de place whut hurts, dat some time de Lawd makes de place well ergin; dat
is,--ef de bad chile promise he ain' gwine be bad no mo'."
Instantly the little swollen lips moistened with blubbers, covered first
one black ear and then the other.
"An' dey got ter pray, too," suggested Mammy.
"Now I lay me!" came in broken sniffles.
Suddenly throwing up her hands, a look of rapture on her face, Mammy
shouted:
"Lawsee! I b'lieve I heahs you snifflin'!" She listened carefully: "I
does! Tell Mammy you loves her an' lemme see ef I kin heah you."
"I loves--" began the little boy, nestling in her arms.
"'Cose I kin heah, but I tell yer de Lawd ain' gwine ter notice yo'
pray'rs no mo', ef you keeps letting de '_pig chile part_' er you come
out."
"I don't want ter be er pig chile!"
"I don't speck you does, but you sho' 'pear terday like you come straight
up fum de pigsty! Don't you 'member dat party Miss Race Hoss giv' an'
'vite Sis' Sow an' her chilluns ter come ter it?"
Willis shook his head.
"Look er hear boy, who you shakin' dat head at?"
"I says, no, ma'm!"
"You'se late in de day sayin' it, too. Enyhow, Miss Race Hoss giv' er
party an' 'vite Sis' Cat an' her chilluns, an' Sis' Dog an' her chilluns,
an' Sis' Cow an' de lit'le calf; an' she sorter pass conversation wid
Mist'r Race Hoss 'bout 'vitin' Sis' Sow an' her fambly. Mist'r Race Hoss
say long as he's in pol'ticks an' want ter git 'lected ergin ter be ruler
er de beastes, he speck she bett'r 'vite Sis' Sow. So Miss Race Hoss say
all right! An' she done it.
"Oh, I tell you Miss Race Hoss fix up er fine party! She had mouses fur de
cat fambly, an' dey wus nice, fine, live mouses too, an' bones an' meat
fur de Dog fambly, an' hot bran mash mixt wid cott'n seed meal fur Sis'
Cow's fambly, an' she had buttermilk in er big trauff fur Sis' Sow an' her
chilluns. An' she pile apples, an' carrots, an' ev'y sort er thing in de
middle er de table. An' she had salt fur dem dat wants salt, an' sugar fur
dem whut mus' have sugar.
"Well, de fuss uns ter come wus Sis' Cat an' her chilluns. Sis' Cat had
done wash' her kittens' faces jes' es clean an' put dem mitt'ns on 'em dat
yo' ma read ter us erbout.
"Den hyah come Sis' Dog an' her fambly. Dey all had bows 'roun' der necks
an' look mouty gran'! Sis' Cow an' de calf wus curri'd slick es glass, an'
I tell yer Miss Race Hoss wus glad her an' de little colt had dem ribbins
tied up in der manes, 'caze Sis' Cow was sho' pressin' 'em in slickness.
"Ole Brer Bar he come down fum de woods ter 'tend ter de dinin' room an'
see dat ev'ybody git de right vit'als.
"Atter dey bin waitin' fer er spell, Brer Bar 'nounce dat soon es Sis' Sow
come de party wus ready.
"All uv 'em want ter go ter eatin' dat minit, 'caze dem cats smell dem
mouses, an' dem dogs moufs jes' er dreanin' wid de smell er dat meat; but
dey sets dar like dey done fergit all erbout vit'als, 'caze dese heah wus
qual'ty animals wid manners, I tell yer.
"Pres'ntly Miss Race Hoss low dat she see Sis' Sow comin' now, an' she
seen her, too, fur hyah come Sis' Sow an' all her chilluns er runnin' ev'y
which er way, wid mud all ov'r dey backs. Some uv 'em wus wet an' some uv
'em wus dry. Dey come er runnin' an' none uv 'em ain't nuv'r stop ter pass
howdy wid Miss Race Hoss, 'caze dey smell de vit'als, an' dey ain't got
nuff manners ter hide de pig in 'em. Dey come er rootin' an' er gruntin'
all 'roun' b'hime folks an' b'fo' fokes, tell dey pass too close ter Sis'
Cat's chilluns, fur dey sorter raise up dey backs an' bushy out dey tails,
an' raise up dey paws, but Sis' Cat she sorter growl sof' an' dey passify
deysefs an' sets still. Sis' Dog's chilluns wanter snap es dey come er
trompin' on top er dey foots, but dey 'strains deysefs 'caze dey wus fuss
class qual'ty dogs.
