Eye look him straight in de eye an' bus' out laffin', like hit wus de bes'
joke he ev'r heah. He say he wush ter de Lawd he had er know'd Johnny
Squinch wus dar, 'caze he nuv'r wud er bin helt up by dem night rob'rs. He
tell him, 'cose he wus countin' money, but hit wus de money de Jedge give
'im, an' he say he bleege ter count hit out fur de rob'rs, 'caze dey belt
er pist'l in his ribs.
"De Majer brung de news home ter Tishy, an' she say Johnny jes' tellin'
tales on Mount'in Fowel, but Johnny tell her Mount'in Fowel ain' nuthin'
but er big ole low down buzzard, an' he gwine proof hit ter her.
"De Majer say ef Mount'in Fowel dealin' in car'on, howcum hit dat de od'r
er his biznes' ain' stickin' ter him, dat he allus mighty sweet wid
colone whin he come ter der house.
"Johnny say he too smart ter tech hit hisse'f, dat he set way off fum hit
an' jes' tetches de money.
"Majer dunno which ter b'leef. Tishy car'in on so, busin' one an' lovin'
t'other, dat he make up his mine he gwine lay er trap an' see ef Big Eye
'ud fall in hit. Long 'bout dis time, Big Eye 'gun ter long fur de vit'als
he bin rais'd on, an' ev'y time he set an' sell dem dead an'mals ter de
buzzards, his mouf dribble so dat he 'termine he gwine tas'e er lit'le ef
hit kills him. He done hit too, an' whut's mo' hit tas'e so good, he tas'e
hit ergin, an' whut's mo' en dat, he slip out ev'y night an' take er good
bate er car'on. Fus' thing yer know, his colone nur his fine doin's
neeth'r can' hide dat sumthin' wus pow'ful wrong wid him. Tishy jes' cry
an' cry, an' say she doan see nuthin' wrong wid him, dat hits jes'
ev'ybody jellus uv 'im. Oh, she tuk on pow'ful. Johnny Squinch an' Brer
Brindle Cow dey confabs er while jes 'fo' de moon git dark ergin, an' de
upshot uv hit wus dat Brer Brindle g'long ter de fur een' er de pastur'
an' drap hisse'f down like he done fell dead. Den he lay dar. Big Eye seen
him whin he fall, an' hit look like ter him dark nuv'r wud come. Johnny
an' de Majer settin' b'hime de fence waitin' ter see whut gwine hap'n."
"What did happen, Mammy Phyllis?" asked Mary Van.
"Hit hap'n dat Big Eye's _buzzard-side_ grow'd fast'r dan his
hifalutin'-side, fur 'fo' dark come, he put out ter git some nice lit'le
pickin's off'n Brer Brindle, 'fo' de fun'l."
"Did Johnny and the Major catch him?" asked Willis.
"Ketch him, boy? You jes' orter seed Big Eye whin Brer Brindle rise up an'
say: '_cl'ar out_,' an' he cl'ar clean out too, fur nobody ain' nuv'r seed
er buzzard on Tinker Knob sense.
"Lawsee, Johnny Squinch's lawyer sense done hit. He say, 'jes watch whar
de car'on lays at, ef you tryin' ter ketch er buzzard.'" Then turning a
warning look to Willis, "An' you 'mem'r no buzzard ev'r turn hisse'f ter
er Eagle in dis woel; an' you let dat Weed boy an' his buzzard aigs
erlone, yer heah me?"
"Yes'm," he answered meekly, then forgetful of Mary Van, he jumped
suddenly from the joggling board and asked, "What did Tishy do?"
Mary Van fell off. Phyllis hurried to see if she was hurt, and replied, as
she put her dress to rights, "Tishy was upsot, jes' like Ma'y Van is now,
'cep'in mo' so."
XII
MISS LILLY DOVE
"Mammy, look at Tishy Peafowl in Mary Van's yard." Willis pointed across
the street to a peacock in full expression of his feathered pride.
Phyllis went to the window and exclaimed, "You sho'ly ain' callin' Majer
Peafowl, dat ugly ole Tishy?"
"You said Tishy was fine and pretty," reminded Mary Van.
