hest nigger w'at I seen yit。〃
The Charleston negro passed on just as a police…man' came up。
〃Boss； you see dat smart Ellick？〃
〃Yes； what's the matter with him？〃
〃He's one er deze yer scurshun niggers from Charistun。 I seed you a stannin' over agin de cornder yander； an' ef dat nigger'd a drawd his monty kyards on me； I wuz a gwineter holler fer you。 Would youer come； boss？〃
〃Why； certaiuly； Uncle Remus。〃
〃Dat's w'at I lowd。 Little more'n he'd a bin aboard er de wrong waggin。 Dat's Wat he'd a bin。〃
X A CASE OF MEASLES
〃YOU'VE been looking like you were rather under the weather for the past week or two； Uncle Remus；〃 said a gentleman to the old man。
〃You'd be sorter puny； too； boss； if you'der bin whar I bin。〃
〃Where have you been？〃
〃Pear ter me like ev'eybody done year 'bout dat。 Dey ain't no ole nigger my age an' size dat's had no rattliner time dan I is。〃
〃A kind of picnic？〃
〃Go long； boss！ w'at you speck I be doin' sailin' 'roun' ter dese yer cullud picnics？ Much mo' an' I wouldn't make bread by wulkiin fer't； let 'lone follerin' up a passel er boys an' gals all over keration。 Boss； ain't you year 'bout it； sho' 'nuff？〃
〃I haven't； really。 What was the matter？〃
〃1 got strucken wid a sickness； an' she hit de ole nigger a joe…darter 'fo' she tu'n 'im loose。〃
〃What kind of sickness？〃
〃Hit look sorter cu'ous； boss； but ole an' steddy ez I is； I tuck'n kotch de meezies。〃
〃Oh； get out！ You are trying to get up a sensation。〃
〃Hit's a natal fack； boss； I declar' ter grashus ef 'tain't。 Dey sorter come on wid a cole； like…leas'ways dat's how I commence fer ter suffer； an' den er koff got straddle er de cole…one dese yer koffs w'at look like bit goes ter de foundash'n。 I kep' on linger'n' 'roun' sorter keepin' one eye on the rheumatiz an' de udder on de distemper； twel； bimeby； I begin fer ter feel de trestle…wuk give way； an' den I des know'd dat I wnz givineter gitter racket。 I slipt inter bed one Chuseday night； an' I never slip out no mo' fer mighty nigh er mont'。
〃Nex' mornin' de meezles 'd done kivered me； an' den ef I didn't git dosted by de ole 'oman I'm a Chinee。 She gimme back rashuns er sassafac tea。 I des natally hankered an' got hongry atter water； an ev'y time I sing out fer water I got b'ilin' hot sassafac tea。 Hit got so dat w'en I wake up in de mornin' de ole 'oman 'd des come long wid a kittle er tea an' fill me up。 Dey tells me 'roun' town dat chilluns don't git hurted wid de meezles； w'ich ef dey don't I wanter be a baby de nex' time dey hits dis place。 All dis yer meezies bizuess is bran'…new ter me。 In ole times； 'fo' de wah； I ain't heer tell er no seventy…fi'…year…ole nigger grapplin' wid no meezies。 Dey ain't ketchin' no mo'； is dey； boss？〃
〃Oh； no…I suppose not。〃
'Kase ef dey is； youk'n des put my name down wid de migrashun niggers。〃
XI THE EMIGRANTS
WHEN Uncle Remus went down to the passenger depot one morning recently； the first sight that caught his eye was an old negro man； a woman； and two children sitting in the shade near the door of the baggage…room。 One of the children was very young； and the quartet was altogether ragged and forlorn…looking。 The sympathies of Uncle Remus were immediately aroused。 He approached the group by forced marches； and finally unburdened his curiosity。
〃Whar is you m'anderin' unter； pard？〃
The old negro； who seemed to be rather suspicious； looked at Uncle Remus coolly； and appeared to be considering whether he should make any reply。 Finally； however； he stretched himself and said：
〃We er gwine down in de naberhoods er Tallypoosy； an we ain't makin' no fuss 'bout it； nudder。〃
〃I disremember；〃 said Uncle Remus； thoughifully； 〃whar Tallypoosy is。〃
〃Oh； hit's out yan；〃 replied the old man； motioning his head as if it was just beyond the iron gates of the depot。 〃Hit's down in Alabam。 When we git dar； maybe well go on twel we gits ter Massasip。〃
〃Is you got enny folks out dar？〃 inquired Uncle Remus。
〃None dat I knows un。〃
〃An' youer takin' dis 'oman an' deze chillun out dar whar dey dunno nobody？ Whar's yo' perwisions？〃 eying a chest with a rope around it。
〃Dem's our beddoze；〃 the old negro explained； noticing the glance of Uncle Remus。 〃All de vittles what we got we e't 'fo' we started。〃
〃An' you speck ter retch dar safe an soun'？ Whar's yo' ticket？〃
〃Ain〃t got none。 De man say ez how dey'd pass us thoo。 I gin a man a fi'…dollar bill 'fo' I lef' Jonesboro； an' he sed dat settled it。〃
