In North Carolina there is no better known man than Red Buck. A letter addressed to “Red Buck, North Carolina,” would be delivered to H. E. C. Bryant, at Charlotte. Everybody in the state knows the big hearted, auburn haired Scotch-Irishman of the Mecklenburg colony, who, on leaving college went to work on The Charlotte Observer and, on account of his cardinal locks, rosy complexion and gay and game way, was dubbed “Red Buck” by the editor, Mr. Caldwell. It was an office name for a time. Then it became state property, and the name “Bryant” perished. Red Buck has traveled all over the state of North Carolina and written human interest stories from every sand-hill and mountain cove. Many Tar Heels know him by no other name than Red Buck. In fact there is a Red Buck fad in the state, which has resulted in a Red Buck brand of whiskey, a Red Buck cigar, a Red Buck mule, a Red Buck pig, and a Red Buck rooster, although the man for whom they are named drinks not, neither does he smoke. This book of Tar Heel tales is from Mr. Bryant’s cleverest work. THOMAS J. PENCE. Washington Press Gallery. December, 1909. CONTENTS PAGE _Uncle Ben’s Last Fox Race_ 1 _Forty Acres and a Mule_ 11 _The Spaniel and the Cops_ 33 _A Hound of the Old Stock_ 43 _Minerva--The Owl_ 58 _Uncle Derrick in Washington_ 68 _And the Signs Failed Not_ 79 _The Irishman’s Game Cock_ 97 _Strange Vision of Arabella_ 112 _A Negro and His Friend_ 125 _Faithful Unto Death_ 142 _“Red Buck”: Where I Came By It_ 153 _Until Death Do Us Part_ 168 _Uncle George and the Englishman_ 181 _She Didn’t Like my Yellow Shoes_ 191 _Afraid of the Frowsy Blonde_ 199 _Jan Pier--The Shoeshine_ 206 _William and Appendicitis_ 214 ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE _Nine Little Tar Heels_ Frontispiece _Uncle Ben_ 1 _Aunt Matt_ 11 _Tite, Riding a Democratic Ox_ 27 _Marse Lawrence and Trouble_ 43 _Uncle Derrick at Home_ 68 _Preparing for the Guest_ 79 _Arabella the Day After_ 112 _Jim in a Peaceful Mood_ 125 _William_ 214 [Illustration: _Uncle Ben._] TAR HEEL TALES UNCLE BEN’S LAST FOX RACE “Me an’ Marse Jeems is all uv de ole stock dat’s lef’,” said Uncle Ben, an ex-slave of the Morrow family, of Providence township.