"She wus, tell Mist'r Mount'in Fowel tu'n out ter be nobody but er ole low
down buzzard. I tell yer dat gal act so scand'lous dat all her purty
feath'rs start ter drappin' out, 'caze she act so ugly on de inside, dey
wusn't nuthin' ter hole de purty on de outside."
"Did all her pretty feathers drop out sho' nuf?" asked the little girl,
much concerned.
"Dey ain' all drap out yit, 'caze she ain' loss all her inside purty yit."
"What's Major Peafowel doing?"
"He jes' stan'in' up dar watchin' dat fier on Tinker, an' wushin' hit 'ud
bu'n up Lilly Dove's house."
Immediately the children became interested in watching the forest fire
which enveloped a part of Tinker Knob.
"Did Lilly's house burn down?" asked Mary Van with feeling.
"Bu'n up er holy Ghos' bird's house?" exclaimed Phyllis. "Why, gal, dat's
de bird de Holy Ghos' sen's, an' exsen's 'pon, whinsomev'r hit come down
'pon de earf! Jes' like Jay burds is Satan's burds,--fokes says dey goes
ter de Bad Place ev'y Friday night, an' I 'speck dey sees er heap er fokes
useter live heah too."
"Mammy, I'm skeered God don't know the mountain's on fire," said Willis
anxiously.
"Go off, boy, de Lawd ain' needin' you ter hope him 'ten' ter His
biznes'--now ef dat wus er Jay burd, hit wud er bin burnt clean up, but
bein's hit's er Holy Ghos' dove, dat hope ole man Noah ter lan' de Ark, de
Lawd ain' gwine let her swing er feath'r. Dis hyah ain' de fus' time Lilly
Dove put her trus' in de Lawd. Dat hit 'tain't," as she took from the
floor the book of Robin Redbreast, "an' dis hyah Cock Robin," placing her
finger on the picture, "is de ve'y man dat start all de fracus."
"Didn't Robin like Lilly Dove?" Willis left the window to look at the
book.
"Him an' Ginny Wren near 'bout foolish 'bout Lilly Dove--dat's howcum
Tishy Peafowel ter tu'n 'ginst Lilly like she done."
Mary Van went over to Willis, and together they spread the book upon the
floor where the gay-colored pictures of the birds accentuated the
feathered characters of Phyllis's mind.
"Tishy Peafowel nev'r wud er got so mean, ef An' Polly Parrit had er mine
her own biznes',--'stid er dat, An' Polly ax Cock Robin whut ail Tishy
feath'rs. Robin tell her Tishy ain' got no sense, dat ef she had much
sense es Lilly Dove got, she nuv'r wud er bin in de fix she in
now.--Whoopee! dat start de fracus.
"An' Polly start right fum dar an' spen' de day wid ev'rybody in de
woods--she mixin' de 'pinions fokes got er Tishy an' Lilly. Atter she git
bustin' full er news, hyah she come ter spen' de day wid Tishy. Whin ole
Lady Peafowel see An' Polly take off her bonnet ter spen' de day, she run
an' git out de bes' china, an' she tell de cook ter have fried chick'n fur
din'r 'caze she know An' Polly gwine tell all erbout whut dey eats ter de
nex' place she go."
She paused to lift a table near the window, when Willis called from the
floor:
"Mammy, don't let Aunt Polly have fried chicken for dinner."
"You sho'ly done los' yo' senses, boy. Ole lady Peafowel jes' es skeered
er An' Polly es yo' ma is er Miss Tilly Totenews.--'Cose she gwine have
fried chick'n an' mo' b'sides,--an' she doan let none de chillun do no
talkin' whar An' Polly's at neeth'r," she giggled.
The children needed no further description of Aunt Polly, for they knew a
visit from Miss Tilly meant their banishment, as well as the strictest
injunction to yea, yea, nay, nay, whenever they chanced to meet her.
"Yas, suh," she unfolded her quilt pieces and prepared to assort them on
the table, "An' Polly talk er nuf wurds ter Tishy dat day ter set her plum
on fier wid madnes'. Yer see mos' all Tishy's purty feath'rs wus out, an'
dem whut's lef wus right loose an' straggly, an' dat make Tishy wusser.
Yer see trubble done make Tishy so sour an' mean dat she hate ev'rybody
dat's purty'r'n her--an' she hate Lilly wusser en all uv 'em, 'caze Lilly
wus so kine, an' treat fokes so sweet, dat ev'rybody jes' nachelly love
Lilly.
