The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 16, 1899, Page 24

JoeL CHANDLER HARRIS by Joel Chandler Harris. 1t by the east wind soon out bright and clear, with a that brought out the vio- » was not the same. The ne- Bapter, and even ne stantly as he used to. And they 1ed that they had prob- position; they had no- sked advice on the subject, , and they refrained t why this should be f the less fortunate 1 to make them promises that ) rombie place the negroes r such advice as the zive them. They had the 1t seemed to be a special sustained and maintained »huny d the air was warm. ing the courses of the Abercrombie place had sun shine ever so brightly, the 1 no message came from whether he c mes or not,” cried Sweetest ef he come,” she sald e, and goodness know: k & skeery dream den, an’ me no mo’. When folks git be gwine off to some yuther brus . almed Drusilla. dis, when you- =r what hi —you won't see wid you twel he pop outen de water, I'm free, dat’s whar my freedom . B once,"” rem nstrated Sweetest Susan. ke chills an’ fever; you may have um once, I don’t see what druther see you- it's better'n reskin’ down dar, dey ain't pozen ‘twas ter cave v ‘roun’ hide er you while , and at uz twice too and pop down, but I -r my senses.” to g0 to bed, Thimblefinger, h was not far away Jite?” The volce was that of a | steer to a wagon, but had left over the stile. She had a countenance and her e was came up t is ef de war-dosses and da war-whoops "I know you,” gue.” “De same cried Sweetest Susan; “it's Aunt Minervy Ann Per- * not de same nuther. whar I llve at. You ad, 18 you? Well, it's ud talkin' politics. T b'lleve inowed eve'y minit ) t on, “dat de Yan er tuck off a biessed thing.” hat the troops not only two mules into the cow It would be funny,” Buster Jones 14 turn out to belong to Major Perdue. egroes had said the mules belonged to the t 11l steer out dar,” exclaimed * ar ste Aunt Minervy Ann; r is de onliest four- ¥ wouldn’t 'a’ left him ef 1 in dar whiles dem people Mug rumagin’ * Dey shot de chickens yit, an’ de turke an an’ dey falr stripped de smoke- r John, ou-all, honey,” said Aunt Miner- where we-all live at. Dey wouldn't ‘n for Mars Tumlin. He went out, 1" he cuss'd um an’ sass'd um des n sight. I tried to make signs fe ler wuz up, and you des ez well e say he gwine move ter town; an’ when I w dat we can starve lots better in an’ I spec’ dat so, kaze we won't be so on dat place but me an' Marse amp. All de niggers done gone, ‘umlin what dey mus’ do, he bin’ boy, an’ be janged. He say he TV sump'n ter eat; an’ he better be comin’, you know it.” Sweetest Susan. ¢omin’ ¢ goo, fer d *Yonc The children were well scquainte. vas not only kin to them in some remote w company when in the humor—and this was for although the major had a tem- per which ns to control, it was only on rare occasions that he d & in a fine humor now, for he came for- ward lau 1 each a hearty smack. M1 ‘I thought I told you to curry that hor ou hitched him to the bugg: M 3 an’ soap, an’ wash de horn off his haid, I'd rvy Ann, “an’ I tol' you dat ef yord git som ‘I clean the major declared. “Well, you stay here and talk to thes , and T'll call on Cousin Abercrombie and see if [ can’t beg or borrow a few rati, When I want you, I'll call you, and 1 * your carriage in at the side gate there.” t v .Ann looked after the major and laughed. “I hope “THe LITTCETONES FLIPPED' UNDER.THEBED.” THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, APRIL 186, 1899, BRER RABBIT BROUGHT INTO GOURT BY BRER FOX FOR STEALING HIS GOOBERS. Ol' Judge Wolf tuck his seat on de high flatform an’ put on his specs an’ started ter readin’ in a great big book. Dey called de case, and Brer Fox tuck de stan’ an’ tol' his side; an’ den Brer Rabbit got up an’ tol’ his side. Judge Wolf tuck off his specs an’ look at Brer Rabbit wid a broad grin. how many, but dey must 'a’ been a bushel. de river. “Judge Wolf 'low: Rabbit an’ ’'low: best he kin. “Judge Wolf say: “Brer Fox holler out: “Judge Wolf 'low: ‘A man on de river! ‘Parched, parche Well, et dat de case you must 'a’ had some sho ‘nuff.’ ‘Brer Rabbit, you'll hatter pay ‘im his goobers back when you dig yo' crap.’ Den he ax Brer Fox how many goobers he had, an’ Brer Fox say he dunno Judge Wolf ax 'im wher-'bouts he got um. He say he got um fum a man on Den he turn ter Brer Brer Rabbit say he'll do de ‘How'll you have um, Brer Fox, raw er parched? ‘Brer Rabbit, when yo' dig yo' crap, save all de parched goobers fer Brer Fox.- “Brer Rabbit say he’ll be mo' dan glad ter do so, an’ den dey 'Journed de courthouse.” ter goodness,” she sald, as she sat down by the children, “I hope ter goodness dat he won't say dat he want de vittles cooked. Kaze ef he done dat it'd put me in min’ er dat ol’ tale my mammy useter tell me.” ““What tale was that?” Sweetest Susan asked. oh! you all done hear tell un it mo’ times dan you been ter chu’ch. You ain’t never had ol' Remus to tell it; but dar is dat ol’ A'on, an’ ol' Fountain, an’ Big Sal—what dey been doin’ all dis time ef dey aln’t never tol’ you dat tale? Ef dey ain’t got sense nuff for to tell you all de tales dey is gwine, you better sic de dogs on um an’ run um off de place—ef you got any dogs lef’."” ‘““Well, they don’t tell us any tal “‘Old Aunt Free Polly used to tell us some, but that's been 8o long ago that we've forgotten them. You ought not to have said anything about a tale if you didn’t want to tell {t.” Aunt Minervy Ann looked at the child and laughed. ‘“Heyo, here!" she exclaimed; “ef dey's gwine ter be any swellin’ up an’ gittin’ mad, I'll tell de tale, an’ git away fum here des quick ez I kin. I ain’t come ter dis place fer to git in no fuss.” The children composed themselves comfortably on the dead grass and Aunt Minervy Arnn told this story of “BROTHER RABBIT AND THE GOOBERS.” said Buster John, truly enough. “Way back yonde sald Aunt Minervy Ann, retying her head handkerchief, “de tim wid de cratures wuz mighty much like dey is wid folks now, speshully we-all up dar at de Perdue plantation. Dey wuz hard times. I disremembr whedder dey had been a war and de army swep’ 'long, or whedder dey wuz a dry drought. Dey ain't much diffunce when craps fail. ““Well, anyhow de times wuz mighty hard. Vittles wuz skacer dan hen’s tushes, an’ dem what had it, hid it. An’ ef dey didn’t hide it, dey stayed mighty close by it. Ol' Brer Rabbit wuz in jest as bad fix ez any un um, ef not wuss. Slick ez he wuz, he want slick nuff for ter gt sump'n ter eat whar dey want none. De calamus patch gun out, all de saplin’s had been barked higher up dan Brer Rabbit kin reach, der tater patches wuz empty, an’ de pea vines wuz dry nuff for to ketch fire widout any he'p. ‘8o dar twuz. Like de common run er po’ white folks, Brer Rabbit had a big fam’l De young uns wuz constant a-cryin’, ‘Daddy! Dad- dy! Fetch me sump’'n ter ea An’ ol’ Miss Rabbit wuz dribblin’ at de mouf, she wuz dat hungry. “OI' Brer Rabbit wuz so mad kaze he can't git no vittles nowhar and nohow dat he kicked a cheer 'cross de room wid his hin' foot and skeered de young uns so dat dey flipped under de bed, an’ dar dey stayed twel der daddy wuz out er sight an’ hearin’. “Brer Rabbit knowed mighty well dat "'twain’t gwine ter do fer him ter be settin’ roun’ de house wid de fam’ly dat hongry dat dey can't gkacely stan’ ’lone. So he comb his hair, an’ brush his hat, an’ put on his mits fer ter keep de sun from frecklin’ his han's, an’ tuck down his walkin' cane, an’ put cut down de road fer ter see what he kin see, an’ hear what he kin hear.” At this point the children laughed, Sweetest Susan convulsively and Buster John more sedately, but still heartily. Aunt Minervy Ann paused and regarded them with grave and inquiring eyes. “What de matter now?” she asked, solemnly. At this the children Jaughed louder than ever. “Well!” she cried, “ef you gwine to have conniption fits, T'll wait twel dey pass off.” “Why, I was laughing because you said Brother Rabbit put on his “He HADEOR SOIRTFLY.S i GoomERS OUTANIT.Y mits to keep his hands from freckling,” exclalmed Buster John; and Sweetest Susan, when she could catch her breath, declared that she was laughing for the same reason. “You-all must be mighty ticklish,” remarked Aunt Minervy Ann, plucking at the dead grass. “I ain't see nothin’ funny in dat. You nee'n’'t think dat rabbits is like dey uster be. Dey done had der day. In dem times dey growed big and had lots er sense, an’ dey wuz mighty keerful wid deyself. But dey done had der day. Folks come ‘long an’ tuck der place, an’ since den dey done dwindle 'way twel dey ain’t nothin’ mo’ dan runts, an’ skacely dat. Folks holdin' de groun’ now, but how long dey gwine ter hol’ it? How long fo’ sump'in else'll come 'long an’ take folks' place? De time may be short er it may be long, but it'll come—you min’ what I teil you; an’ when it do come, folks'll dwindle 'way an’ git ter be runts des like de creeturs did, and 11 fergit how ter talk so ev-ybody kin know what d ayin’. “Look at de creeturs! Why, de time wuz when dey could talk same €z folks, but now dey can’t hardly jabber, an’ dey ain’t nobody know what dey sayin’ 'cept dis here A'on you got here”—the children looked at each other and smiled n' dat don’t do him ner dem no good. Now des ez de creeturs 1s, de folks'll be when de time come—you mark my word!"” “But all this time,” remarked Buster John, slyl tale are suffering mightily for something to eat. Dat’s so, honey! I got so much on my min’ dat I done clean fer- got 'bout de tale. I wuz thinkin’ 'bout de time when we-all, white and black, would be brung low. You'll have to scuzen me, sho. Well, den, O1I' Brer Rabbit put on his mits and tuck down his walkin’ cane, and went promenadin’ down de big road. Ef he met anybody, dey never could guess dat he wuz mighty nigh famished, kaze he walk des ez big- gity ez if he des had de finest kinder dinner. He went on, smoothin’ down his mustaches, when who should he meet but Brer Fox, wid a big basket on his arm. Whar y been, Brer Fox?' ‘Loungin’ 'roun’. Whar you gwine, Brer Rabbit? “‘Up hill and down dale. What you got in yo' basket, Brer Fox? “‘Des er hatful er goobers, Brer Rabbit.’ ‘“ ‘Parched, Brer Fox?' ‘Yes, indeedy, Brer Rabbit; parched good en brown.’ “‘No, I thank you, Brer Fox; none fer me. Ef dey wuz fresh an’ raw now, maybe I'd take some. But parched—my stomach won't stan’ um. Mo’ dan dat, 1 des had a bait er groun’ squir’l.’ ‘“ ‘Now, Brer Rabbit was hankerin’ arter de goobers so bad dat he can't stan’ still, an’ when he say groun’ squir'l, Brer Fox under jaw drap an’ gun ter trimble an’ quiver. He say: ‘“‘Wuz he fat, Brer Rabbit? “‘Fat ez a butter-ball, Brer Fox, but not too fat; dey wus plenty er lean meat. ‘“‘My gracious, Brer Rabbit! Whar'd you git him?" “‘Back up de road a piece, Brer Fox. A whole family un um stays “the rabbits in the dar. * ‘Show me de place, Brer Rabbit; my ol’' 'oman been hankerin’ at- ter groun’ squir’l fur de longest." ““T'll show you, Brer Fox; but yo' claws longer'n mine, an’ you'll hatter do de grabblin'.’ “Brer Fox jaw shuck like he had a swamp chill. He ’low: never is see nobody grabble, Brer Rabbit, twel you see me." “‘T'll stan’ by, Brer Fox, an’ see it well done.’ “Now, Brer Rabbit did Know whar dey wuz a burrow er some kin’, ‘You Wk “BrER RABBITHELD, - T LHIS NosesY but he ain't know wedder it wuz a groun’ squirl er a woodrat er & highlan’ moccasin. So he tuck Brer Fox up de big road a piece, an’ den dey struck out throo de woods. But fo dey start in de timber Brer Rabblit 'low: “‘You better hide yo’ basket er goobers in de bushes, Brer Fox, kaze {it’ll bother you ter tote it throo de bushes. I'll watch you grab- ble, an’ I'll keep my eye on de basket.’ “'So said, so done. Brer Fox sot de basket dowd in de bushes, an’ dey kivered it wid leaves and trash, and went on. Bimeby dey got :;5 de place whar Brer Rabbit s de fambly er de groun’ squir’l live, he show Brer Fox de mouf er de burrow. “‘It'll be hard diggin, Brer Rabbit.’ “‘De harder de diggin, Brer Fox, de bigger de crap. Dat’s what I hear um say.’ “Wid dat Brer Fox shucked his coat an’ roll up his shirt sleeves an’ start ter diggin’. He made de dirt fly. Atter while he stop ter rest and ‘low: “‘Keep yo' eye on my goobers, Brer Rabbit; don’t let nobody run off wid um;’ an’ den he sot in ter grabblin’ agin. “‘I'll watch um, Brer Fox; don’t make no doubt er dat.” “Den Brer Rabbit run to whar de basket wuz, flung de trash off'n it, tuck it off in de woods a little piece and emptied all de goobers out'n it. Den he fill it up wid sticks and chips, mos’ ter de top, an’ on de trash he put a layer er goobers. Den he tuck it back and kivered it like twuz at first, an’ went ter whar Brer Fox wuz grabblin’. Bres Fox 'l “‘You smell mighty strong er parched goobers, Brer Rabbit. “‘1 don’t doubt dat, Brer Fox; I lifted de lid er de basket fer ter see ef dey wuz all dar, an’ de stench fum um come mighty nigh knoclk- in’ me down. Fer a minit er mo’ I wuz dat weak an’ sick I come mighty nigh gwine home.’ “Well, Brer Fox he grabble and grabble twel he git tired er grab- blin’, an’ den he ’low dat he b'lieve he’ll put off eatin’ any groun’ squir’l twel some yuther day. Brer Rabbit say he kin do ez he pleases 'bout dat; an’ den d t on back ter whar dey left de basket. Brex Rabbit helt his nose an’ lifted de lid an’ looked in, an’ "low; * ‘Dey all dar, Brer Fox; you can look fo’ 'St 3 “‘I don't 'spute it, Brer Rabbit; I ain’t * ‘Dat may be, Brer Fox, but I hear folks say you mighty s*picious, an’ I don’t want nobody for ter be s’picionin’ er me.” “Brer Fox 'low: ‘Don’t k fo’ you're spurred, Brer Rabbit.’ “Brer Rabbit s: ‘De right kinder horse don’t need no spurrtw’, Brer Fo. ‘“Well, Brer Fox picked up his basket an’ went on home, an’ Brer Rabbit he went de yuther way; but by de time Brer Fox git out et sight good, o' Brer Rabbit run home an’ git a basket an’ run back ter whar he done hid de goobers, an’ 'twan’t no time fo' he had um all at home, an’ him an’ his ol’ 'oman an’ de chillun had a reg’lar feastin' time Brer Fox 'low: v dey ain’t all dar” When Brer Fox foun' dat he had mo’ trash dan goobers in his basket, he was dat mad dat he could ’'a’ bit hisse'f; but he ain’t let on. He know dey ain’t no use makin’ no fu an’ he know mighty well dat he can’'t ketch Brer Rabbit; he done tried dat befo’. “So dis time he went ter law "bout it. He laid de case *fo oI’ Judge Wolf, an’ dey got out papers, an' sent de papers atter Brer Rabbit. ‘Well, dey want no gitti roun’ dat. Brer Rabbit had ter go; he wus mighty skittish, but he knowed dat ef dey got de law on 'tm he won't have no peace in dat settieme > he went ter court, an’ dar he foun' a whole passel er de creetu ‘When he got in, o’ Judge Wolf tuck his seat on de high flatform an’ put on his specs an’ started ter readin’ in a great big book. Dey called de case, and Brer Fox tuck de stan’ an’ tol’ his sic an’ den Brer Rabbit got up an’ tol’ his side. Judge Wolf tuck oft ecs an’ look at Brer Rabbit wid a broad grin, Den he ax Brer Fox how many goobers he had, an’ Brer Fox say he dunno how many, but dey must 'a’ been a bush Judge Wolt ax ’'im wher-'bouts he got um. He he got um fum a man on de river. “Judge Wolf 'low: ‘A man on de river! Well, ef dat de case you must 'a’ had some sho 'nuff.” Den he turn ter Brer Rabbit an’ 'low; ‘Brer Rabbit, you'll hatter pay 'im his goobers back when you dig yo' crap.” Brer Rabbit say he’ll do de best he kin. Judge Wolf s ‘How’ll you have um, Brer Fox, raw er parched® “Brer Fox holler out: ‘Parched, parched!” “Judge Wolf 'low: ‘Brer Rabbit, when yo’ dig yo’ crop, save all d¢ parched goobers fer Brer Fox.' “Brer Rabbit Yy he'll be mo’ dan glad ter do so, an’ den dey 'Journed de courthouse.” “That's what I call stealing,” sald Sweetest Susan, emphatically as Aunt Minervy Ann paused. There was silence for awhile, and then Aunt Minervy Ann shook her head and said: “Ef folks had 'a’ done dat away 'twould 'a’ been stealin’, but de creeturs—dey got ways er dey own, honey. Dey dunne right fum wrong, an’ ef dey did 'twould be mighty bad for we-all. Ouy own hosses 'ud kick us, and our own cows 'ud hook us forty times g . day. Dey wouldn't be no gittin’ ’long wid um de way dey er treated.” “That's so,” said Buster John. Just then Major Perdue came out Into the back porch of the big house and called Aunt Minervy Ann. It turned out that the two extrs mules in the lot did belong to the major. He borrowed some harness and a wagon and drove it home full of provisions, and with a comfort.- able sum of money which the children’s grandfather had lent him, Aunt Minervy Ann carried her cart back empty, but she didn’t mind that. The children rode with her a little pilece, and as a result had s very peculiar experience. (Brer Rabbit's delighttul adventures will be continued next Sunday.) h HIMAN HIS oL/ WOMAN AND MIS CHILDREN HAD, T AREGLAREROSTINATIMES