"So whin Mist'r Rattlesnake come bowin' an scrapin' ter Miss Eve wid dat beav'r hat on, an' dat walkin' stick whirlin' roun' in his han', she git so airish tryin' ter th'ow off man'rs like his'n, dat whin he tell her ter eat dat pis'n apple, she et hit 'dout knowin' whut she doin'. Howsumev'r, whin Mist'r Rattlesnake but'n up his long tail coat sort'r keerles' like, an' strut hisse'f off, Miss Eve, she 'gun ter feel de mis'ry er dat pis'n apple." "Did her mama give her some castor oil?" Willis sympathized with Miss Eve. "No, my Lawd, she sot dar an' holl'r tell Adam come an' ax her whut ail 'er. She start ter laffin' she did, an' say: 'I jes' callin' you ter eat one dem fine meller apples Mist'r Rattlesnake fotch' me!'" "Did Mist'r Adam eat it?" asked Willis with much concern. "Who gwine hind'r him fum eatin' hit? An' de Eveses is bin pis'nin' de Adamses ev'r sense--you 'memb'r whut Mammy tell yer, an' look out fur 'em." "Why didn't Mist'r Adam kill Mist'r Rattlesnake?" he resented. "'Caze his own sin done make him er coward, dat's de trufe!--Whin er man do mean an' low life tricks hisse'f, he ain' got de face ter stan' up an' whup nobody fur doin' de same thing; but Adam didn't hatt'r whup de Sarpint 'caze de Lawd knock 'im flat 'pon de groun' an' tromp on 'im, an' tell 'im he got ter crawl de res' er his life, ter keep up wid his low down ways." Mary Van's voice sounded from the gate, "I can't open it." Willis sprang to her assistance, but Phyllis caught him: "Will yer run right straight back, ef Mammy let yer onfas'n de gate?" The promise was given, and in a moment Willis returned with: "Mammy, less show Mary Van m' two lit'le green snakes." He was off in a second, but Phyllis again detained him. "Nummine 'bout dem gyrt'r snakes,--I ain' got start'd ter tellin' 'bout Mist'r Rattlesnake yit. Come on hyah Ma'y Van, an' set down on de grass, an' Mammy gwine spread out her ap'on fur you ter set on, 'caze she hatt'r hole dis wiggly boy in her lap." "I want to see Willis's snakes," demurred the little girl. Phyllis looked thoughtfully a moment, then throwing her hands up suddenly, "I wond'r is enybody got de news 'bout Mist'r Rattlesnake's toofake? You ain' heah nuthin' is yer, Ma'y Van?" Mary Van shook her head in the negative. "Who you shakin' dat haid at, gal?" "No, ma'm," quickly corrected the child. "De las' time de snake doct'r come by hyah, he wus huntin' fur some yerbs ter put in Mist'r Rattlesnake's toof," continued the old woman in an interested tone. "Miss Eve, she tell de doct'r ter g'long an' git de same kind er yerbs he give fur rattlesnake bite, dat Mist'r Rattlesnake jes' got mad an' bite his own se'f, an' dat whut ail his toof." "Who made him mad?" Mary Van knelt on the edge of the apron.