"Brer Bar see Sis' Sow rootin' an' gruntin' her way ter de table, so he
'nounce fur 'em all ter come in ter de party. He sorter push Sis' Sow an'
her chilluns off ter de buttermilk trauff. De uther folks dey sets down at
de table an' acts like fuss class folks does, but Sis' Sow an' her pig
chilluns ain't seed dey vit'als 'fo' all uv 'em try ter git in de trauff
wid dey foots. Dey pushes an' tromps 'pon one 'nuther, an' squeals, an'
eats loud _like you done terday_!"
The brown eyes fell and an humble little voice said, "I ain't gointer do
it no mo'."
"De Lawd knows I'm glad to hear it. Well, Sis' Sow an' dem, quoil an' make
so much fuss, tell de uther fokes can't pass no conversation er tall, tell
pres'ntly Sis' Sow an' de pigs eat up all dey vit'als an' dey come
gruntin' an' er rootin' fur mo'. Dey spy dem apples an' things on de
table, an' 'fo' yer knows it, dem pig chillun wus 'pon top er dat table.
"Wid dat, Brer Bar git so mad he slap 'em off fas' es dey gits on; but de
fust un he slap' off fell right in 'mongst Sis' Cat's kittens. Whoopee!
Dem kittin chillun fergits all 'bout manners an' 'gins scratchin' an'
fightin' same es pigs. Sis' Dog's chilluns jes' nachelly cudn't stan' no
sich er strain on dey manners es dat, an' 'fo' yer kin say 'Jack Robson,'
de kittins an' de puppies an' de pigs wus er squealin', an' er barkin',
an' er spittin', an' er growlin', tell you can't hear yo' ye'rs. Sis' Sow
start ter runnin' down de road wid de pigs atter her, an' de puppies atter
de pigs, an' de kittins atter de puppies. Wid dat de little calf git
'cited an' he start ter kickin' out his b'hime legs, which happen ter hit
de lit'le colt, an' he r'ar' hissef back an' come down on de calf, an'
bofe uv 'em take out down de road er holl'rin' an' er kickin', an' er
twistin' deysefs _like you done terday_!"
Again the brown eyes fell.
"Atter all de chilluns done loss dey manners, dey ma's sets up lookin' at
one nuther like dey loss dey las' frien'. Pres'ntly Miss Race Hoss say
hit's all her fault, 'caze she had no biznes ter mix up qual'ty folks wid
pig folks.
"Wid dat Sis' Cow an' Sis' Cat an' Sis' Dog speak up. 'No, Miss Race Hoss,
'tain't yo' fault, an' it 'tain't our chilluns fault, it's jes' dem pigs'
fault.' Jes' den ole Brer Bar ris' up an' clap his han's an' laff like he
splittin' his sides. Miss Race Hoss look 'stonish' dat he act dat er way,
an' she ax him whut ail him. Soon es Brer Bar kin stop laffin', he say:
'Youall thinks yo' chilluns ain't got no pig in 'em, does you?' den he
start ter laffin' ergin. Miss Race Hoss r'ar' back herse'f an' say, 'Brer
Bar, you done fergit whar 'bouts you'se at; 'member you'se 'mongst fuss
class qual'ty!' Den dey all throws dey heads back an' tu'ns dey noses
up at po' Brer Bar. Brer Bar git mad den an' he stop laffin' an' say, 'Yo'
chilluns ain't de onliest uns got pig in 'em! All youall got it, too.
Ev'ybody got it. Some folks got mo' en uthers got; all dis hyah mann'rs
you'se braggin' 'bout ain't nuthin' but er kiv'r ter hide de pig dat's in
yer. Keep er way fum de pigs ef you don't wanter show yo' pig side.'
