KUNNOO SPE KITS 
 
 AND OTHERS 
 
 IN DEMIZ SERIES 
 
 VIES 
 
 oSolle Corbell Picket!
 
 CHAUTAL'yUA. 
 
 MRS. UENKKAL UEOKUK K. 1'ICKETT. 
 
 BERTRAND 8MITQ3 
 
 BOOK STORE 
 J40PACf?ir AVENV9 
 LONG BEACH (.ALif,
 
 "
 
 In De /DM 3 Series 
 
 Kunnoo Sperits and Others
 
 Hn fce fllMs Series 
 
 BY LASALLE CORBELL PICKETT 
 
 [Mrs. General George E. Pickett] 
 
 I. fmnnoo Sperfts an& tbers 
 
 In de Miz Marikle er Twinzes 
 
 Kunnoo Sperits 'Storical Juels 
 
 ii. Kule Xog 
 
 Yule Log 
 
 De Ole Ox Kyart 
 
 Wuz Santa Glaus a Nigger dat Year? 
 
 De Bridegroom 
 
 Mammy Borry Christmas Vista 
 
 in. Ebil Ege 
 Ebil Eye Us 
 
 Dat LiT Blue Light Frenigike 
 
 IV. Stnns 
 
 Jinny Deforce X Mark 
 
 LiT Abrup Supples' en Swiffes' 
 
 Bound in Decorated Cloth, each, $1.00 
 Complete Set, 4 Volumes in Box, $3.50 
 
 Cbe Vleale Co., publishers 
 
 431 Eleventh Street tClasbimjton, S). C.
 
 A NEW ANECDOTE OF LINCOLN. 
 
 The day after the great fire following the fall of Rich- 
 mond Lincoln, with a small body guard, walked through 
 The sheets of the charred city. As he approach^ I the 
 corner occupied hy Gen. Pickett's residence, he direct, 
 the guard to wait, and to their V***^ 
 steps at a time up to the door and rapped. The serv- 
 ants had fled. The "Baby Bride" had never seen Pres 
 dent Lincoln, but she had read his letters to her hus- 
 band and from him had learned to hold in the highe 
 esteem the great northern President With her baby 
 in her arms she opened the door and looked up at the 
 tall, gaunt man with the sad face and uncouth ways. 
 Without a word of explanation he asked: 
 "Is George Pickett about?" 
 
 To hear her husband's name bereft of its title by r 
 Yankee, at that moment, was almost the limit e; 
 cially as many a rumor had floated about Richmond 
 concerning the fate which awaited the leaders of the 
 Confederacy. 
 
 With all the proud dignity she could command the 
 Baby Bride replied: 
 "Gen. Pickett Is not at home." 
 
 The stranger seemed disappointed and, as he turned to 
 go, remarked: 
 
 "I am Abraham Lincoln, an old friend of George's." 
 "Not President Lincoln!" Mrs. Pickett exclaimed. 
 The tall man shook his head, repeating: 
 
 "No. Just Abraham Lincoln, George Pickett's old 
 friend." 
 
 Following the instant promptings of the heart whi< 
 still governs her, "the Baby Bride" thrust her baby boy 
 into the arms of the gaunt Yankee, as her best effort to 
 express her veneration and confidence, saying: 
 
 "I am" George Pickett's wife and this is George Pick- 
 ett's baby."-[Willard French, in The World Today.
 
 Kunnoo Sperits and Others 
 
 LASALLE CORBELL PICKETT 
 
 [MRS. GENERAL GEORGE E. PICKBTT] 
 Author of " Pickett and His Men," etc., etc. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED BY 
 
 M. MUEDEN AND WILL H. CHANDLEE 
 
 In de IHiz Series-Uolune T 
 
 TWlasbington 
 THE NEALE Co., PUBLISHERS 
 
 MCM
 
 Copyrighted, 1900, by The Nele Co.
 
 Xovfnglg 
 
 to 
 B bos anD bid 
 
 2047^
 
 PREFACE 
 
 THE art of printing, in bringing to the 
 world much that is good, robbed it of a 
 beauty that can never be restored the 
 priceless traditions of primitive races. In 
 the Golden Age a story descended from 
 father to son through all generations 
 from a beginning in a past so remote that 
 its origin was lost in dim antiquity. 
 With the passage of the years it mellowed 
 and deepened and grew vivid with sun- 
 light as a cask of wine that lies through 
 dim ages in a vault will hold to its heart 
 the glow of the sun that warmed it into 
 
 1 vii
 
 Wit PREFACE 
 
 life when it huiig upon the vine, until it 
 crystalizes into liquid jewels. 
 
