uncle remus-第24节

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that　to　some　extent　she　was　an　invalid。　It　was　in　vain　that　she　argued　with　herself　as　to　the　propriety　of　undertaking　the　journey　alone　and　unprotected；　and　she　finally　put　an　end　to　inward　and　outward　doubts　by　informing　herself　and　her　friends；　including　John　Huntingdon；　her　brother；　who　was　practicing　law　in　Atlanta；　that　she　had　decided　to　visit　the　South。

When；　therefore；　on　the　12th　of　October；　1870…the　date　is　duly　recorded　in　one　of　Miss　Theodosia's　letters…she　alighted　from　the　cars　in　Atlanta；　in　the　midst　of　a　great　crowd；　she　fully　expected　to　find　her　brother　waiting　to　receive　her。　The　bells　of　several　locomotives　were　ringing；　a　number　of　trains　were　moving　in　and　out；　and　the　porters　and　baggage…men　were　screaming　and　bawling　to　such　an　extent　that　for　several　moments　Miss　Huntingdon　was　considerably　confused；　so　much　so　that　she　paused　in　the　hope　that　her　brother　would　suddenly　appear　and　rescue　her　from　the　smoke；　and　dust；　and　din。　At　that　moment　some　one　touched　her　on　the　arm；　and　she　heard　a　strong；　half…confident；　half…apologetic　voice　exclaim：

〃Ain't　dish　yer　Miss　Doshy？〃

Turning；　Miss　Theodosia　saw　at　her　side　a　tall；　gray…haired　negro。　Elaborating　the　incident　afterward　to　her　friends；　she　was　pleased　to　say　that　the　appearance　of　the　old　man　was　somewhat　picturesque。　He　stood　towering　above　her；　his　hat　in　one　hand；　a　carriage…whip　in　the　other；　and　an　expectant　smile　lighting　up　his　rugged　face。　She　remembered　a　name　her　brother　had　often　used　in　his　letters；　and；　with　a　woman's　tact；　she　held　out　her　hand；　and　said：

〃Is　this　Uncle　Remus？〃

〃Law；　Miss　Doshy！　how　you　know　de　ole　nigger？　I　know'd　you　by　de　faver；　but　how　you　know　me？〃　And　then；　without　waiting　for　a　reply：　〃Miss　Sally；　she　sick　in　bed；　en　Mars　John；　he　bleedzd　ter　go　in　de　country；　en　dey　tuck'n　sont　me。　I　know'd　you　de　minnit　I　laid　eyes　on　you。　Time　I　seed　you；　I　say　ter　myse'f；　'I　lay　dar's　Miss　Doshy；'　en；　sho　nuff；　dar　you　wuz。　You　ain't　gun　up　yo'　checks；　is　you？　Kaze　I'll　git　de　trunk　sont　up　by　de　'spress　waggin。〃

The　next　moment　Uncle　Remus　was　elbowing　his　way　unceremoniously　through　the　crowd；　and　in　a　very　short　time；　seated　in　the　carriage　driven　by　the　old　man；　Miss　Huntingdon　was　whirling　through　the　streets　of　Atlanta　in　the　direcfion　of　her　brother's　home。　She　took　advantage　of　the　opportunity　to　study　the　old　negro's　face　closely；　her　natural　curiosity　considerably　sharpened　by　a　knowledge　of　the　fact　that　Uncle　Remus　had　played　an　important　part　in　her　brother's　history。　The　result　of　her　observation　must　have　been　satisfactory；　for　presently　she　laughed；　and　said：　

〃Uncle　Remus；　you　haven't　told　me　how　you　knew　me　in　that　great　crowd。〃

The　old　man　chuckled；　and　gave　the　horses　a　gentle　rap　with　the　whip。

〃Who？　Me！　I　know'd　you　by　de　faver。　Dat　boy　er　Mars　John's　is　de　ve'y　spit　en　immij　un　you。　I'd　a　know'd　you　in　New　'Leens；　let　lone　down　dar　in　de　kyar…shed。〃

This　was　Miss　Theodosia's　introduction　to　Uncle　Remus。　One　Sunday　afternoon；　a　few　weeks　after　her　arrival；　the　family　were　assembled　in　the　piazza　enjoying　the　mild　weather。　Mr。　Huntingdon　was　reading　a　newspaper；　his　wife　was　crooning　softly　as　she　rocked　the　baby　to　sleep；　and　the　little　boy　was　endeavoring　to　show　his　Aunt　Dosia　the　outlines　of。　Kenesaw　Mountain　through　the　purple　haze　that　hung　like　a　wonderfully　fashioned　curtain　in　the　sky　and　almost　obliterated　the　horizon。　While　they　were　thus　engaged；　Uncle　Remus　came　around　the　corner　of　the　house；　talking　to　himself。