[Illustration: "WID DAT DEY ALL UV 'EM LOSE DEY MANNERS AN' START TER
'BUSIN' BER BAR SCAND'LOUS"]
"Wid dat dey all uv 'em lose dey manners an' start ter 'busin' Brer Bar
scand'lous. Sis' Cow beller' out her madness, an' Sis' Cat mew an' spit
out her'n, an' Sis' Dog growl an' bark out her'n, an' Miss Race Hoss jes'
r'ar' up an' foam at de mouf.
"Brer Bar look like he fixin' ter hu't sumbody, den he amble off t'ards de
woods he did, an' den tu'n hissef 'roun' an' holl'r, 'I tole yer so!'
Jes' lis'n ter all er youall right now, actin' wusser en dem pigs in de
buttermilk trauff."
"An' Brer Bar speak de trufe! An' he speak de trufe when he say all us got
er pig side, too."
"My mama ain't!"
Phyllis hesitated: "No, I don't speck she is; dat is, ef she is, her
'ligion done wash it all out, 'caze yo' ma think' mo' 'bout ev'ybody else
'fo' she do herse'f,--but you got er pig side, an' ef you don't take keer
hit'll grow ter be er hog side, too, dat you nuv'r is ter git nuff manners
ter hide neither. Come on an' go finish yo' dinner, boy, an' let Mammy eat
her'n."
VI
NED DOG AND BILLY GOAT
Phyllis was dozing on the top step of the side veranda while little
Willis, in the gravel walk below, was playing with a Noah's Ark. The
animals were in grand parade when one of them met with an accident. Willis
thought a moment, then, taking the loose ends of a string tied to one of
the fuzzy toys, he climbed the steps to where Phyllis had just fallen in a
peaceful nod against the pillar. He clumsily slipped the string between
her open lips, and, with a slap and sputter, Mammy opened her eyes.
"Name er de Lawd, boy, whut is you tryin' ter do?"
"I want you ter be er billy goat."
"You wants sumthin' I nuv'r is ter be. I'm willin' ter be er hoss an' on
er pinch I'll be er mule, but dey ain't no time I'm willin' ter be no ole
billy goat fur nobody."
"Please, Mammy," laying a hand on her cheek in an effort to pull her face
to him, "m' billy goat's got his legs broke, an' I won't have any goat if
you don't be one."
"How come you don't tu'n one dem dogs in er goat?" suggested Phyllis, her
face obstinately averted.
"They haven't got any horns!"
"I ain't got no horns neether," asserted Mammy.
"But you can make some," persisted Willis.
"You think I'm gwineter pull dis bandanner off an' roll my ole gray wool
inter horns, does you?" chuckled the old nurse.
Willis nodded.
"Well, you foolin' yo'se'f, dat's all I got ter say." But when Willis
began to fret, Mammy relented: "I tell yer dat dog won't know 'esse'f fum
er goat, ef you calls him goat; 'caze I knows erbout er dog an' er goat
dat can't tell t'other fum which."
"No you don't," objected the tormentor tugging at her arm.
"I tells you I does, 'caze one day Mister Man went out ter hunt er dog an'
er goat fur his lit'le boy. He see Sis' Dog an' her fambly on de side er
de road, an' dey 'pears ter be in er mouty commotion 'bout sump'n. Mister
Man holler' an' ax whut ail 'em. Sis' Dog say she foun' one er Sis' Nanny
Goat's chilluns layin' out in de pastur' des er blatin' all by 'esse'f,
an' she dunno whut ter do wid it. Mister Man say, 'I'll take keer uv it,
an' I'd like moutily ter take keer er one er yo' chilluns, too.' Sis' Dog
tell him 'surtiny,' dat it 'ud make her turr'bul proud fur one er her
chilluns ter live up at his fine house. So Mister Man liftes de goat an'
de puppy up on Miss Race Hosses back 'long side er him an' flies 'crost de
country ter his house. When Mister Man's ole lady see him, she th'ow up
her han's an' say, 'Name er de Lawd, Mister Man, whut you specks ter do
wid dat goat?' Mister Man say: 'Oh! I'll des put it out hyah wid de puppy
an' raise 'em bofe tergether.'"
