come down, en
say he'd sorter set up wid 'er.

"Des 'fo' day, yer come Brer Fox creepin' up, en he went en push on de
do' easy, en de do' open, en he see sump'n' w'ite on de bed w'ich he
took fer Miss Goose, en he grab it en run. 'Bout dat time Mr. Dog sail
out fum und' de house, he did, en ef Brer Fox had n't er drapt de cloze,
he'd er got kotch. Fum dat, wud went 'roun' dat Brer Fox bin tryin' ter
steal Miss Goose cloze, en he come mighty nigh losin' his stannin' at
Miss Meadows. Down ter dis day," Uncle Remus continued, preparing to
fill his pipe, "Brer Fox b'leeve dat Brer Rabbit wuz de 'casion er Mr.
Dog bein' in de neighborhoods at dat time er night, en Brer Rabbit aint
'spute it. De bad feelin' 'twix' Brer Fox en Mr. Dog start right dar, en
hits bin agwine on twel now dey aint git in smellin' distuns er one er
n'er widout dey's a row."

II

BROTHER FOX CATCHES MR. HORSE

There was a pause after the story of old Miss Goose. The culmination was
hardly sensational enough to win the hearty applause of the little boy,
and this fact appeared to have a depressing influence upon Uncle Remus.
As he leaned slightly forward, gazing into the depths of the great
fireplace, his attitude was one of pensiveness.

"I 'speck I done wo' out my welcome up at de big house," he said, after
a while. "I mos' knows I is," he continued, setting himself resignedly
in his deep-bottomed chair. "Kase de las' time I uz up dar, I had my eye
on Miss Sally mighty nigh de whole blessid time, en w'en you see Miss
Sally rustlin' 'roun' makin' lak she fixin' things up dar on de
mantle-shelf, en bouncin' de cheers 'roun', en breshin' dus' whar dey
aint no dus', en flyin' 'roun' singin' sorter louder dan common, den I
des knows sump'n' done gone en rile 'er."

"Why, Uncle Remus!" exclaimed the little boy; "Mamma was just glad
because I was feeling so good."

"Mought er bin," the old man remarked, in a tone that was far from
implying conviction. "Ef 't wa'n't dat, den she wuz gittin' tired er
seem' me lounjun' 'roun' up dar night atter night, en ef 't wa'n't dat,
den she wuz watchin' a chance fer ter preach ter yo' pa. Oh, I done bin
know Miss Sally long fo' yo' pa is!" exclaimed Uncle Remus, in response
to the astonishment depicted upon the child's face. "I bin knowin' 'er
sence she wuz so high, en endurin' er all dat time I aint seed no mo'
up'n spoken' w'ite 'oman dan w'at Miss Sally is.

"But dat aint needer yer ner dar. You done