 The endless succession of pictures pre- 
 sented to the mind widens the horizon 
 but lowers the zenith and limits the 
 nadir. The permanence which gave 
 majesty to the tradition is superseded by 
 the evanescence of the new thought which 
 shimmers for a moment upon the world 
 only to pass away when a new idea shall 
 have been evolved. 
 
 The tradition is garbed in its own 
 peculiar form of speech. The idea and 
 the expression linger together with the 
 primitive races until advancing civiliza- 
 tion with its subtle devices of writing, 
 printing and reading has invaded the 
 realm where poetry and imagination still 
 dwell in the twilight of the gods and has 
 destroyed, first, the original concept, and 
 then more gradually the peculiar idiom 
 in which that concept was draped.
 
 PREFACE IX 
 
 The African races have retained their 
 ancient tales up to, or even beyond, the 
 incursions of progress into the domain of 
 the primitive mythologies. Their tradi- 
 tions preserve the invariableness of an 
 antique statue upon which succeeding 
 generations look with admiration and de- 
 light, but which never lifts an eyelid nor 
 changes a pose in recognition of the 
 changing fashions of the day. ' ' En he 
 put his foot dar," says a youthful and 
 inexperienced raconteur. " No, no, 
 chile," hastily corrects the gray-haired 
 sire, ' ' He put his foot yer. ' ' The story 
 can not proceed until the foot is put 
 " yer," as it always has been since the 
 beginning. 
 
 When an ambitious master of the newly 
 evolved arts fancies that he has discovered 
 that the foot was put "dar" instead oi 
 1 ' yer " he is regarded as a savant of great 
 glory, and the whole intellectual and
 
 X PREFACE 
 
 scientific world thereafter sees that mem- 
 ber in its newly authorized position, and 
 if any man dares behold it anywhere else 
 he is immediately relegated to barbarism. 
 The primitive African mind regards an 
 effort to change the location of that tradi- 
 tional foot as heretical and profane. Thus 
 with each minor incident and movement 
 in the entire story. 
 
 The philosophy of the old-time African 
 servitor was of the most consoling char- 
 acter. He preached the gospel of con- 
 tentment, perhaps as divine as any other 
 principle of the moral law, comforting in 
 this manner those who railed against their 
 limitations : 
 
 "You 'bleeged ter be satusfied wid 
 w'at you's got. Nobody hain't got ebby- 
 t'ing in dis worl'. Now, dar's de light- 
 nin' bug, he hain't got no stinger. En 
 dar's de moskeeter, he hain't got no lamp.
 
 PREFACE XI 
 
 You see, dey kyan' bofe hab de same 
 t'ing." 
 
 To us who learned the dialect of the 
 old-time slave with the first lispings of 
 our untrained tongues, there has come no 
 other language to usurp its place in our 
 hearts. It is a part of the sunlight of 
 childhood, the radiance of which yet 
 lights our pathway to the ever-nearing 
 west. It belongs with the joy of youth, 
 like the fragrance of the flowers that 
 bloomed in the old home garden and the 
 trill of the birds that made melody for us 
 in the days when the world was full of 
 music, before we had remotely dreamed 
 that time would set the song of our lives 
 to minor chords and that our joyous lyrics 
 of welcome for the living would sometime 
 change to dirges of farewell to the dead. 
 
 We of the old-time South are far away 
 from the nights of mystic fascination 
 when, with the curiosity of keen-eyed,
 
 Xll PREFACE 
 
 sharp-eared childhood, sitting in the 
 deepening gloom of twilight, watching 
 the sparks from the flaming logs go glit- 
 tering up the chimney, wondering what 
 message from the glowing heart of the 
 fire they carried up to the pale stars, we 
 listened to some awesome tradition from 
 the lips of an old white-haired ' ' Uncle, ' ' 
 a relic of his own childhood and of many 
 childhoods previous to his. Or it might 
 be some pathetic story of his own exper- 
 ience that would chain us there until 
 nurse came for the little ones, and earnest 
 admonitions from parents or guardians 
 would warn older young people that 
 further indulgence would not be granted. 
 We have read many a popular novel 
 since then, many a scientific treatise 
 artistically veiled in iridescent romanti- 
 cism for the ensnaring of the unwary, 
 many a sociological dissertation cun- 
 ningly done into fiction to render it
 
 PREFACE x^i^ 
 
 palatable to our frivolous tastes, but 
 never have we met with such enchanting 
 literary works as those which beguiled 
 the mystic evenings of plantation child- 
 hood. 
 