〃Dey　er　too　lazy　ter　wuk；〃　he　was　saying；　〃en　dey　specks　hones'　fokes　fer　ter　stan'　up　en　s'port　um。　I'm　gwine　down　ter　Putmon　County　whar　Mars　Jeems　is…dat's　w'at　I'm　agwine　ter　do。〃

〃What's　the　matter　now；　Uncle　Remus？〃　inquired　Mr。　Huntingdon；　folding　up　his　newspaper。

〃Nuthin'　'tall；　Mars　John；　'ceppin　deze　yer　sunshine　niggers。　Dey　begs　my　terbacker；　en　borrys　my　tools；　en　steals　my　vittles；　en　hit's　done　come　ter　dat　pass　dat　I　gotter　pack　up　en　go。　I'm　agwine　down　ter　Putmon；　dat's　w'at。〃

Uncle　Remus　was　accustomed　to　make　this　threat　several　times　a　day；　but　upon　this　occasion　it　seemed　to　remind　Mr。　Huntingdon　of　something。

〃Very　well；〃　he　said；　〃I'll　come　around　and　help　you　pack　up；　but　before　you　go　I　want　you　to　tell　Sister　here　how　you　went　to　war　and　fought　for　the　Union。…Remus　was　a　famous　warrior；〃　he　continued；　turning　to　Miss　Theodosia；　〃he　volunteered　for　one　day；　and　commanded　an　army　of　one。　You　know　the　story；　but　you　have　never　heard　Remus's　version。

Uncle　Remus　shuffled　around　in　an　awkward；　embarrassed　way；　scratched　his　head；　and　looked　uncomfortable。

〃Miss　Doshy　ain't　got　no　time　fer　ter　set　dar　an　year　de　ole　nigger　run　on。

〃Oh；　yes；　I　have；　Uncle　Remus！〃　exclaimed　the　young　lady；　〃plenty　of　time。〃

The　upshot　of　it　was　that；　after　many　ridiculous　protests；　Uncle　Remus　sat　down　on　the　steps；　and　proceeded　to　tell　his　story　of　the　war。　Miss　Theodosia　listened　with　great　interest；　but　throughout　it　all　she　observed…and　she　was　painfully　conscious　of　the　fact；　as　she　afterward　admitted…that　Uncle　Rcmus　spoke　from　the　standpoint　of　a　Southerner'；　and　with　the　air　of　one　who　expected　his　hearers　to　thoroughly　sympathize　with　him。

〃Co'se；〃　said　Uncle　Remus；　addressing　himself　to　Miss　Theodosia；　〃you　ain't　bin　to　Putmon；　en　you　dunner　whar　de　Brad　Slaughter　place　en　Harmony　Grove　is；　but　Mars　John　en　Miss　Sally；　dey　bin　dar　a　time　er　two；　en　dey　knows　how　de　lan'　lays。　Well；　den；　it　'uz　right　long　in　dere　whar　Mars　Jeems　lived；　en　whar　he　live　now。　When　de　war　come　long　he　wnz　livin'　dere　longer　Ole　Miss　en　Miss　Sally。　Ole　Miss　'uz　his　ma；　en　Miss　Sally　dar　'uz　his　sister。　De　war　come　des　like　I　tell　you；　en　marters　sorter　rock　along　same　like　dey　allers　did。　Hit　didn't　strike　me　dat　dey　wnz　enny　war　gwine　on；　en　ef　I　hadn't　sorter　miss　de　nabers；　en　seed　fokes　gwine　outer　de　way　fer　ter　ax　de　news；　I'd　a　'lowed　ter　myse'f　dat　de　war　wuz　'way　off　'mong　some　yuther　country。　But　all　dis　time　de　fuss　wnz　gwine　on；　en　Mars　Jeems；　he　wnz　des　eatchin'　fer　ter　put　in。　Ole　Miss　en　Miss　Sally；　dey　tuck　on　so　he　didn't　git　off　de　fus'　year；　but　bimeby　news　come　down　dat　times　wuz　gittin'　putty　hot；　en　Mars　Jeems　he　got　up；　he　did；　en　say　he　gotter　go；　en　go　he　did。　He　got　a　overseer　fer　ter　look　atter　de　place；　en　he　went　en　jined　de　army。　En　he　'uz　a　fighter；　too；　mon；　Mars　Jeems　wnz。　Many's　en　many's　de　time；〃　continued　the　old　man；　reflectively；　〃dat　I　hatter　take'n　bresh　dat　boy　on　accounter　his　'buzin'　en　beatin'　dem　yuther　boys。　He　went　off　dar　fer　ter　fight；　en　he　fit。　Ole　Miss　useter　call　me　up　Sunday　en　read　w'at　de　papers　say　'bout　Mars　Jeems；　en　it　hope　'er　up　mightly。　I　kin　see　'er　des　like　it　'uz　yistiddy。

