en, and kept them at it
with that bag of shinny-sticks until fall.[2]

"Well, this story is about them, too. I went to live with them soon
after that, because I lost both of my parents one night when Mr. Man was
hunting in the Black Bottoms for something to put in a pan with some
sweet potatoes he had raised that year, and I suppose I would have been
used with sweet potatoes too if I hadn't come away from there pretty
lively instead of trying our old playing-dead trick on Mr. Man and his
friends.

"I thought right away that Mr. Man might know the trick, so I didn't
wait to try it myself, but took out for the Wide Paw-paw Hollows, to
visit Uncle Silas Lovejoy, who was an uncle on my mother's side, and
Aunt Melissy and my little cousins; and they all seemed glad to see me,
especially my little cousins, until they found they had to give me some
of their things and most of their food, because I was young and
growing, besides being quite sad about my folks, and so, of course, had
to eat a good deal to keep well and from taking my loss too hard.

"But by-and-by Uncle Lovejoy said that he didn't believe that he and the
hired man--who was the same one he had brought home to wait on him when
he came from town--to be his valet, he said--though he got to be a hired
man right after Aunt Melissy met him and got hold of the
shinny-sticks--Aunt Melissy being a spry, stirring person who liked to
see people busy. I remember how she used to keep me and my little
cousins busy until sometimes I wished I had stayed with my folks and put
up with the sweet potatoes and let Uncle Silas and his family alone."

Mr. 'Possum stopped to light his pipe, and Mr. Rabbit said that he
supposed, of course, Mr. 'Possum knew his story and how to tell it, but
that if he ever intended to finish what Uncle Lovejoy had said about
himself and the hired man he wished he'd get at it pretty soon.

Mr. 'Possum said of course he meant to, as soon as he could get his
breath, and think a minute. "Well, then," he said, "Uncle Silas told
Aunt Melissy that he didn't believe he and the hired man could raise and
catch enough for the family since I had come to stay with them, and he
thought they had better move farther west to a place where the land was
better and where Mr. Man's chickens were not kept up in such close,
unhealthy places, but were allowed to roost out in the open air, on the
fences and in the trees. He said he didn't think their house was quite
stylish