"Long 'bout dis time, de church fixin' ter have er sociable. Dey gwine
have speakin' pieces, an' singin' jes' like fokes has. John Mockin'bird,
he de haid man. 'Cose John wus lovin' Lilly, an' 'cose he want Lilly ter
sing er chune er do sump'in, but Lilly say she bleege ter him fur axin'
her, but de Lawd nuv'r make her ter sing like Laura Nightingale, an'
'tain' no use er her tryin' ter do hit. I tell yer Lilly had er heap er
sense--an' er heap er beaux, too; dar wus John Mockin'bird, an' Tom Jay
Bird, an' Bob White, an' mo' b'sides. But she ain' keer nuthin' fur none
uv 'em 'cep'in' John."
"Mammy, did Lilly Dove know Tom Jay Bird went to the Bad Place every
Friday night?" Willis went over and stood by the table.
"Cose she heah tell erbout hit, 'caze An' Polly Parrit done spen' de day
wid her on de subjec', but Lilly, she sot right still tell An' Polly git
th'u busin' him, an' callin' him low down gambl'r--den Lilly she up an'
ax, 'An' Polly does you recoleck whin you wus shet up in dat cage up at
Mist'r Man's house?' An' Polly say she nuv'r is ter fergit hit. Lilly say,
'Does yer 'memb'r whin Tom Jay ust'r fotch yer all dem fat wurms?' An'
Polly say she know Tom's er good feller, but she jes' tellin' whut _fokes
sez_.
"Yas, suh, Tom wus er good feller, but we got ter git back ter de
sociable, er dem fokes git ti'ed er waitin'."
Willis's foot accidentally upset the quilt basket. "Take yer foot out'n
Mammy's bask't, an' g'long back an' look at de pictur's wid Ma'y Van."
"No, I won't--I'm tired sitting down on the floor."
"Dat's jes' de way Tishy Peafowel talk whin her ma beg her ter stay at
home wid dem loose straggly feath'rs er he'rn, but Tishy say, 'No, I
won't,' jes' like you talks ter me sometimes. Jes' den one her purty
feath'rs drap out."
"Well, Mammy, I do want to stand up," he added apologetically, "and we've
looked at all the pictures in that book."
She found another book of birds which she opened on the table.
"Hyah, stan' up an' look at dese,--dar's Tishy de ve'y fus' one."
Mary Van was soon beside him:
"Ain't Tishy pretty, Mammy Phyllis?" she said.
"She sho' wus sumthin' ter look at 'fo' Big Eye Buzzard come erlong. An'
Tishy wus er good gal, too, but she nuv'r had nuf 'ligion ter stan'
trubble."
"Did her mama let her go down town?"
"Tishy done got so mean, her ma can' do nuthin' wid her. She tell her ma
she gwine ter see how John Mockin'bird gittin' 'long wid de sociable." She
added with a confidential air: "Tishy want ter act in de sociable, an' she
wanter give John er chanct ter ax her.
"Oh, I tell yer John have er heap er trubble wid de diffunt kine er fokes
ov'r dat sociable. Dar wus de Sparrer fambly dat yer can' keep out no way
yer fixes hit, dey'll eb'n git ter parties whar nobody don't want 'em an'
den act like dey wus de bigges' fokes ax'd."
"How, Mammy?" Mary Van thought of her own birthday party where she had
excluded Jim Weed.
"Oh, dey does like Miss Bizzy Sparrer done Lilly Dove whin she give er
party one time. Miss Bizzy meet Lilly in de poplar tree an' say:
"'I heah yer 'bout ter give er party, Miss Lilly, an' I jes' wanter ax yer
ef we got enything yer kin use?'
"Lilly, she thank her an' tu'n de subjec', but Bizzy she git back on ter
hit ergin an' say:
"'Ain't dey sumpin' I kin do? Lemme hope yer.'
"Lilly say she doan need nobody ter do nuthin', but she kin come ter de
party ef she's er mine ter.
"An' Bizzy come, too, an' whut's mo', her bruth'r hafter come ter bring
her, an' whut's mo'en dat, her sist'r can't stay at home by herse'f. Yas,
Lawd, an' 'fo' enybody know how dey got dar, de place wus right full er
Sparrers."
