Two hours ago they was swimming in Johnson 's pond yander . I caught 'em -- yes , ma'am . It 's about all I 'm good for now , catching trout and cod occasional . But ` twere n't always so -- not by no manner of means . I used to do other things , as you 'd admit if you saw my life-book . '' I was so hungry and tired that I did not then `` rise to the bait '' of Uncle Jesse 's `` life-book . '' I simply wanted to begin on those trout . Mother insisted that Uncle Jesse sit down and help us eat the repast he had prepared , and he assented without undue coaxing . `` Thank ye kindly . ` Twill be a real treat . I mostly has to eat my meals alone , with the reflection of my ugly old phiz in a looking glass opposite for company . 'T is n't often I have the chance to sit down with two such sweet purty ladies . '' Uncle Jesse 's compliments look bald enough on paper , but he paid them with such gracious , gentle deference of tone and look that the woman who received them felt that she was being offered a queen 's gift in kingly fashion . He broke bread with us and from that moment we were all friends together and forever . After we had eaten all we could , we sat at our table for an hour and listened to Uncle Jesse telling us stories of his life . `` If I talk too much you must jest check me , '' he said seriously , but with a twinkle in his eyes . `` When I do get a chance to talk to anyone I 'm apt to run on terrible . '' He had been a sailor from the time he was ten years old , and some of his adventures had such a marvellous edge that I secretly wondered if Uncle Jesse were not drawing a rather long bow at our credulous expense . But in this , as I found later , I did him injustice . His tales were all literally true , and Uncle Jesse had the gift of the born story-teller , whereby `` unhappy , far-off things '' can be brought vividly before the hearer and made to live again in all their pristine poignancy .
Mother and I laughed and shivered over Uncle XXXXX 's tales , and once we found ourselves crying .
Jesse Johnson Twill hour life-book old phiz repast story-teller yander