ter her house
Ter drink er cup er tea
Down. down. down went de Sandy
Claws, breshin' de sut down, an deS
as e come In sight Aun' Sukie squalIed
lack er crippled coon. 'Lawd er massy.
Ike, he's conner
"Des den de clof fetched de little
blaze er fab. an hit blazed way up. an
hit stifed me twel los my holt. an
wild er Glitter clatter. rip an ker biIm,
landed down in de hot ashes. right
on top er de Sandy Claws an all mixed
up wild Unc' Ike's taters.
"Yo' ncber hearn sich er row 'twix'
dis an Judgment. Aun SukIe she
squall: oh. marse! oh. mistis! Hep!
Hep. De ole boys come alter me an
Ike" An she went er spinnIn' out
trough de dead teaweeds. Unc' Ike.
he done riz. nm w'iles ! scuiiiin' wild de
Sandy Claws he got er ax handle an
wus dcs er lambastin' me
"A'ter w'iles | say: Please. Unc' Ike.
don hit me no mo! Hits Ceeze. Unc'
Ike! Please don hit me no mo! But
de ole scamp. gittin' nadder dan evah
wen he fin out hits me. KEEP er peltin'
me an er sayIn': Yes. yo' rasc'l. yo'
done ruint my taters. Yo ben singin'
bout me. I'll big Ike you, I gwine
little Ike you. gwne Sukie Blueskin
you,'
Bout dat time ole marse be come
to'ds De quatahs. an he cotch Jack an
fence
Waits de mattah. Sukier
"'Oh. marster. de debbIe's In de house,
er ras'lin' wild Ike
"Des den | to loose. an wen I lit
out'n De do ole marse grab ne
Dem ole critters deu gin ter tell all
so'ts er tales. an dcy 'cuse me er tryin'
ter bun de house down an singin' bad
songs. an dey beg ole marse TO ter
buck rne down cross or log mn gimme
d hund.rd
Ole marse lis'n'. au' alter crwiles he
gun ter snicker an den ter lan. an
den we all slip Of. an ole marse ain
neVah said muffin bout buckin' down
rom dat day twel dis But Aun' So.
kIe-u MN. Dat ole pusson had er
spite gin rne evah sence. an de ve'y
mint Cnc' Ike lay eyes Oh me he gin
ter hunt 'roun' 70 sump'n' ter ding at
me. Peahs Ter ME dey ain nevah Roin'
ter fogit 'bont Aun' SukIe's Sandy