"Mammy, did John ask Tishy to act in the sociable?" began Willis.
"I'm gwine tell yer now 'bout whin she start ter see John, she come up wid
An' Polly. She ax An' Polly ef she know wharbouts John is. An' Polly say,
John gone clean ov'r ter de Peaks er Otter ter git some flow'rs fer Lilly
ter w'ar ter de sociable.
"Tishy say, 'Yas, I speck Lilly Dove gwine be tryin' ter do all de singin'
an' de speakin', too.'
"An' Polly say, ''Cose John gwine sing wid her ter keep fokes fum
laffin'.' Tishy git so mad 'caze she can't see John dat she flounce
herse'f roun' right in An' Polly's face an' strut herse'f home,--an' her
purty feath'rs drap out all 'long de road. Dat night at de sociable,
Lilly, she come wid John, an' I tell yer, man, she look purty, too, wid
dem gran' flow'rs John fotch her. John he so proud he mos' bustin'. He
take an' strut all roun' wid Lilly hangin' on his arm, an' all de fokes
talkin' 'bout how fine dey looks. Bimeby, hyah come Tishy wid Jack Sparrer
an--"
"Wasn't Jack Sparrow too little for Tishy Peafowel?" appealed Mary Van.
"'Cose he wus, but yer see Tishy done loss her chusin', an' she got ter
take whut she kin git.--Jack Sparrer doan wanter go wid her neeth'r, but
yer see Tishy wus so fus' class dat Jack ax her, so he kin mix wid de
hifalutin' fokes. Dem sparrers er sight, I tell yer," she mused.
"Go on, Mammy," Willis shook the book.
"Well, whin Lilly see Tishy look so pitiful long side er Jack Sparrer, she
go right straight an' walk 'long side er her, 'caze ev'ybody laffin' at
Tishy.
"Lilly ain' talk ter Tishy long, 'fo' she fine out Tishy want ter sing er
chune. Lilly she go an' tell John:
"'Yer mus' ax Tishy ter sing.'
"John say, 'I'm too bizzy ter fool wid Tishy.'
"Lilly coo sof' an' ax', 'Please, John.'
"John say, 'All right.'
"Oh, I tell yer, John sing ev'rybody's chune wid 'em. He so happy he can'
keep his mouf shet. Jes' den he 'nounce dat Miss Tishy Peafowel gwine
sing. Ev'rybody feel like shettin' der eyes whin dat straggly fe'th'r
Tishy walk up ter de pianny. She 'nounce, she do:
"'I ain' sot er chune sense I got well, but ef youall's bleege ter hyah
me, I'll do m' bes'.'
"Mussy gracious! de fokes hatt'r hole on ter der ye'rs,--"
"Why, Mammy?"
At that moment, the peafowl in Mary Van's yard uttered a piercing screech.
"Dat's de rees'n," she answered. "Peafowel's bin singin' jes' dat erway
sense den. Whoopee, whin Tishy see fokes stoppin' up der ye'rs, she fling
herse'f 'roun' an' grab John Mockin'bird by de arm an' walk clean out'n de
meetin' house."
"Was her feath'rs dropping out, too?" reminded Mary Van.
"Dat dey wus, she scatter 'em ev'ywhar she go. Whin she git John out in
de dark, she flounce 'roun' an' say: 'You ain' sich er big sumbody, John
Mockin'bird! Lilly Dove say she jes' 'spise you an' yo' ugly ole
flow'rs--dat she wush ter de Lawd she had er nice gent'mun like Mist'r
Jack Sparrer ter car'y her home ternight. She say she jes' plum sick er
you.' John look at Tishy, tryin' ter make out whut she say, den he sorter
puff out his chist an' strut back in de meetin'."
"Didn't he know Tishy was mean an bad?" asked Willis.
"How he gwine know, son? Tishy wus mouty fus' class 'fo' Big Eye come
eroun'. Howsomev'r, whin him an' Tishy go back in de meetin' house, Tishy
had done los' ev'y one er her purty feath'rs, an' she wusn't nuthin' but
er ugly ole brown Peahen!--an' she bin ugly ev'r sense, 'caze she ain'
nuv'r got nuf purty on de inside, ter make no mo' purty on de outside
ergin."
