“‘Now on this bobbin I wind a hair,White, and silken, and long;I wind it slow, I wind it fair,Glossy, and white, and strong. “‘I wind it here in shade and sun,For one, one, one are three–Three and no more where the stag shall run,Close by the chestnut-tree. “‘And one shall catch, and two shall hold,And […]

There was once a little Bird so full of SongThat he sang in the Rose-Bush the whole Night long. And “Oh,” said the Redbird to the Jay,“Don’t you wish you could sit and sing that way?”“Mercy, no!” said the Jay; “for he sings too late;I sing well enough for to please my Mate.” There was […]

Oh, this is Mr. Rabbit, that runs on the grass,So rise up, ladies, and let him pass;He courted Miss Meadows, when her ma was away,He crossed his legs, and said his say.He crossed his legs, and he winked his eye,And then he told Miss Meadows good-by.So it’s good-by, ducky,And it’s good-by, dear!I’ll never come to […]

It’s oh! and it’s ah! It’s alack! and alas!Just imagine you lived in a big looking-glass! Oh, what could you say and what could you doIf you lived all alone in the toe of a shoe?You could hop, you could skip, you could jump, you could dance,And you’d hear very little of “shouldn’ts” and “shan’ts.”You […]

I’ll up and I’ll grin if you tickle my chin,And I’ll sneeze if you tickle my nose;I’ll up and I’ll cry if you tickle my eye–But I’ll squeal if you tickle my toes! Oh, grin with your chinnery in,And sneeze with your nosery oze,And cry with your wipery eye,But please don’t tickle my toes! I’ll […]

Oh sing it slow,This song of woe,Of the girl who went to wash her toe!Her name was Chick–(Oh run here quick–The word’s so thick)–Chickamy–Chickamy Crany Crow! Chickamy what? and Chickamy which?She went to the well and fell in the ditch;What o’clock, old Witch? The clock struck oneAnd bowed to the sun;But the sun was fast […]

UNCLE REMUS was in good humor one evening recently when he dropped casually into the editorial room of “The Constitution,” as has been his custom for the past year or two. He had a bag slung across his shoulder, and in the bag was a jug. The presence of this humble but useful vessel in […]

“DEY tells me you done jine de chu’ch,” said Uncle Remus to Pegleg Charley. “Yes, sir,” responded Charley, gravely, “dat’s so.” “Well, I’m mighty glad er dat,” remarked Uncle Remus, with unction. “It’s ’bout time dat I wuz spectin’ fer ter hear un you in de chain-gang, an’, stidder dat, hit’s de chu’ch. Well, dey […]

As Uncle Remus came up Whitehall Street recently, he met a little colored boy carrying a slate and a number of books. Some words passed between them, but their exact purport will probably never be known. They were unpleasant, for the attention of a wandering policeman was called to the matter by hearing the old […]

“Yer come Uncle Remus,” said a well-dressed negro, who was standing on the sidewalk near James’s bank recently, talking to a crowd of barbers. “Yer come Uncle Remus. I boun’ he’ll sign it.” “You’ll fling yo’ money away ef you bet on it,” responded Uncle Remus. “I ain’t turnin’ nothin’ loose on chu’ch ‘scriptions. I […]

UNCLE REMUS was enlightening a crowd of negroes at the car-shed yesterday. “Dar ain’t nuthin’,” said the old man, shaking his head pensively, “dat ain’t got no change wrote on it. Dar ain’t nothin dat ain’t spotted befo’ hit begins fer ter commence. We all speunces dat p’overdence w’at lifts us up fum one place […]

“WHAT makes you look so lonesome, Brer Remus?” asked a well- dressed negro, as the old man came shuffling down the street by James’s corner yesterday. “You er mighty right, I’m lonesome, Brer John Henry. W’en a ole nigger like me is gotter paddle de canoe an’ do de fishin’ at de same time, an’ […]

WHEN Uncle Remus put in an appearance one morning recently, his friends knew he had been in trouble. He had a red cotton handkerchief tied under his chin, and the genial humor that usually makes his aged face its dwelling-place had given way to an expression of grim melancholy. The young men about the office […]

UNCLE REMUS made his appearance recently with his right arm in a sling and his head bandaged to that extent that it looked like the stick made to accompany the Centennial bass-drum. The old man evidently expected an attack all around, for he was unusually quiet, and fumbled in his pockets in an embarrassed manner. […]

“UNC REMUS,” asked a tall, awkward-looking negro, who was one of a crowd surrounding the old man, “w’at’s dish ‘ere w’at dey calls de fonygraf–dish yer inst’ument w’at kin holler ‘roun’ like little chillun in de back yard?” “I ain’t seed um,” said Uncle Remus, feeling in his pocket for a fresh chew of tobacco. […]

“Dere’s a kind er limberness ’bout niggers dese days dat’s mighty cu’us,” remarked Uncle Remus yesterday, as he deposited a pitcher of fresh water upon the exchange table. “I notisses it in de alley-ways an on de street-cornders. Dey er rackin’ up, mon, deze yer cullud fokes is.” “What are you trying to give us […]

A CHARLESTON negro who was in Atlanta on the Fourth of July made a mistake. He saw Uncle Remus edging his way through the crowd, and thought he knew him. “Howdy, Daddy Ben?” the stranger exclaimed. “I tink I nubber see you no mo’. Wey you gwan? He hot fer true, ain’t he?” “Daddy who?” […]

“YOU’VE been looking like you were rather under the weather for the past week or two, Uncle Remus,” said a gentleman to the old man. “You’d be sorter puny, too, boss, if you’d er bin whar I bin.” “Where have you been?” “Pear ter me like eve’ybody done year ’bout dat. Dey ain’t no ole […]

WHEN Uncle Remus went down to the passenger depot one morning recently, the first sight that caught his eye was an old negro man, a woman, and two children sitting in the shade near the door of the baggage-room. One of the children was very young, and the quartet was altogether ragged and forlorn-looking. The […]

UNCLE Remus met a police officer recently. “You ain’t hear talk er no dead nigger nowhar dis mawnin’, is you, boss?” asked the old man earnestly. “No,” replied the policeman, reflectively. “No, I believe not. Have you heard of any?” “‘Pears unter me dat I come mighty nigh gittin’ some news bout dat size, an’ […]