"Wasn't the little boy glad his papa kept the goat?" interrupted Willis.
"Is you glad I'm tellin' dis tale?"
"Yes'm."
"Dat's 'zackly de way Mister Man's boy feel, 'ceptin' mo' so. Dey puts er
pan er milk out in de cow house, an' bofe uv 'em eats outen it tergether.
When dey gits big ernuf ter eat like sho' nuf beastes, de little boy puts
goat feed fur de goat an' dog vit'als fur de dog."
"What's the dog's name?"
"He wus jes' name Collie Dog when he live wid his mammy, but when he start
ter livin' wid white fokes, de lit'le boy name 'im Ned."
"An' what's the goat's name?"
"He ain't got nuthin' ter do wid dat, 'caze de Lawd done already name him
Billy. Well, when Billy Goat look' at his feed, an' Ned Dog look' at his
vit'als, dey bofe feels mouty proud, 'ceptin' dey don't seem ter make out
howcum it ain't mix'd tergether; so Billy he take an' run over an' try
ter eat bones an' meat, an' Ned he run ter Billy's box an' try ter eat hay
an' bran mash; an' dey keep on tryin' ter eat one nuthers vit'als long es
dey live'. Pres'ntly, Billy grow so big dat he 'gun ter grazin' roun'
'mongst de flow'rs an' grass, an' I speck he run in de house sumtimes,
too, but it 'pears dat flow'r buds tas'e mo' nicer ter 'im dan grass; so
Mister Man's old lady 'gun ter quoil an' mirate an' tell him, 'You des got
ter tetter dat goat!'"
"I don't want 'im ter tetter Billy!" exclaimed the child, and his brown
eyes filled with tears.
"Pshaw, boy, er tetter ain't nuthin' ter hu't nobody! It's des er rope you
ties roun' de horns er beastes an' de uther een' you ties ter er stob in
de groun'! Well, when Billy find 'esse'f tied ter dat rope so he can't go
in de house and can't go in de flow'r gyarden, he des cry an' cry. Ned Dog
try ter stay wid 'im much es he kin; but when he see Mister Man an' de
little boy settin' off down de road on Miss Race Hoss an' de little colt,
his foots des nachelly go bookety! bookety! b'hime 'im 'd'out knowin' it.
His heart tell him ter g'long back an' stay wid Billy, but his foots say
dey ain't er gwine do no sich er thing. 'Cose he cudn't hep 'esse'f ef his
foots 'fuse ter take 'im home. Atter while, when he gits back, Billy done
cry 'esse'f plum sick. He say he don't see howcum he tied up an' Ned Dog
ain't; an' Ned Dog say he don't neether; 'caze you see Ned think Billy's
er dog an' Billy think 'esse'f er dog, too. Dat's de way wid some fokes.
Heap uv 'em thinks dey's big dogs when dey ain't nuthin' but er old
goat!" Mammy concluded with emphasis.
"Go on, Mammy," demanded Willis, pushing her hand off of the curl she was
trying to straighten.
"Ain't dat ernuf? I done prove' you kin make er goat outen dat Noah's ark
dog."
"Yes, but I want the little boy ter let Billy loose."
"Well, his ma'll give him er spankin' ef he do. Dat boy darsent ter tech
dat tetter. Long 'bout atter dinner time, Ned he git so miserbul lis'nin'
ter Billy hollerin' dat he 'gun ter gnaw an' pull at de stob; den he try
ter scratch it up; but it was too deep; so he take an' go ter pullin' at
de rope ergin'; an' bimeby de knot come off. He ketch de knot in his teef
and den he tell Billy ter g'long whar he's er mind ter. Billy kick up es
b'hime legs an' fly down de road wid Ned Dog b'hime him holdin' on ter de
rope. Billy he eat all 'long de road, an' Ned Dog foll'r 'long b'hime
wharsomever Billy choose ter go, 'caze yer see Ned feel de 'sponsibility
er loosin' Billy. Atter while, Ned Dog beg Billy ter come on an' go home!