Remus；'　sez　she；　'dish　yer's　w'at　de　papers　say　'bout　my　baby；'　en　den　she'd　read　out　twel　she　couldn't　read　fer　cryin'。　Hit　went　on　dis　way　year　in　en　year　out；　en　dem　wuz　lonesome　times；　sho's　you　bawn；　Miss　Doshy…lonesome　times；　sho。　Hit　got　hotter　en　hotter　in　de　war；　en　lonesomer　en　mo'　lonesomer　at　home；　en　bimeby　'long　come　de　conscrip'　man；　en　he　des　everlas'nly　scoop　up　Mars　Jeems's　overseer。　W'en　dis　come　'bout；　ole　Miss；　she　sont　atter　me　en　say；　sez　she：

〃'Remus；　I　ain't　got　nobody　fer　ter　look　arter　de　place　but　you；'　sez　she；　en　den　I　up'n　say；　sez　I：

'Mistiss；　you　kin　des　'pen'　on　de　ole　nigger。'

〃I　wuz　ole　den；　Miss　Doshy…let　lone　w'at　I　is　now；　en　you　better　b'leeve　I　bossed　dem　han's。　I　had　dem　niggers　up　en　in　de　fier　long　'fo'　day；　en　de　way　dey　did　wnk　wuz　a　caution。　Ef　dey　didn't　earut　der　vittles　dat　season　den　I　ain't　name　Remus。　But　dey　wuz　tuk　keer　un。　Dey　had　plenty　er　doze　en　plenty　er　grub；　en　dey　wuz　de　fattes'　niggers　in　de　settlement。

〃Bimeby　one　day；　Ole　Miss；　she　call　me　up　en　say　de　Yankees　done　gone　en　tuck　Atlanty…dish　yer　ve'y　town；　den　present'y　I　year　dey　wuz　a　marchin'　on　down　todes　Putmon；　en；　lo　en　beholesi　one　day；　de　fus　news　I　know'd；　Mars　Jeems　he　rid　up　wid　a　whole　gang　er　men。　He　des　stop　long　nuff　fer　ter　change　hosses　en　snatch　a　mouffle　er　sump'n　ter　eat；　but　'fo'　he　rid　off；　he　call　me　up　en　say；　sez　he：

〃'Daddy'…all　Ole　Miss's　chilluns　call　me　daddy…'Daddy；'　he　say；　''pears　like　dere's　gwineter　be　mighty　rough　times　'roun'　yer。　De　Yankees；　dey　er　done　got　ter　Madison　en　Mounticellar；　en　'twon't　be　many　days　'fo'　dey　er　down　yer。　'Tain't　likely　dey'll　pester　mother　ner　sister；　but；　daddy；　ef　de　wns　come　ter　de　wns；　I　speck　you　ter　take　keer　un　um；'　sezee。

〃Den　I　say；　sez　I：　'How　long　you　bin　knowin'　me；　Mars　Jeems？'　sez　I。

〃'S　ence　I　wuz　a　baby；'　sezee。

〃'Well；　den；　Mars　Jeems；'　sez　I；　'you　know'd　'twa'nt　no　use　fer　ter　ax　me　ter　take　keer　Ole　Miss　en　Miss　Sally。'

〃Den　he　tuck'n　squoze　my　han'　en　jump　on　de　filly　I　bin　savin'　fer　'im；　en　rid　off。　One　time　he　tu'n　roun'　en　look　like　he　wanter　say　sump'n'；　but　he　des　waf'　his　han'…so…en　gallop　on。　I　know'd　den　dat　trouble　wuz　brewin'。　Nigger　dat　knows　he's　gwineter　git　thumped　kin　sorter　fix　hisse'f；　en　I　tuck'n　fix　up　like　de　war　wuz　gwineter　come　right　in　at　de　front　gate。　I　tuck'n　got　all　de　cattle　en　hosses　tergedder　en　driv'　um　ter　de　fo'…mile　place；　en　I　tuck　all　de　corn　en　fodder　en　w'eat；　en　put　urn　in　a　crib　out　dar　in　de　woods；　en　I　bilt　me　a　pen　in　de　swamp；　en　dar　I　pu