"Did Jack Sparrow take Lilly Dove home?" asked Mary Van.
"Yas, mam, 'caze John ax him ter, an' John ax Lilly ter give him dem
flow'rs, too. Lilly dunno whut ter make whin she see John take an' th'ow
'em out'n de wind'r--she mos' die!"
"Did she cry, Mammy?" Mary Van asked sympathetically.
"She nuv'r cry den, but she sho' bus' her eyes op'n whin she git home by
herse'f. Po' Lilly, she stay er prayin' an' er cryin' all night long."
Phyllis's voice trembled in sympathy, and unconsciously the little girl
and boy found themselves on either side of her, so close as to prevent the
progress of quilt making. She laid the unfinished square on the table,
and placed an arm about each.
"Yas, chillun, Lilly fix her eyes on de Lawd. Dat's de diffunce b'twixt
her an' Tishy--yer see, trubble make some fokes purtier on de inside 'n
ev'r. Lilly dunno whut ail John, but she _do know_ dat she holdin' on ter
de Lawd."
"Tell God about Lilly quick, Mammy." Willis fidgeted.
"Ain' I done tole yer de Lawd doan need fokes ter hope Him?"
"But we don't want Lilly to cry any more," urged Mary Van.
"She washin' her eyes in cole water now, 'caze An' Polly knockin' at de
do'. An' Polly see de cur'us doin's at de sociable las' night, an' she
can' wait ter eat her brekfus' 'fo' she go up ter Lilly's house. Whin An'
Polly see po' Lilly's sweet lit'le face all swool up, de Lawd tu'n her
h'art ter goodnes' an' she kiss Lilly an' say, 'I wants yer ter go out ter
de Water Falls, an' hope er po' lit'le bird Doct'r Peck'rwood say some bad
boy hit wid er rock.'
"Lilly she tie her bonnet on, an' fly out ter de Falls 'fo' yer knows hit.
Den An' Polly she come on ter Tishy Peafowels an' ax Tishy, 'Whut in de
name er de Lawd ail Lilly Dove an' John Mockin'bird?'
"Tish thow her head back an' laf one dese mean sorter lafs an' say: 'I
done hit, I wus jes' ti'ed uv ev'ybody runnin' atter dat mealy mouf Lilly
Dove, an' I jes' 'termine ter part her an' John--'caze John orter be my
beau, ennyhow.'
"An' Polly mos' fall out'n de tree whin Tishy say dat. Yas, suh, she jes'
fly up ter John's quick es she kin. John, he walkin' up an' down wid his
han's und'r his coat tails, mumblin' an' grumblin' ter hisse'f, an' hit
wus right smart time 'fo' he see An' Polly settin' dar.
"An' Polly, she say: 'John Mockin'bird, Tishy Peafowel done tole me dat
low down sto'y she tole you 'ginst Lilly Dove.'
"John, he look at An' Polly like he can't make out whut she say.
"An' Polly say, 'Hit's de trufe,--Tishy make up ev'r wurd she tell you,
an' po' lit'le Lilly bin cryin' her eyes out all night.'
"John bus' out moanin', 'Whut mus' I do?'
"She tell 'im: 'Lilly out at de Water Falls now.'
"But John he feerd ter go whar Lilly at. So An' Polly, she fly wid him
tell dey sights de Falls, den she lef' 'im. John, he fly er lit'le, an'
hop er lit'le tell he git clost nuf ter see Lilly wrop'n up de po' lit'le
bird's leg, an' cooin' so sof' ter hit--den John, he fly on de tree, an'
cry out er chune ter Lilly dat mos' broke her h'art,--he sing:
"'I ain' good nuf fur Lilly Dove,
But she de onlies' one I love.'
"Lilly she stoop low ov'r de lit'le bird so John can't see whar she cryin'
at. An' John he fly down an' tell her he gwine jump in de Falls ef she
'fuse ter keep comp'ny wid him--but Lawd, whin he git clost ernuf ter see
dem tears er Lilly's, he th'ows his arms 'roun' her an'--but you all
chillun ain' got no biznes' knowin' no mo' en dat."
"Please, Mammy, tell us if John jumped in the falls," sympathetically
begged Willis, eager to lose none of the details.
