The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1908-10-08

very profitable days work for him.
was just like Uncle Remus.' He wal
always doing such things.
There was an old printer In Atlanta
I who, when be was too inirm TO WORK
at the Gaze. went every week 10 Mr.
Harris and drew his regular pension
enough to supply his simple wants. In
similar ways this kind hearted jour
nalist managed TO get rid of large
part of Lis income"
Uncle Remus' was extremely bash
full. He was SO modest that he conld
not look strange woman In the face
and he had for years written at his
home In order to keep away from the
lion hunters and autograph seekers
who attacked him at the Constitution
Iffice ct Atlanta. He spent only about
an hour day at the Atlanta Constitu-
! tion Office. He was there one morning
when tall young woman from Boston
| made her way up the elevator and
found his room. The door was open.
The Boston girl looked IN. and there
sat a little, rotund, red headed man
reading a newspaper.
'Is this Mr.. HarrisT asked the Bos-
ton girl
''Yes'm," replied the red headed man
without raising his eyes
81 have called to see you Mr.. Har-
ris," said the Boston girl MY name
Is Bessie Blank, and you ought to
know me, for am a writer"
"Yes'm," said Uncle Remus," look
ing very uncomfortab BILE and still keep
ing his eyes upon the paper.
Il would like to have a chat with
you" said the young lady, raising her
voice and casting an inquiring look at
the chair Mt Mr.. Harris side, which he
was too scared to offer her.
''Yesm," said "Uncle Remus" desper-
ately
But" the woman went on after o
pause, II see, sir, that you don't want
to talk and had better CO."
"Yes'm," said Uncle Remus," and
with that the irate young woman left
And still Uncle Remus" was the soul
of kind heartedness. He was so bash
full, however, that he could not do 9TH
a..
in talking to strangers, and 1t was
only now and then that he had a caller
who seemed to Just suit him. This was {
the case with Mr.. Visscher Of Chicago,
an old time newspaper man, who had =
gained fame as poet His appear y
ance, 1t Is said, reminds one of the
story Of the countrywoman and the I
10 ntv-ut |
went to the circus, and when she saw
this animal she stood before him for
some time IN speechless establishment Q
At last, with a gasp, she said to her II
"Oh, my, amt he plainp
Well, Mr.. Visscher was a little plain,
! quality which was also possessed to
! certain extent by Mr.. Harris. Mr..
visscher was well known In Chicago. D
lie was also known in other quarters, Il
md he thought, of course, Mr.. Harris |,
would know him by name. So he step L
'ed jauntily into the office and held a.
ut his hand and said: a,
"How are you, Mr.. Harris? My name r,
, Visscher."
"Uncle Remus" looked up, and as he
Id SO held out his hand and then
urst into hearty "Ha. ha, hal Why, d.
ow do you do, Mr.. yisscher! Ha, ha, pi
a. | am glad to meet you, Mr. yiss- 81
her! Ha, ha, har' and he went on +,
Iughing as though he would split his
1t sides.
81 am glad to meet you" said Mr..
fischer as he Strengthened himself up
little Indignantly, but l can't see &c
hat on earth you are laughing at" u
At this Uncle Remus" burst into an ye
her laugh and said, as he rather af- RI
laid his hand on visschers TT
BOULDER: We'll, to tell you the truth, in
r. Visscher, | am laughing at you. o
like your looks. You see, l have
ways had the reputation of being the ''N
,liest man in the United States, but
~ beat me. l want 10 take you out
ID Introduce you to my wife"
This was said In such tone that pr
sscher could not get angry at it He
Their disputed the position which I'm
! Remus" had thrust upon him as he
Iked at him. But he shook hands, wa
d little later on the two went out say
Uncle Remus'" home together Gi
sseher was delighted with Uncle ma
mus" "Uncle Remus' liked Visscher no,
tier upon acquaintance and the two M;
lin men became fast friends.
When the "Uncle Remus' stories ant
It began to appear, Mr., Harris re- OF
we'd scores of letters asking him by SAL
at deep research he had acquired
intimate knowledge of negro philol- =
7 and folklore To an interviewer
ne years ago he gave the following W.
lint account of how his inimitable d
ries were derived: the
| don't know much about real negro lin,
Slore. And l don't think any one -
, does. But every southerner =
,ws that every old negro nanny is
of Just such stories as write As
negroes do not get them from the F.
ties, l presume they are of African Raa
gin. Uncle Remus, however, was -.
'ely composite or ideal type and so
from being the result OF philolog- - 4