He tell 'im his jaws nigh 'bout broke clampin' on dat knot. But Billy say
he ain't er gwine, tell he eat 'esse'f plum full er dem flow'r buds. No,
Lawd, Billy ain't thinkin' bout Ned long es he kin joy es own sef. Ned he
'gun ter howl an' bark wid de jaw ache, but Billy too full er 'esse'f ter
notice Ned. Yes, Lawd, Billy des like some fokes I knows, too."
"Me, Mammy?" demanded the intent little boy.
"Yes, I speck de cap fit you er heap er times, but you wusn't de pusson I
had m' mine on des den," replied Mammy complacently. "Billy keep er gwine
on, an' Ned des er draggin' 'esse'f erlong wid de jaw ache tell bimeby,
dey comes ter de old log fence 'roun' de pastur'. Billy he try ter jump de
fence, but Ned he crawl thu; but yer see Billy can't jump high ernuf 'caze
Ned's pullin' de rope on de uther side, so Billy gits tangled up on one er
de rails. Ned he run back when he see Billy's hangin'; but he gits back
thu er diffunt hole ergin, an' dat twistes de rope so tight dat Billy gits
in er mouty bad fix 'fo' you knows it. He 'gun ter blate an' holl'r an'
Ned drop' de rope an' 'gun ter howl; but dat nuv'r done no good, an' it
nuv'r do, do no good in dis woel."
"What, Mammy?"
"Jes' ter stan' up an' holler an' cry like _you_ does sometimes! You got
ter go ter work an' do sumthin' ef you 'specks ter ontangle yo'se'f in dis
woel', an' dat's whut come 'cross Ned's mind atter he stan' up an' holler
hisse'f hoarse. He lope out an' run home, he do, an' he bark at Mister Man
an' run out to'ards de road. He bark' at de lit'le boy an' run out ergin;
but none uv 'em can't make out howcum he act so cur'us. He run out in de
back yard an' howl an' bark, an' de lit'le colt ax him whut ails him, he
tell 'im Billy's mos' chok'd ter death, hangin' on de pastur' fence. De
colt give er jump ov'r de back fence an' him an' Ned take out, jes' er
t'arin' down de big road. De lit'le boy an' Mister Man seed de colt break
loose an' dey flew atter him an' all uv 'em got ter Billy jes' in time
ter keep 'im fum chokin' ter death."
"Did Billy die?" asked the little boy in anxiety.
"Nor, honey, 'caze he nuv'r had rope ernuf; but ef he had er had er little
mo' rope him an' all de uther foolish folks like 'im wud er bin dead long
ergo!"
VII
HOW THE BILLY GOAT LOST HIS TAIL
The side lawn was the scene of a noisy fray between the old house cat and
big dog, Bray. Servants from the neighborhood had quickly gathered to urge
on the sport. Some of the children, Willis among the loudest, were crying
and beseeching the men servants to save "poor Kitty," which they
reluctantly did to the extent of allowing her to escape up an old crab
apple tree.
"I wush ter de Lawd he had er kilt her," said Phyllis, letting her
rheumatic limbs down by degrees to a sitting posture on the grass,
"'Ceitful old thing, I don't blame Bray!"
"I love my Kitty!" cried Willis as he ran to the tree. There he earnestly
advised the cat to stay just where she was until Bray went to sleep. A few
of the larger children lingered expecting another fight, as Bray continued
to bark and jump about the tree.
"You ne'en ter tell dat cat ter take keer er _her_se'f! She des settin' up
dat tree glis'nin' dem old green eyes on Bray an' sayin' ter 'erse'f:
'Nuv'r mind, I'm gwine fix you soon es I git down fum hyah!'"
"What can she do, Mammy Phyllis?" asked one of the larger girls. "She's
too little to hurt Bray!"
"Yas, an' ole Sis' Cat wus lit'ler'n her, an' yit she come mighty nigh ter
fixin' Ned Dog an' Billy Goat, too! Doan nuv'r put no 'pindence in Sis
Tabby's fokes."
"Oh, Mammy Phyllis, _please_ tell us about Ned Dog," and the children
gathered around her pressing the request.
