sharp'
'e claw on-a da' fence; 'e is snap 'e jaw--_flick! flick! flick!_ 'E
come-a hunt fer him skin. 'E fine um. 'E trey um on dis way; 'e no fit.
'E trey um on dat way; 'e no fit. 'E trey um on turrer way; 'e no fit.
'E pit um 'pon 'e head; skin 'e no fit. 'E pit um 'pon 'e foot; skin 'e
no fit. 'E cuss, 'e sweer; skin 'e no fit. 'E cut 'e caper; skin 'e no
fit. Bumbye 'e holler:--

"''Tiss-a me, Skin! wey you no know me? Skin, 'tiss-a me! wey you no
know me?'

"Skin, 'e no talk nuttin' 'tall. Witch 'e do jump, 'e do holler; a mek
no diffran. Skin 'e talk nuttin' 'tall. Man, 'e tekky to'ch, 'e look in
ya'd. 'E see big blahck Woolf lay by da' skin. E toof show; 'e y-eye
shiuen. Man drife um 'way; 'e is come bahck. Man bu'n da' skin; 'e is
bin-a come bahck no mo'."

The little boy asked no more questions. He sat silent while the others
talked, and then went to the door and looked out. It was very dark, and
he returned to his stool with a troubled countenance.

"Des wait a little minnit, honey," said Uncle Remus, dropping his hand
caressingly on the child's shoulder. "I bleedz ter go up dar ter de big
house fer ter see Mars John, en I'll take you 'long fer comp'ny."

And so, after a while, the old man and the little boy went hand in hand
up the path.

FOOTNOTE:

[26] Sissy Ann.

XXIX

A GHOST STORY

The next time the little boy visited Uncle Remus he persuaded 'Tildy to
go with him. Daddy Jack was in his usual place, dozing and talking to
himself, while Uncle Remus oiled the carriage-harness. After a while
Aunt Tempy came in.

The conversation turned on Daddy Jack's story about "haunts" and
spirits. Finally 'Tildy said:--

"W'en it come ter tales 'bout ha'nts," said she, "I year tell er one
dat'll des nat'ally make de kinks on yo' head onquile deyse'f."

"W'at tale dat, chile?" asked Aunt Tempy.

"Unk' Remus, mus' I tell it?"

"Let 'er come," said Uncle Remus.

"Well, den," said 'Tildy, rolling her eyes back and displaying her white
teeth, "one time dey wuz a 'Oman en a Man. Seem like dey live close ter
one er n'er, en de Man he sot his eyes on de 'Oman, en de 'Oman, she des
went 'long en 'ten' ter her bizness. Man, he keep his eyes sot on 'er.
Bimeby, de 'Oman, she 'ten' ter her bizness so much tel she tuck'n tuck
sick en die. Man, he up'n tell de folks she dead, en de folks dey come
en fix 'er. Dey lay 'er out, en dey light some candles, en dey sot up
wid 'er, des like folks does now; e