NIGHTS WITH UNCLE REMUS 
Remus don’t sing; but w’en he do sing — gentermens! des go 
’way!” 
All this and much more, so that when Uncle Remus had placed 
the little boy upon a corner of the platform, and made him com¬ 
fortable, he straightened himself with a laugh and cried out: — 
“Howdy, boys! howdy all! I des come up fer ter jine in wid 
you fer one ’roun’ fer de sakes er ole times, ef no mo’.” 
“I boun’ fer Unk Remus!” some one said. “Now des hush en 
let Unk Remus ’lone!” exclaimed another. 
The figure of the old man, as he stood smiling upon the crowd 
of negroes, was picturesque in the extreme. He seemed to be 
taller than all the rest; and, notwithstanding his venerable ap¬ 
pearance, he moved and spoke with all the vigor of youth. He 
had always exercised authority over his fellow-servants. He had 
been the captain of the corn-pile, the stoutest at the log-rolling, 
the swiftest with the hoe, the neatest with the plough, and the 
plantation hands still looked upon him as their leader. 
Some negro from the River place had brought a fiddle, and, 
though it was a very feeble one, its screeching seemed to annoy 
Uncle Remus. 
“Put up dat ar fiddle!” he exclaimed, waving his hand. “Des 
put ’er up; she sets my toof on aidje. Put ’er up en les go back 
ter ole times. Dey ain’t no room fer no fiddle ’roun’ yer, ’kaze 
w’en you gits me started dat ar fiddle won’t be nowhars.” 
“Dat’s so,” said the man with the fiddle, and the irritating 
instrument was laid aside. 
“Now, den,” Uncle Remus went on, “dey’s a little chap yer 
dat you ’ll all come ter know mighty well one er deze odd-come- 
shorts, en dish yer little chap ain’t got so mighty long fer ter set 
up ’long wid us. Dat bein’ de case we oughter take ’n put de bes’ 
foot fo’mus’ fer ter commence wid.” 
“You lead, Unk Remus! You des lead en we’ll foller.” 
Thereupon the old man called to the best singers among the 
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