MY FAVORITE STORIES

By Jact Dionne

Age not guaranteed-Some I have told for 2O years-Some less.

He Remembered

One of the oldest stoiries in the South is ttrat of the old nigger with the wo'nderful memory who lived in "befo de 'arah" days. Bert Williams told it for yearsr but it was old before his time.

This darkey' belonged to an old Louisiana Colonel. The farne of his rnernory had spread altl over the SoutfL There was no date, pli,ace, time, face, or anytfiing he had ever known that he could not rernember instantly. He never failcd.

The Dcvil heard of it, and carne to the Colonel and tried to trade hirn out of the cildr darkey, br.rrt the Cotronel wouldn't sell him at any price. Before the Devil left the Colone! said: *I1l tell you what I'll do. If you ever catc"h th€ old boy forgetting anything, I'll give him to ytou." Ttre Dcvil agreed.

Sfaortly afterward the old darkey was hoeing corn in thc fiold one day, when suddenly there was a fash f,roml a pilc of corn stalks, and tlle Devil stood before hitn

"Do ybu like eggs?" he asked.

"Yassuh" said the nigger.

Instantly the Devil disappeared

Fifteen years later the old nigger was hoeing corn in that same fie14 when like a flash the Devil stood before hrirn"HO\IV?" hd thundered.

And quick as ttrrou,ghrt the old darky shouted-"FRIED."