d the story
of the sale of the plantation, but did not know where the family had
gone.

"When I fixed up that bundle," the old lady resumed, "I was thinking of
you, Moses. Every year we have sent out such little packages to any
needy colored people of whom we knew, as a sort of memorial to our lost
ones, always half-hoping that they might actually reach some of them.
And I thought of you specially, Moses," she continued, mischievously,
"when I put in all that turkey-stuffing. Do you remember how greedy you
always were about pecan-stuffing? It wasn't quite as good as usual this
year."

"No'm; dat what I say," said Mose. "I tol' Juke dat stuffin' warn't
quite up ter de mark--ain't I, Juke? Fur gracious sake, look at Juke,
settin' on his daddy's shoulder, with a face on him ole as a man! Put
dat boy down, Pete! Dat's a business-man you foolin' wid!"

Whereupon little Duke--man of affairs, forager, financier--overcome at
last with the fulness of the situation, made a really babyish square
mouth, and threw himself sobbing upon his father's bosom.

FOOTNOTE:

[Footnote A: Pronounced lan-yap. _Lagniappe_ is a small gratuity which
New Orleans children always expect and usually get with a purchase.
Retail druggists keep jars of candy, licorice, or other small
confections for that purpose.]

UNCLE EPHE'S ADVICE TO BRER RABBIT

[Illustration: "'KEEP STEP, RABBIT, MAN!'"]

UNCLE EPHE'S ADVICE TO BRER RABBIT

Keep step, Rabbit, man!
Hunter comin' quick's he can!
H'ist yo'se'f! _Don't_ cross de road,
Less 'n he'll hit you fur a toad!

Up an' skip it, 'fo' t's too late!
Hoppit--lippit! Bull-frog gait!
Hoppit--lippit--lippit--hoppit!
Goodness me, why don't you stop it?

Shame on you, Mr. Ge'man Rabbit,
Ter limp along wid sech a habit!
'F you'd balumps on yo' hime-legs straight,
An' hurry wid a mannish gait,

An' tie yo' ears down onder yo' th'oat,
An' kivir yo' tail wid a cut-away coat,
Rabbit-hunters by de dozen
Would shek yo' han' an' call you cousin,

An' like as not, you onery sinner,
Dey'd ax' you home ter eat yo' dinner!
But _don't you go_, 'caze ef you do,
Dey'll set you down to rabbit-stew.

An' de shape o' dem bones an' de smell o' dat meal
'Ll meck you wish you was back in de fiel'.
An' ef you'd stretch yo' mouf too wide,
You know yo' ears mought come ontied;

An' when you'd jump, you couldn't fail
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