 I have made my dialect, if I may so 
 call it, phonetically genuine. The final 
 consonant is rarely sounded. Short 
 words and possessives are slighted, and 
 the constant elision, though musical, 
 makes it difficult. "R" is generally 
 pronounced " ah " " Spare, ' ' " spyah, ' ' 
 etc. 
 
 The negroes are fond of long words 
 often making a misapplication of them. 
 " Reverent," for instance, they use for 
 ' ' violent " or " excessive. " " Stronagin ' ' 
 is another favorite expression, which com- 
 bines the words "extraordinary," "as- 
 tounding, " " strong, ' ' and ' ' strange. ' ' 
 ' ' Projeckin' ' ' is yet another, which 
 means not only to fool or play with, to
 
 XIV PREFACE 
 
 presume to interfere with, but to take an 
 unjustifiable, unwarranted liberty with. 
 
 They use many obsolete words, such as 
 ' ' deracinate, " " ineluctable, ' ' and many 
 Anglo-Saxon forms, such as " hit " for 
 "it," "tote" for "carry," and "atter" 
 for " after," and double negatives always ; 
 such as, " You hain't seen nobody 'roun' 
 yer w'at don' want ter hire nobody, is 
 you ? " 
 
 I have tried to portray their quaint and 
 homely humor, their strange exaltation 
 of mind and temperament, their pathetic 
 and sympathetic natures, their supersti- 
 tions and sentiments, their strange char- 
 acteristics. They like generally to make 
 the weaker side victorious, mischief to 
 triumph over malice, and helplessness a 
 virtue. 
 
 They are peculiarly reticent about cer- 
 tain things. They seldom speak freely 
 to a stranger, and never relate their
 
 PREFACE XV 
 
 legends to one whom they do not know 
 well. 
 
 Herbert H. Smith, author of " Brazil 
 and the Amazons," ascribes the origin of 
 many of their stories to the South Ameri- 
 can Indians, but where did our negro 
 come in contact with them ? The Vis- 
 conde de Rio Branco, the Brazilian his- 
 torian, proved a relationship between 
 them and the ancient Egyptians and Tupi 
 Indians. The animal stories and legends 
 were certainly, however, brought from 
 Africa, but whether they originated there 
 or with the Anahs, or with yet older na- 
 tions, is unknown. Whether the Indians 
 got them from the negroes or from earlier 
 sources is also unknown. ' ' Br'er Rabbit ' ' 
 can be traced back to the stories of the 
 Buddha. The Buddhists regarded the 
 hare always with the greatest possible 
 veneration, and Jataka is but the Tar 
 Baby story revived.
 
 xvi PREFACE 
 
 The negro has no linguistic laws. He 
 imitates as best he can what he hears. 
 He does not originate, but his imitations 
 are often so grotesque, and so far from the 
 actual thing which he is attempting to 
 imitate, as to pass among unaccustomed 
 hearers as original expressions evolved 
 from his own consciousness. His dialect 
 varies, also, with climate and geograph- 
 ical locality. The speech of Virginia is 
 not exactly like that of many other 
 Southern States, and the lingo in vogue 
 on the rice plantations of the Sea Islands 
 of the South Atlantic States and the dia- 
 lect of the wheat fields and cotton planta- 
 tions have a very marked difference. 
 
 One of the most remarkable character- 
 istics of the old-time Southern blacks was 
 a gentleness of voice which seemed to 
 have persisted through all the generations 
 which had intervened between them and 
 their origin in a languorous oriental
 
 PREFACE XVli 
 
 country. The pathetic sweetness which 
 made the old plantation melodies the 
 most touching music known to western 
 ears was no less noticeable in their con- 
 versational tones. With a tropical soft- 
 ness of nature they instinctively avoided 
 all harsh sounds, sometimes to the in- 
 finite mystification of unaccustomed 
 minds. In their smooth phraseology, 
 " eider-down " was readily converted into 
 1 ' iodine ' ' without the interposition of any 
 scientific process known to chemistry. 
 
