386 FOUR-FOOTED AMERICANS 



boys shake him off, and de dogs dey finish him. Do 

 you know, shore as you born, if dat man Sambo didn't 

 fotch home free Possums and one big Coon. I\Iy, we 

 libbed high dat week ! Roast Possum wid an apple in 

 his niouf ! Lan', I kin taste it dis yer minut ! " 



"I don't see how you could eat anything as pretty as 

 Billy Coon," said Dodo, reproachfully. 



" Sho, honey ! it was only meat to we uns, and meat 

 was scurce'^^ We eat 'em like you uns eat chickens. 

 We didn't eat no house pets like Billy. An' de B'ars, 

 if dey warn't kep' down der wouldn't be a pig left to 

 mak' bac'n on de 'hole plantation, and what ud we 

 uns be \\'ithout bac'n ! Lan' I but dat furst Possum 

 war good I De furst one Sambo an' me had after we 

 got mar-ied. An' dat Coon he war as fat as grease, an' 

 dem Car'lina taters dat Massa gib Sambo, 'count ob der 

 B'ar, dey was jest meltin' wid der bac'n fat ! Lan' ! 

 lan' ! an' warn't dat Possum cracklin' all ober when he 

 war I'oasted ! We had comp'ny all dat week, I tells 

 yer, but yer ought to see dat — Lan' sakes ! " cried 

 Mammy, coming suddenly North again, "Possums or 

 no Possums, I near done forgot to set dat sponge for de 

 buckwheat caikes ! '" 



" Now, who can answer the riddle ? "" asked Mr. Blake, 

 as soon as the laugh at ]\Iamm3''s sudden exit had sub- 

 sided. "Why is a Possum like a Bear?" 



" T can," said Rap, eagerly. " Tliey both walk on the 

 soles of their feet, they can both climb trees, they will 

 both eat 'most anything, and the little Bears and Pos- 

 sums are feeble and tiny and aren't good for much when 

 they are born, and take a lot of tending before their 

 eyes are open." 