"Doan ax me ter tell nuthin' long as Willis keep foolin' roun' Bray wid
dat switch!"
Mammy pretended to rise, but two of the older children ran and coaxed
Willis to sit by them and listen to the story. "Now, Mammy Phyllis, go on,
he's going to sit still, ain't you Willis?" said one.
"I want ter whoop Bray," muttered Willis only half satisfied.
"Atter I tells you how 'ceitful Sis' Cat act ter Ned Dog, I boun' you'll
change yo' chune! 'Member dat party Miss Race Hoss give an' how it broke
up wid all uv 'em quoilin' an' 'busin' ole Brer Bar? Po' Brer Bar nuv'r
got no vit'als neeth'r. Well, when Sis' Cat lef' dat party, she wus so
mad she cudn't walk straight! She come er flyin' down de big road right
catacornder'd! Dat is, she run in de road one minit, an' de nex' un, she
fotch up on de side er de mount'in; den hyah she come back ergin in de
road! Well, one uv de times she lit on de mount'in she fotch up right in
front er Mist'r Rattlesnake's house. Mist'r Rattlesnake had des got out er
bed an' stuck his head out'n his house ter git er little fresh air, when
Sis' Cat come _blip! right in his face_! He lick' out his tongue an' say:
"'Name er de Lawd, Sis' Cat!'
"Sis' Cat say: 'Name er de Lawd, Mist'r Rattlesnake! Howcum you gittin' up
dis time de year?'
"'I thought I heerd m' 'larm clock go off,' he say.
"'You ain' hyah no thunder Mister Rattlesnake! You kin g'long back ter
baid an' take er three weeks' nap,' sez Sis' Cat.
"'I'm sho' I heerd thunder er som'thin' pow'ful like it,' sez Mister
Rattlesnake.
"Sis' Cat tell him: 'You des heah de breakin' up uv Miss Race Hoss's
party! Dat's whut you heah! Brer Bar act so outlashus we des hatt'r 'buse
him an' run him off!'
"Mist'r Rattlesnake set an' look at Sis' Cat er minit, 'caze yer see he
ain' wake' up good yit. Den he lick out es tongue an' say: 'Sis' Cat, you
sholy ain' th'owin' erway no fren's is yer? I knows I ain' got narry
single fren' an' I knows you got pow'ful few yo'se'f! 'Pears ter me yer
better g'long an' eat up dem words you sed ter Brer Bar!' Den he lick out
his tongue ergin an' go on back ter baid.
"Sis' Cat set right dar an' study, she do! Den she make up her mind ter
take Mist'r Rattlesnake' 'vice. She slunk eroun' sorter soft an' sneakin'
like thu de woods tell she come ter Brer Bar's house. She bum! bum! on de
do' an' Brer Bar ax, 'Who dat?'
"She say: 'Sis' Cat.'
"'Is you Sis' Wile Cat er Sis' Tabby Cat?' ax Brer Bar.
"'Sis' Tabby Cat.'
"'You'se at de wrong do', Sis' Tabby Cat,' sez Brer Bar.
"Sis' Cat start ter cryin': 'Oh! Brer Bar! Brer Bar! _please_ lemme come
in! I'm mos' dead, Brer Bar!'
"Brer Bar say: 'You bett'r git erway fum hyah, Sis' Cat, 'caze I'm li'ble
ter eat enythin' I lays my paws on! I nuv'r had ernuf ter eat at de party,
an' I ain' pervide m' fambly wid nuthin' ter eat, an' we'se all s' hungry
dat we'se dangus', Sis' Cat!'
"Sis' Cat keep on cryin': 'I know'd dat Brer Bar;--I know'd you an' yo'
fambly was hongry, an' dat's howcum I ter come, Brer Bar! I come ter tell
you whar some good vit'als was des waitin' fur yer!'
"When Brer Bar hear dat, he sorter crack de do' an' poke his nose thu:
'Sis' Tabby Cat,' he say, 'you smells good ernuf ter eat yo'se'f!'
