The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-23

| policeman fell in well the other day.
| He says he knocked the bottom out OF the
concern" I quote these efforts as an
encouragement to young jokesmiths. In
spite of such humble beginnings, Harris
| in course of time reached the point where
he could say to a lecture bureau, why,
l wouldn't put on a dress suit a hundred
times in one winter for $4,000, much less
make a fool of myself into the bargain
though Eugenes Field lied shockingiy
when, in another of his glorious outbursts.
he described Harris as 1.-THE richest man
in the SOUTH
BY his own account, Harris attainment
of nationwide renown was piece of
sheer luck Alongs in the late seventies.
he opened an old magazine. happened
upon a negro story and instantly recog-
nized the blazing importance of sundry
yarns ne had heard from plantation hands
when boy and never forgotten II he
stuck 10 his theory to the last and kept
saying, TT was an Accident that | wrote
Uncle Remus and an accident that the
stories put forth under that name struck
the popular fancy" it is nevertheless TRUE
that such accidents befall only men OF
genius.
Besides, he was always collecting new
yarns and learning new darby dialects,
and an illustrator named Smith loved 10
tell of exploring the Sea Islands with Har-
ris in a ricket2 carriage with its darky
driver away out on the shafts in front
of the singletrees and leaning against the
pony.
Aren't you afraid you'll fall?' asked
Smith.
Been dere ready" said the negro.
What does he say?" asked Smith OF
Harris
why" said Harris. The declares that
he has occupied that some position on
many previous occasions
Smith took the reins, and urged the
horse to a trot.
"Doan fahs!" cried the negro.
What on earth does he say?" demand
ed Smith.
T He says. please don't go 80 fast at
the OUTSET" translated Harris.
WELL, commended Smith. the steno-
graphers should get this lingo. IT beats
the Pitman system,
INIMITABLE NEGRO YARNS
BY constantly mingling with them and
keeping his eyes and ears open, Harris
came 10 know the negroes inside and out.
He took especial delight in their accounts
of how they done got religion'--for ex-
ample, in Aunt Mimy's case.
Yea, Lord Aunt Min1y said. closing
her eyes in bliss. II bin a stumbln' long
q mighty long time I bin a 'Piscopal
Methods an I bin a Affikin Methodis
and I bin a Pctestant Methodist an
I bin a Pesberteen. All dat time I wuz
oneasy-all dat time wuz restless In de
min laid wake nights an IShain't had
no appetite. wuz dat worried dat
couldn't set still.
"One night / vuz layin' in bed an 1t
looked like eve thing cle'r'ed up. said
out loud. Tn gwine ter be a Baptls'
FAY out loud Is right Sump'n ansver
bach, Rise. sinner Yo' sins is done FOR
-ibr'
Then said her friend, Aunt Chloe, Dem
what wants ter be baptize kin 60 git
'aotize. I'm a sprinkler, myse'f; an
ain lose no SLEEP on count NV it, an
lin gwine lose none. I'm des plain
Methods. Dem what got so many sins
on I'm dat day halter get souzed under
de water had be tier go splunge right in.
OATS what"
After reading Uncle Remus.' some
one asked, Honestly now Mr. Harris,
wouldn't Uncle Remus grab a few fat
nullets from . henhouse If he had good
chance?"
Harris lodged the all too delicate aues-
tion-said. IF l keep track Of Uncle
Remrs all dav, you can't expect me TO
keep track cf him all night. too, can
you?"--but Uncle Remus has told what
he would do If. while out searching for
COW in the cool Of the evening. he should
smell something like watermelon patch
in the distance With fine psychological
precision, he sagashuates his symptoms
thus:
After bin soin' along de road 70