panther he spit sassy 'n riz up 'n smelt o'
the ground. Didn't neither on 'em know what was the matter. Bime bye
they lay down ag'in. 'Twant only a little while 'fore the boy felt
somethin' prickin' uv him. He hollered 'n kicked ag'in. The panther he
growled 'n spit 'n dumb a tree 'n sot on a limb 'n peeked over at thet
queer little critter. Couldn't neither on 'em understan' it. The boy
c'u'd see the eyes o' the panther 'n the dark. Shone like tew live coals
eggszac'ly. The panther 'd never sot 'n a tree when he was hungry, 'n
see a boy below him. Sumthin' tol' him t' jump. Tail went swish in the
leaves like thet. His whiskers quivered, his tongue come out. C'u'd
think o' nuthin' but his big empty belly. The boy was scairt. He up with
his gun quick es a flash. Aimed at his eyes 'n let 'er flicker. Blew a
lot o' smoke 'n bird shot 'n paper waddin' right up in t' his face. The
panther he lost his whiskers 'n one eye 'n got his hide fill' o' shot
'n fell off the tree like a ripe apple 'n run fer his life. Thought he'd
never see nuthin' c'u'd growl 'n spits powerful es thet boy. Never c'u'd
bear the sight uv a man after thet. Allwus made him gag 'n spit t' think
o' the man critter. Went off tew his own folks 'n tol' o' the boy 'at
spit fire 'n smoke 'n growled so't almos' tore his ears off An' now,
whenever they hear a gun go off they allwus thank it's the man critter
growlin'. An' they gag 'n spit 'n look es if it made 'em sick t'
the stomach. An' the man folks they didn't hev no good 'pimon o' the
panthers after thet. Haint never been frien's any more. Fact is a man,
he can be any kind uv a beast, but a panther he can't be nuthin' but
jest a panther.'

Then, too, as we lay there in the firelight, Uncle Eb told the
remarkable story of the gingerbread hear. He told it slowly, as if his
invention were severely taxed.

'Once they wuz a boy got lost. Was goin' cross lots t' play with 'nother
boy 'n lied t' go through a strip o' woods. Went off the trail t' chase
a butterfly 'n got lost. Hed his kite 'n' cross-gun 'n' he wandered all
over 'til he was tired 'n hungry. Then he lay down t' cry on a bed o'
moss. Putty quick they was a big black bear come along.

'"What's the matter?" said the bear.

'"Hungry," says the boy.

'"Tell ye what I'll dew," says the bear. "If ye'll scratch my back fer
me I'll let ye cut a piece o' my tail off t' eat."

'Bear's tail, ye know, hes a lot o' meat on it--heam tell it was gran'
good fa