〃Lemme tell you dis；〃 said Uncle Remus； straightening up indignantly： 〃you go an' rob somebody an' git on de chain…gang； an' let de 'oman scratch 'roun' yer an' make 'er livin'； but don't you git on dem kyars…don't you do it。 Yo' bes' holt is de chain…gang。 You kin make yo' livin' dar w'en you can't make it no whars else。 But don't you git on dem kyars。 Ef you do； youer gone nigger。 Ef you ain't got no money fer ter walk back wid； you better des b'ir yo' nes' right here。 I'm a…talkin' wid de bark on。 I done seed deze yer Arkinsaw emmygrants come lopein' back； an' some un 'em didn't have rags nuff on 'em fer ter hide dere nakidness。 You leave dat box right whar she is； an； let de 'oman take wun young un an you take de udder wun； an' den you git in de middle er de big road an' pull out fer de place whar you come fum。 I'm preachin' now。
Those who watched say the quartet didn't take the cars。
XII AS A MURDERER
UNCLE Remus met a police officer recently。
〃You ain't hear talk er no dead nigger nowhar dis mawnin'； is you； boss？〃 asked the old man earnestly。
〃No；〃 replied the policeman； reflectively。 〃No； I believe not。 Have you heard of any？〃
〃'Pears unter me dat I come mighty nigh gittin' some news bout dat size； an' dat's w'at I'm a hunfin' fer。 Bekaze ef dey er foun' a stray nigger layin' 'roun' loose； wid 'is bref gone； den I wanter go home an' git my brekfus' an' put on some clean doze； an' liver myse'f up ter wunner deze yer jestesses er de peace； an git a fa'r trial。〃
〃Why； have you killed anybody？〃
〃Dat's w'at's I'm a 'quinn' inter now； but I wouldn't be sustonished ef I ain't laid a nigger out some'rs on de subbubs。 Hit's done got so it's agin de law fer ter bus' loose an' kill a nigger； ain't it； boss？〃
〃Well； I should say so。 You don't mean to tell me that you have killed a colored man； do you？〃
〃I speck I is； boss。 I speck I done gone an' done it dis time； sho。' Hit's bin sorter growin' on me； an' it come ter a head dis mawnin'； les my name ain't Remus； an' dat's w'at dey bin er callin' me sence I wuz ole er 'nuff fer ter scratch myse'f wid my lef' han'。〃
〃Well； if you've killed a man； you'll have some fun； sure enough。 How was it？〃
〃Hit wuz dis way； boss： I wuz layin' in my bed dis mawnin' sorter ruminatin' 'roun'； when de fus news I know'd I year a fus' 'mong de chickens； an' den my brissels riz。 I done had lots er trubble wid dem chickens； an' w'en I years wun un um squall my ve'y shoes comes onfied。 So I des sorter riz up an' retch fer my ole muskit； and den I crope out er de back do'； an' w'atter you reckin I seed？〃
〃I couldn't say。〃
〃I seed de biggest； blackest nigger dat you ever laid eyes on。 He shined like de paint on 'im was fresh。 He bed done grabbed fo'er my forwardes' pullets。 I crope up nigh do do'； an' hollered an' axed 'im how he wnz a gittin' on； an' den he broke； an' ez he broke I jammed de gun in de small er his back and banged aloose。 He let a yell like forty yaller cats a courtin'； an' den he broke。 You ain't seed no nigger hump hisse'f like dat nigger。 He tore down de well shelter and fo； pannils er fence； an' de groun' look like wunner deze yer harrycanes had lit dar and fanned up de yeath。〃
〃Why； I thought you killed him？〃
〃He bleedzed ter be dead； boss。 Ain't I put de gun right on 'im？ Seem like I feel 'im give way w'en she went off。〃
〃Was the gun loaded？〃
〃Dat's w'at my ole 'oman say。 She had de powder in dar； sho'； but I disremember wedder I put de buckshot in； er wedder I lef' urn out。 Leas'ways； I'm gwineter call on wunner deze yer jestesses。 So long； boss。〃
XIII HIS PRACTICAL VIEW OF THINGS
〃BRER REMUS； is you heern tell er deze doin's out yer in de udder eend er town？〃 asked a eolored deacon of the church the other day。
〃W'at doin's is dat； Brer Ab？〃
〃Deze yer signs an' wunders whar dat cullud lady died day 'fo' yistiddy。 Mighty quare goin's on out dar； Brer Remus； sho's you bawn。〃
〃Sperrits？〃 inquired Uncle Remus； sententiously。
〃Wuss'n dat； Brer Remus。 Some say dat jedgmentday ain't fur off； an' de folks is flockin' 'roun' de house a hollerin' an' a shoutin' des like dey wuz in er revival。 In de winder glass dar you kin see de flags a flyin'； an' Jacob's lather is dar； an' dar's writin' on de pane w'at no man can't read…leas'wise dey ain't none read it yit。〃
〃W'at kinder racket is dis youer givin' un me now； Brer Ab？〃
〃I done bin dar； Brer Remus； I done seed urn wid bofe my eyes。 Cullud lady what wuz intranced done woke up an' say dey ain't much time fer ter tarry。
She say she meet er angel in de road； an' he p'inted straight fer de mornin' star； an' tell her fer ter prepar'。 Hit look mighty cu'us； Brer Remus。〃
〃Cum down ter dat； Brer Ab；〃 said Uncle Remus； wiping his spectacles care