NIGHTS WITH UNCLE REMUS 
atter hit’s all done gone en done, yer’ll come Miss Sally a-layin’ 
it all at ole Remus do’. Nigger ain’t got much chance in deze yer 
low-groun’s, mo’ speshually w’en dey gits ole en cripple lak I is.” 
“What are they going to do to-morrow night, Uncle Remus?” 
the little boy inquired. 
“Now w’at make you ax dat, honey?” exclaimed the old man, 
in a grieved tone. “You knows mighty well how dey done las’ 
year en de year ’fo’ dat. Dey tuck’n cut up ’roun’ yer wuss’n ef 
dey ’uz wil’ creeturs, en termorrer night dey’ll be a-hollin’ en 
whoopin’ en singin’ en dancin’ ’fo’ it git dark good. I wish w’en 
you go up ter de big house you be so good ez ter tell Miss Sally 
dat ef she want any peace er min’ she better git off’n de place 
en stay off twel atter deze yer niggers git dey fill er Chris’mus. 
Goodness knows, she can’t ’speck a ole cripple nigger lak me fer 
ter ketch holt en keep all deze yer niggers straight.” 
Uncle Remus would have kept up his vague complaints, but 
right in the midst of them Daddy Jack stuck his head in at the 
door, and said: — 
“Oona bin fix da’ ’Tildy gal shoe. Me come fer git dem shoe; 
me come fer pay you fer fix dem shoe.” 
Uncle Remus looked at the grinning old African in astonish¬ 
ment. Then suddenly the truth dawned upon him and he broke 
into a loud laugh. Finally he said: — 
“ Come in, Brer Jack! Come right ’long in. I’m sorter po’ly my- 
se’f, jut I ’ll make out ter make you welcome. Dey wuz a quarter 
dollar gwine inter my britches-pocket on de ’count er dem ar 
shoes, but ef youer gwine ter pay fer um ’t won’t be but a 
sev’mpunce.” 
Somehow or other Daddy Jack failed to relish Uncle Remus’s 
tone and manner, and he replied, with some display of irritation: 
“ Shuh-shuh! Me no come in no’n ’t all. Me no pay you 
se’mpunce. Me come fer pay you fer dem shoe; me come fer tek 
um ’way fum dey-dey.” 
326 