Phyllis chuckled, "No, my Lawd, dey got marr'ed instid, an' went ter
housekeepin' in dat tall pine stump ov'r yond'r on Tinker Knob."
XIII
MISTER GRAB-ALL SPIDER
"What made that old hornet sting me for, Mammy Phyllis?" demanded Mary
Van, regarding tearfully her little red swelling hand.
"'Caze, honey," replied Phyllis, seating herself in a chair beside the
hammock, "he thought you had done jine Cap'n Yall'r Jackit's army ter
fight 'ginst him."
"What they going to fight about?" Willis began to fidget to see the fight.
"Set still, boy, you'll th'ow dis gal clean out'n de hammock." She
readjusted both of them, and resumed her seat. "Dey fightin' ov'r dat ole
pan er dirty cid'r settin' out yond'r b'hime de ash-hopp'r. Yer see Cap'n
Yall'r Jackit an' Cap'n Hornit, bofe uv' em, jes' er gwine back'ards an'
fur'ards 'mongst de varmints, tryin' ter see which one kin git de mo'es
fokes ter jine der side. Miss Queen Bee tell 'em, hit's de bizzy season in
de honey biznes' an' she ain' got no time ter fool wid none uv 'em. Cap'n
Yall'r Jackit sorter stop and study, he do, den he g'long down de big road
tell he come up wid Mist'r Grab-All Spid'r. He pass howdy wid 'im, den he
'nounce:
"'Mist'r Grab-All, 'cose you gwine jine de Yall'r Jackits' side, ain't
yer?'
"Grab-All Spid'r sort'r op'n an' shet his claws an' th'ow his 'bark'r quid
on de uth'r side his jaw an' 'spon':
"'Nor, I'm jes' er plain ole biznes' man,--I ain' got no fightin' sense
like dese rip snortin', hifalutin' solger boys. I'll jes' stan' off an'
watch de battle, but,' sez he, 'I hopes you'll whup de fight, Cap'n Yall'r
Jackit, 'pon de wurd uv er gent'mun I does, 'caze dat pan er cid'r's wuth
er tussle, an' youse de man ter make hit.'
[Illustration: "MIST'R GRAB-ALL, 'COSE YOU GWINE JINE DE YALL'R JACKITS
SIDE, AIN'T YER?"]
"Yall'r Jackit sorter swell hisse'f out er lit'le big'r, an' Mist'r
Grab-All roll hisse'f up in er ball like he bin sleep er hundred ye'rs,
an' ain' nuv'r heah tell uv er Yall'r Jackit in his life.
"Bimeby, hyah come Cap'n Hornit zoonin' down de big road. Old Grab-All
Spid'r onrap hisse'f an' start ter stretchin' his legs out, an' chawin' on
his bark'r quid ergin.
"Cap'n Hornit say, 'Name er de Lawd, Mist'r Grab-All, is you bin sleep
th'u all dis fracus dat's 'bout ter bus' loose?'
"Grab-All spit his quid out; an' gap loud er time er two, an' say, 'Whut
you torkin' 'bout, Cap'n Hawnit?'
"Hawnit zoon erbout, an' holl'r, 'Wake up!' sez he, 'Wake up, I wants yer
ter hope me wipe dem Yall'r Jackits off'n creation.'
"Grab-All set up an' take notice, like he gwine jine de hawnit's army dat
minit, den he sorter crumble hisse'f down, an' low, 'Lawdy, Lawdy, ef I
jes' wus er solger like you is, Cap'n Hawnit, I'd be de bigges' man in de
woel.' Whut's de use er you axin' enybody ter hope you fight?--Why you kin
whup out dem Yall'r Jackits 'fo' de time start ter commence!' Den he laf'
an' slap hisse'f on de knee, an' say, 'I wush ter de Lawd I wus er
fightin' man like you is, Cap'n!'
"Cap'n Hawnit swell his chist out tell he look like he gwine bus' dem
solger butt'ns off sho', an' Grab-All roll hisse'f up ergin like he done
gone back ter sleep er nuth'r hund'rd ye'rs.
"Soon es Cap'n Hawnit g'long off, Grab-All onrap hisse'f ergin, an' swing
er long on de lim' er de trees by his spid'r web."
"Mammy, why didn't he walk on the ground?"
