American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-03-29

"iHAs fohHiAhts th ne Won reed ON g
bright moonlight night His o~n shid
der skeers i'm. An den hits sorte
nippin en- frosty. en- er pOssum ain
1tten ter EAT less'n he be dressed es
put ON top of er shirg e roof fer de
fros Ter soak In 'im an de night"
"Oh. that's ~foolishncss. Why wont
a refrigerator do Us well? The obJeci
is TO get the animal heat out of the
carcass. answered Tom.
"Mout be foolish. bui | wants ter ak
yer n queschun Who started dis yer
business er eatin' possums-niggers.
whut pens on de fros'. or wife folks.
whut has desc hyar freezeraters-huh?"
Il don't know" admitted Tom sheep
ishly.
In co'se you dunno. Hit wuz de
niggers. Ell OATS de way de niggers
fixes possums. Can't nobody but err
niger cook er possum jes' right. mel
Their? I'D as soon eat er dawg ez err
possum cooked by any D else en- Pm
less de fros' has soaked I'm i'm"
Joe had been an amused listener.
That's a fact. Tom. about nobody but
a darky knowing how to cook possums
just exactly right. Why, Colonel Aims
worth. who lived down the river from
here. got 70 specializing in cotton and
made a whole lot OF money. He under
took to put on a great deal OF style then
had his house fixed over and sent to
New Orleans and got a French chef,
and the first entertainment was a big
possum supper to a lot of his cronies
from New Orleans. You just ought to
hear the colonel tell about 1t.
THAT Frenchman didn't know how
to cook possums. and he brought them
in roasted and swimming In cream
gravy with a lot Of chopped vegetables
all over EN-, a la something or other.
The colonel called him to the dining
room and asked him about it. Then the
colonel got so mad at his dinner being
ruined he grabbed a big fat possum by
the hind legs from the dish and slam
med the chef over the head with 1t and
ran him down the front steps trying to
hit him again.
THE colonel said he agreed TO pay
that chef a hundred dollars a month,
but any cook who couldn't fix a possum
right wasn't wOrth'two bits a year. He
sent the chef back on the next boat
and sent for Aunt Venus. Uncle Jefrs
wife. and she cooked the possums next
day"
Uncle Jef stood chuckling.
Il wuz dar. Yo' jes' oughter SEED dat
Frenchy bounce down dem steps. he
wuz fat. an de colonel be wuz fat too.
a-makin' a lick at i'm wild every Jump
wild dat possum all smeared over wild
cream gravy, He wuz de maddest wife
maj | ever seed. De guests ain quit
latin twell yit. | reckon Hit shore wuz
FUNNY"
IAN right. have your way about the
frost. Uncle JEFF conceded Tom
Only | van to help catch a possum
and eat 1t if it is cooked right"
Now OATS de way ter talk. Yo'
leave de huntin ter me en- INK RUDE.
an de cookin' ter Mis- Venus. en- all
we axes yo' boys is ter furnish de ap
pertites en- don founder ~yo'se'fs."
We can furnish the appetites all
right" assured Joe.
We'll. right after supper yo' all put
on yo' ole cio'es. en- me en- Rube'n git
de dawgs en- de res of de fxin's."
Joe stayed to supper. and about half
past Z Uncle JEFF sounded his horn as
be came up the front drive. accompa-
MED by four yelping dogs. Uncle Rube
came from the ear of the house carry
ing in n hand a light, sharp ak and a
lantern in the other. Slung across his
back and that OF Uncle JEFF were bun
dies Of very rich fat" pine cut In
splints about the size of q finger and
about four feet long. Each carried an
empty sack wrapped about the cord
that held the pine splints.
What are those pine sticks forY" in
quired Tom.
Torches answered Joe. who was
an old hand at the game. TAKE four
or five Of those long splinters. hold
them together In your hand and light
the other end and IT makes the best
sort Of a light-harder the wind blows
the brighter II gets"
"Whar we better 90. Unk' Rube7 p In
quired Uncle Jef.
Il spec we stand a better chance
over I'm dat big ole nel' by de creek.
Dey's some simmonses lef' on de trees
yit down dar. | come thoo dar yes
tiddy and seed whar possums been
feedin'. Den dey's plenty black haws
down In de bottoms en- choke berries
en- red haws too. Dey's plenty er feed.
en- bets we gifts er possum er So"
"All right lead on, les be going
somewhere" said Joe. with ihpatience.
Uncle Jef sounded his horn. The dogs
leaped joyfully with frantic yelps and
sprang ahead.
The party cut through the stable lot.
down through the lower pasture and up
the long slope of the hill where the old
field lay on the other side. They walk.
ed single file into the mysterious night.
Rube with the lantern leading, then
the boys. and Uncle JEFF bringing up
the rear As they reached the crest of
the hill they stood stin a few moments
rw1sln tho A., ror~aI - 4..-t - So