“Well, honey, w’en you git growed up, en git whiskers on yo’ chin,
en den atter de whiskers git gray like mine, you’ll fin’ out sump’n
’n’er ’bout de wimmin folks. Dey ain’t ne’er say ’zackly w’at dey
mean, none er um, mo’ ’speshually w’en dey er gwine on ’bout gittin’
married.
“Now, dar wuz dat gal Susanna what I’m a-tellin’ you ’bout. She
mighty nigh ’stracted ’bout Simon, en yit she make ’er daddy b’lieve
dat she ’spize ’im. I ain’t blamin’ Susanna,” Uncle Remus went on
with a judicial air, “kase she know dat ’er daddy wuz a witch en a
mighty mean one in de bargain.
“Well, atter Susanna done make ’er daddy b’lieve dat she ain’t
keerin’ nothin’ ’t all ’bout Simon, he ’gun ter set his traps en fix
his tricks. He up ’n tell Susanna dat atter ’er en Simon git married
dey mus’ go upsta’rs in de front room, en den he tell ’er dat she
mus’ make Simon go ter bed fus’. Den de man went upsta’rs en tuck ’n
tuck all de slats out’n de bedstid ceppin one at de head en one at
de foot. Atter dat he tuck ’n put some foot-valances ’roun’ de
bottom er de bed—des like dem w’at you bin see on yo’ gran’ma bed.
Den he tuck ’n sawed out de floor und’ de bed, en dar wuz de trap
all ready.
“Well, sir, Simon come up ter de house, en de man make like he
mighty glad fer ter see ’im, but Susanna, she look like she mighty
shy. No matter ’bout dat; atter supper Simon en Susanna got married.
Hit ain’t in de tale wedder dey sont fer a preacher er wedder dey
wuz a squire browsin’ ’roun’ in de neighborhoods, but dey had cake
wid reezins in it, en some er dish yer silly-bug w’at got mo’ foam
in it dan dey is dram, en dey had a mighty happy time.
[Illustration:
Simon shakes the pebbles
]
“W’en bedtime come, Simon en Susanna went upsta’rs, en w’en dey got
in de room, Susanna kotch ’im by de han’, en helt up her finger. Den
she whisper en tell ’im dat ef dey don’t run away fum dar dey bofe
gwine ter be kilt. Simon ax ’er how come, en she say dat ’er daddy
want ter kill ’im kase he sech a nice man. Dis make Simon grin; yit
he wuz sorter restless ’bout gittin’ ’way fum dar. But Susanna, she
say wait. She say:
“‘Pick up yo’ hat en button up yo’ coat. Now, den, take dat stick er
wood dar en hol’ it ’bove yo’ head.’
“W’iles he stan’in’ dar, Susanna got a hen egg out’n a basket, den
she got a meal-bag, en a skillet. She ’low:
“‘Now, den, drap de wood on de bed.’
“Simon done des like she say, en time de wood struck de bed de tick
en de mattruss went a-tumblin’ thoo de floor. Den Susanna tuck Simon
by de han’ en dey run out de back way ez hard ez dey kin go.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account