"'Caze, son, he nuv'r want ter make no tracks, so fokes kin fine out his
biznes'.--Nor, suh, he swing hisse'f by dat spid'r web er his'n tell he
come ter Mist'r Inch Wurm's house. Inch Wurm's old lady say, 'Yond'r come
dat old Grab-All Spid'r, yer bett'r take keer how yer fools wid 'im.'
"Jes' den Grab-All th'ow his hat on de flo' an' bow low down ter Miss Inch
Wurm an' sez he, 'I jes' come ter tell yo' ole man whar dar's er sight er
money waitin' fur somebody ter come 'long an' pick up.'
"Ole lady Inch Wurm sort'r take notice, she do, an' ax 'im ter pass de
news erlong. Grab-All say: 'Nor, you jes' set right still tell me an' yo'
ole man come back an' fetch yer er hat full er money.'
"Old lady Inch Wurm git up an' g'long down town, an' start ter spindin'
dat money right den. Soon es she done out'n de way, Grab-All tell Inch
Wurm 'bout de cid'r in de pan b'hime de ash-hopp'r; an', sez he, 'we'll
make de Hawnits an' Yall'r Jackits fight derse'fs ter death, den me an'
you'll 'vide de cid'r, dat is ef you kin mea'jer off how much dey is in de
pan 'thout lettin' fokes know whut you doin'.'
"Yer see Grab-All sich er big biznes' man dat he bleege ter know how big
de pan is, an' how much's in dar, down ter de ve'y drap. So Inch Wurm he
put on his ole close an' went er crawlin' off ter mea'jer de cid'r, an'
'tain' long 'fo' hyah he come back ergin wid de news fur Grab-All.
Grab-All tell 'im: 'You done wurk fine, an' you done wurk quick,--in
fack,' sez he, 'you done yo' wurk s' good I gwine fix yer, so you doan
hatt'r do no mo' wurk long es you live.' Den he laf in his sleeve.
"Mammy, don't let Grab-All hurt Inch Wurm," begged Mary Van.
"Dat can't be hop'd, honey, Inch Wurm know too much 'bout Grab-All's
biznes', an' Grab-All got ter shet his mouf some way,--He take an' spin er
teenchy-weenchy lit'le web, right whar Inch Wurm got ter git out at. Inch
Wurm, he start off, feelin' pow'ful fine he do, an' 'fo' yer knows hit,
dar he wus all tangle up in Grab-All's web. Grab-All, he run 'roun' like
he tryin' ter hope 'im out, but he jes' spinnin' de web tight'r so Inch
Wurm nuv'r is ter git out no mo'.--He got ter starve ter death, 'caze he's
in Grab-All's way, an' Grab-All gwine see nobody doan come 'roun' dar ter
hope 'im neeth'r. 'Cose he doan mine Miss Lightnin' Bug passin' de time er
night wid him, 'caze she can' do nuthin' mo'en ter bright'n 'im up er
lit'le,--but he keep his eye on her, too.
"Nex' day, de fight commence! Suh, I tell yer hit wus de pepperes' fight
yer ev'r seed. Dem Hawnits fly inter dem Yall'r Jackits, tell yer can't
see de groun' fur de dead Jackits; but hyah come de Jackits back at de
Hawnits! Lawdee! dey come wid der foots, an' der han's, an' der haids all
tergeth'r.--Yas, suh, dey come er buttin' an' er bitin' an' er stingin'
mouty nigh at de same time! Yas, my Lawd, de dead Jackits wus kiv'r'd up
wid de dead Hawnits! Oh! I tell yer dem varmints fit like sho' nuf war
times!
"Whin bofe sides 'ud stop ter sorter blow er lit'le, an' think mebbe dey
kin confab de res' er de fight out,--ole Grab-All'd come fus' ter de
Hawnits, an' den ter de Jackits, an' tell 'em dey boun' ter whup out de
nex' jump. Whin he see de Hawnits gittin' de wus er de charge, he run tell
'em wharbouts ter hit de Jackits. Whin he see too minny er de Jackits
gittin' kilt, he run tell dem wharbouts ter cripple de Hawnits. He keep on
gwine fus' ter one, den ter de uth'r twell dey wusn't er han' full lef' on
bofe sides."
"Why didn't they turn in and beat old Mister Grab-All?" Willis bristled.