"It was the 'Declination of Independence,'" said Diddie. "It's in the
little history; and it wasn't any fightin', it was a _writin'_; and
there's the picture of it in the book; and all the men are settin'
roun', and one of 'em is writin'."

"Yes, dat's jes wat I hyearn," said Uncle Bob. "I hyearn 'em say dat dey
had de fuss' Defemation uv Ondepen'ence on de fourf uv July, an' eber
sence den de folks ben er habin' holerday an' barbecues on dat day."

"What's er Defemation, Uncle Bob?" asked Dumps, who possessed an
inquiring mind.

"Well, I mos' furgits de zack meanin'," said the old man, scratching his
head; "hit's some kin' er writin', do, jes like Miss Diddie say; but,
let erlone dat, hit's in de squshionary, an' yer ma kin fin' hit fur
yer, an' 'splain de zack meanin' uv de word; but de Defemation uv
Ondepen'ence, hit happened on de fuss fourf uv July, an' hit happens
ev'y fourf uv July sence den; an' dat's 'cordin' ter my onderstandin' uv
hit," said Uncle Bob, whipping up his horses.

"What's dat, Brer Bob?" asked Daddy Jake; and as soon as Uncle Bob had
yelled at him Dumps's query and his answer to it, the old man said:

"Yer wrong, Brer Bob; I 'members well de fus' fourf uv July; hit wuz er
man, honey. Marse Fofer July wuz er _man_, an' de day wuz name atter
him. He wuz er pow'ful fightin' man; but den who it wuz he fit I mos'
furgot, hit's ben so long ergo; but I 'members, do, I wuz er right
smart slip uv er boy, an' I went wid my ole marster, yer pa's gran'pa,
to er big dinner wat dey had on de Jeems Riber, in ole Furginny; an' dat