Part 11 (1/2)
”Mist'r Tom Cat ain' say er thing, he jes' keep er stretchin' his claws, waitin' fur Jack Donkey ter git plum full er hisse'f. Bimeby, he git full ernuf ter bile ov'r, an' he say, 'Brer Tom, I ain' much on pol'ticks, you knows dat,--but ef de plantation is jes' brow beat by dat ripsnortin' Race Hoss, an' can't git shed er him no uth'r way, 'cep'n fur some uth'r bigg'r man 'n him ter run 'ginst 'im, den I'm yer man.'
”Tom, he light out fum dar, an' make tracks all ov'r de pastur' tell he come ter Mist'r Billy Goat's house.”
”Was it Ned Dog's Billy Goat?” and Willis was contented to lay aside the harness.
”Hit wus Billy's gran'pa, ole Cap'n Goat. Cap'n Goat wus walkin' up an'
down de branch was.h.i.+n' his foots an' takin' er swall'r er water ev'y now an' den, an' whin Tom Cat come erlong an' op'n up an' tell his biznes', de Cap'n git so 'cited, dat he stomp water all ov'r creation, an' Tom git right sharply sprinkl'd. He jump up an' shake hisse'f, he do, an' sorter start up ter de shade er de chestnut tree. Dey pa.s.s er heap er conversation, dey does, but de upshot uv hit wus, dat Cap'n Goat 'cide ter put Jack Donkey up es er dark hoss.
”Mist'r Tom Cat, he run an' tell Brer Mule, an' Mist'r Dur'm Cow, an'
Mist'r Brindle Cow, an' ole man Hog, ter run quick ter de ches'nut tree, dat Cap'n Goat's got sumpin' big ter tell 'em! Whin dey gits dar, an'
pa.s.ses de news back'ards an' fur'ards 'mongst derse'fs, dey 'cides ter run Jack Donkey in de race.
”Mist'r Dur'am Cow say, 'Jack's mo' stronger'n Race Hoss.'
”Ole man Hog say, 'Yas, an' he kin wurk long'r an' mo' hard'r'n Race Hoss.'
”Oh, dey praises Jack Donkey up moutily, an' all uv 'em say dey'll whup Mist'r Race Hoss so bad dat he'll be 'sham'd ter trot 'long side uv er mud turtle.
”Dey so bizzy wid der confab, dat dey ain' notice Mist'r Wile Cat settin'
up on er lim' er de tree. Atter dey spies him, dey axes 'im ter pa.s.s his 'pinion on de meetin'.
”He up an' low, he did, dat he know Brer Bar ain' in de race, but, sezee, 'Jack Donkey can't do much bet'r'n Brer Bar, ef you let fokes know 'im.'
”Dey axes him how dey kin hope hit.
”He tell 'em ter run him by de name er Bline Billy.
”Dey ax 'im how he speck Bline Billy name gwine keep fokes fum knowin'
Jack Donkey whin he 'pear ter make his canvas.
”Wile Cat say ter make 'im kiv'r hisse'f up whinsumev'r he rise 'fo' de congregation.
”An' dat's whut dey done, an' n.o.body 'cep'n dem fokes und'r de ches'nut tree know Bline Billy's sho' nuf name.
”Ned Dog, he go tell Mist'r Race Hoss 'bout dis new fine run'r dat's makin' sich fine speeches 'ginst 'im. Mist'r Race Hoss tell Ned Dog ter git der side tergeth'r so dey kin confab erbout de mat'r. Ned Dog, he pa.s.ses de wurd ter 'em all, an' he 'speshully tell Brer Mule ter be dar sho'.
”Brer Mule tell him he can't make up his min' which side he's on, he say he kin ter Bline Billy, an' he ort'r vote fur him.
”Ned Dog tell him he mustn't fergit dat him an' Mist'r Race Hoss kin, too.
”He say he ain' fergit hit, an' dat's howc.u.m he so twist'd up 'bout votin'. He set an' study, he do, an' de mo' he study, de mo' he can't make up his mine.”
”Make him vote for Mister Race Hoss, Mammy.”
”Make who, boy?--Brer Mule settin' up on dat fence stud'in' jes whar Ned Dog lef' 'im.”
Willis became discouraged over Mister Race Horse's prospects and insisted with much feeling that Phyllis had influenced the animals in Jack Donkey's behalf.
”Go off, boy, how I gwine make dese trashy creeturs vote fur high tone fokes like yo' pa an' Mist'r Race Hoss? Dey dunno nuthin' 'cep'n whut de murchine tell 'em ter vote,” shaking her head in condemnation and mumbling to herself. ”Sometimes I studies ter m'se'f ef de wimmin fokes cud do enny bett'r.”