"Sis' Cat mos' skeerd ter death when she heah dat, an' she mos' die when
she feel Brer Bar's mouf dreanin' an' drippin' on her back; so she stop'
cryin' an' sorter back off kinder easy like an' tell Brer Bar dat Ned Dog
got de fattes' Billy Goat he ev'r seed; an' ef he'd come down ter de ole
sweet-gum tree in Mist'r Man's pastur' 'bout dark, she'd have him er
whole tree full er honey, an' de Billy Goat, too!"
Willis's lips began to tremble. He suddenly left his place among the
children and falling on Phyllis's breast, sobbed aloud.
"Brer Bar ain' eat de goat yit! He ain' eb'n got fur es de sweet-gum tree!
Set hyah in Mammy's lap so nuthin' can't git you, an' lis'n ter de res' er
de tale!" Snuggling him in her arms, she continued: "It nuv'r tuk Sis' Cat
long ter light out fum Brer Bar's house, I tell yer! Dat dreanin' mouf er
his'n skeer' her so bad dat she nuv'r tetch de groun' mo'n six times 'fo'
she wus plum out'n de woods. Den she come er cropin' up ter Mister Man's
house. She look all erroun' she do, an' see Ned Dog wusn't at home; den
she g'long in de barn whar Billy wus huntin' fur sumthin' ter eat. She
take er seat in de winder by de little colt's stall. Bimeby she say,
'Billy, Miss Turkey Hen's givin' er mouty fine party ternight, down at de
old sweet-gum tree in de pastur' an' she tole me ter ax you ter come.'
Billy couldn't fine nuthin' ter eat in de barn but some old straw Miss
Race Hoss had done slep' on, so he turn' roun' mouty quick when Sis' Cat
tell him he wus ax ter er party. He sorter laff an' say: 'I wond'r howcum
her ter ax me.'
"Sis' Cat say: 'Caze she say you'se de fines' an' slickes' uv all Mister
Man's beastes; an' she gwine have some nice lit'le tender rose bushes fur
you ter eat, an' er heap er fine vit'als you loves.'
"Billy Goat des switch his tail an' grin, 'caze yer know he wusn't nuthin'
but er man goat, an' 'cose he b'lief all de comp'ments Sis' Cat choose
ter stuff 'im wid. An' all de men fokes is des de same, tell dis day! ev'y
Lord's blessed one uv 'em! When Sis' Cat see she done turn Billy's head
plum roun' she tell 'im not ter tell Ned Dog erbout de party, 'caze Miss
Turkey Hen say she ain' got 'nuf room but fur des one uv de fambly. Den,
when Sis' Cat heah Ned Dog er comin', she lit out, 'caze she nuv'r want
'im ter know dat she had enything ter do wid Brer Bar eatin' Billy Goat.
Yer see Sis' Cat wus tryin' ter keep in wid bofe sides."
Slipping her fingers under the bandanna kerchief bound about her head, and
scratching slowly, Mammy chuckled to herself: "Dey's er heap er fine folks
in dis hyah town des like Sis' Cat, too! Yes, Lawd, er heap uv 'em!"
"Don't talk about people! We just want to hear about beastes!" urged
little Mary Van.
"I hatt'r do it sometimes, chile, 'caze fokes an' beastes has er heap er
symptoms des erlike! Well, bless de Lawd, Billy ain't no sooner seed Ned
'fo he 'gun ter brag erbout de party.
"'Whose party?' sez Ned Dog.
"'Miss Turkey Hen's havin' er fine party down at de ole sweet-gum tree
ternight 'bout dark,' sez Billy.
"Ned Dog think Billy tellin' er story, an' he say, 'Sis' Turkey Hen ain'
givin' no party ternight! I done see Mist'r Turkey Gobble an' de chilluns
in bed when I come thu de peach orchard an' old Miss Turkey Hen, she wus
des tyin' her nightcap on her own se'f.'
"But, yer see, Billy wus too hard-head'd ter lis'n ter enybody, so he up
an' say, 'I can't hep whut you seen; Sis' Cat say she gwine have spechul
vit'als fur me, an' I'm gwine!' Den Billy walk up an' down breshen de
flies off'n his back wid his long tail."