“But de cut neck er de head an’ de cut neck er de body dey retch an’ stretch todes one nuther, an’ retch an’ stretch twel dey tech, an’ den dey des jines right erfore dey eyes, an’ dat ole tarrypin he lif’ he head an’ blink dem ole eyes at bofe uv ’em. Hit go on dat way twel de gal ’mos’ cry her eyes out ter git shet er de tarrypin, when Unc’ ’Jah he kim erlong swingin’ he axe keerless lack, an’ he hear de commotion lack he nebber hear hit erfore, an’ taken sumpen lack grease outen er box in he pocket, an’ smear hit on de sharp aige, an’ blip! down he kim on de tarrypin’s neck, an’ de head an’ de body part, don’t jine no mo’. “Well, dat gal done git shet er de tarrypin, an’ dough she mighty po’ an’ sickly lookin’, lack she hab de swamp-fever, she say she gwine marry Rube soon; but Unc’ ’Jah he know what were kimmin’, an’ she ain’ gwine marry Rube yit. “Dat gal git ter be so po’ an’ droopy dat her Ole Miss ’low she let her work in de fiel’, dat de fresh air gwine do her good. “So she sot inter choppin’ out cotton, ’case hit de spring er de year, but she sorter skeered dat de tarrypin kim back. [Illustration: “UNC’ ’JAH AND THE DEVIL SNAKE”] “He ain’ gwine kim back, but one day in de row she feel sumpen ticklin’ uv her bare foot mighty sof’, an’ she look an’ see hit were er long wigglin’ sarpent, an’ hit w’ar de face er de stray nigger she done promus ter marry, an’ hit smile an’ smile at dat gal in de row, an’ hit foller her down de row an’ back ergin, an’ when she ain’ look at hit, hit bite her foots an’ strike wid hits fangs, ’case hit gwine ter be noticed. Ever’ day hit meet her in de row, an’ ever’ day hit bite her, drawin’ de blood, an’ bimeby hit say it cole, an’ she hatter take it up in her arms ter warm hit, ’case hit de debil an’ he done git de promus. “Well, dar ain’ nobody kin kill dat snake wid er stick, an’ dar ain’ nobody dat kin shoot hit wid er gun, ’case dey done try, an’ all de time dat sarpent des er-thinnin’ dat gal’s blood lack er man-eatin’ bat, when here kim Unc’ ’Jah down in de fiel’, an’ he taken de gun fum he shoulder an’ wipe de sweat offen him, ’case hit were hot. Den he kinder keerless lack ’n’int de bullets wid de sumpen dat he ’n’int de axe wid, an’ load up. Den he say sumpen ter hese’f an’ p’int de gun at dat streaked snake, an’ he were sho’ dead dat time. “Dat gal she fall down and hug Unc’ ’Jah’s knees; but de debil he wa’n’t fru wid de gal yit; he ain’ wanter let her git erway fum him. * * * * * “Hit were summer-time good now, an’ de gnats dey pesterin’ de hosses an’ de cattle, an’ hit were fly-time ’mongst de people. “Well, hit were de debil’s chance ergin, fur de gal say she ain’ marry de man, an’ de sarpent an’ de tarrypin bofe dead.