have I been too bad to hear a story?"

The old man straightened himself up and pushed his spectacles back on
his forehead.

"Now, den, folks, you year w'at he say. Shill we pursue on atter de
creeturs? Shill er shan't?"

"Bless yo' soul, Brer Remus, I mos' 'shame' myse'f, yit I tell you de
Lord's trufe, I'm des ez bad atter dem ar tales ez dat chile dar."

"Well, den," said Uncle Remus, "a tale hit is. One time dey wuz a man,
en dish yer man he had a gyardin. He had a gyardin, en he had a little
gal fer ter min' it. I don't 'speck dish yer gyardin wuz wide lak Miss
Sally gyardin, but hit 'uz lots longer. Hit 'uz so long dat it run down
side er de big road, 'cross by de plum thicket, en back up de lane. Dish
yer gyardin wuz so nice en long dat it tuck'n 'track de 'tention er Brer
Rabbit; but de fence wuz built so close en so high, dat he can't git in
nohow he kin fix it."

"Oh, I know about that!" exclaimed the little boy. "The man catches
Brother Rabbit and ties him, and the girl lets him loose to see him
dance."

Uncle Remus dropped his chin upon his bosom. He seemed to be humbled.

"Sis Tempy," he said, with a sigh, "you'll hatter come in some time w'en
we aint so crowded, en I'll up en tell 'bout Billy Malone en Miss
Janey."

"_That_ wasn't the story I heard, Uncle Remus," said the little boy.
"_Please_ tell me about Billy Malone and Miss Janey."

"Ah-yi!" exclaimed Uncle Remus, with a triumphant smile; "I 'low'd maybe
I wa'n't losin' de use er my 'membunce, en sho' nuff I aint. Now, den,
we'll des wuk our way back en start fa'r en squar'. One time dey wuz a
man, en dish yer man he had a gyardin en a little gal. De gyardin wuz
chock full er truck, en in de mawnin's, w'en de man hatter go off, he
call up de little gal, he did, en tell 'er dat she mus' be sho' en keep
ole Brer Rabbit outer de gyardin. He tell 'er dis eve'y mawnin'; but one
mawnin' he tuck en forgit it twel he git ter de front gate, en den he
stop en holler back:

"'O Janey! You Janey! Min' w'at I tell you 'bout ole Brer Rabbit. Don't
you let 'im get my nice green peas.'

"Little gal, she holler back: 'Yes, daddy.'

"All dis time, Brer Rabbit he 'uz settin' out dar in de bushes dozin'.
Yit, w'en he year he name call out so loud, he cock up one year en
lissen, en he 'low ter hisse'f dat he bleedz ter outdo Mr. Man. Bimeby,
Brer Rabbit, he went 'roun' en come down de big road des ez natchul ez
ef he bin trafflin' some'rs. He see de little