 This pathetically musical speech is fast 
 dying away with the old-time slave, the 
 old-time master, the old-time life. To 
 one in whose memory it yet lingers in 
 softest cadences it is a pleasant task to 
 jot down all of it that can be transferred 
 to the printed page. The characteristic 
 tones will not remain, the quaint ex- 
 pression is lacking, the half unconscious 
 gestures, the mystic swayings to and fro,
 
 XVlll PREFACE 
 
 will all vanish with the actors in the old 
 plantation drama. There will yet linger 
 only the silent printed form to convey to 
 the future some idea of the olden dialect, 
 when the western gate shall have swung, 
 open for the last of those to whom that 
 speech was a loved familiar sound, and 
 they who told the quaint old stories 
 and they who listened shall all alike 
 have passed into the glory beyond the 
 sunset. 
 
 LASAI<I,B CORBELL PICKBTT.
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 Page 
 
 PREFACE 7 
 
 IN DE Miz 21 
 
 MAKSE TOM'S KUNNOO SPERITS . . 43 
 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES . . 83 
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 117 
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 Facing 
 Page 
 
 Portrait of the author . . . Frontispiece 
 
 " 'Twuz a long time ago " ... 21 
 
 " In the Dismal Swamp " ... 43 
 
 " I crope ter de do', en knock soff " . . 83 
 " De po' dorg sot en watched 'em, but 
 needer did he bark ner needer did 
 
 he whine" 117 
 
 xix
 
 'Twuz a long time ago."
 
 KUNNOO SPERITS AND OTHERS 
 
 IN DE MIZ 
 
 WILL those of my readers who do 
 not know the ways and hearts of 
 my colored people of the Old South 
 kindly read first this explanation, or 
 extenuation, as it may be, of my old 
 black mammy's origin of her race? 
 
 As I wrote "In de Miz " memory 
 took me back across the years to the 
 time when life's water was wine, 
 tinted golden with the sunlight of 
 morning, sparkling with the jewels of 
 youth and love. It made me a child
 
 22 IN DE MIZ 
 
 again, looking up into the dear, dusky 
 face of that beloved black mammy, lis- 
 tening with my unhurt, unclouded 
 faith to the folklore of her speculative 
 midnight race, as she solved in her 
 own random, shadowy way the dim 
 mysteries of creation, giving expres- 
 sion to thoughts that strike reason 
 dumb, while her passiveness, obedi- 
 ence, wise submission, loyalty and 
 love made no quiritation of wrongs to 
 right. 
 
 There was no word held in more 
 reverential love and fear by the faith- 
 ful Southern slave than the one word 
 1 * Master. ' ' The divided service of his 
 soul was between his Master and his 
 God. His religion, fraught with the 
 supernatural, was as broad as the nar- 
 row grasp of his poor mind could com-
 
 IN DE MIZ 2J 
 
 pass. His conception of the greatness 
 of God was measured by his crude and 
 untrained brain. 
 
 In his eyes the taking of a "chaw" 
 iof tobacco was a dignified, luxurious 
 custom, and one liberally indulged in, 
 as a rule, by his paragon of perfection, 
 the Southern master. 
 
 To have said u Lawd," in speaking 
 of Him to little children, without the 
 prefix of the word "Marse" (Master) 
 would have been unwonted familiarity 
 with the omnipotent, all-wise, all- 
 merciful Great Being. Nor was the 
 old-time slave wanting in respect and 
 reverence in the frequent use of His 
 Name when speaking to those of his 
 own age, always calling upon it to 
 emphasize or verify a statement or ex- 
 press surprise.
 
 24 IN DE MIZ 
 
 There was no want of reverence in 
 his comparison of his Heavenly Father 
 with his earthly Master, and the rapt 
 co-partnership which he conceived to 
 exist between those two almost equally 
 sacred beings ; but, instead thereof, a 
 sublime recognition in his simple heart 
 of the fellowship of God and man, and 
 an intuitive conception of two-ness 
 as one-ness, of the incompleteness of 
 man apart from God verifying the 
 poet's thought : 
 
 " So close is glory to our dust ; 
 So near is God to man."
 
 IN DE MIZ 25 
 
 '"DEED, Honey, hit is de gospel 
 trufe, leas' wise dat's de way I yearn 
 hit tole, en I hain' t nebber yearn hit 
 'sputed. ' Tain' t no use er deze yer nig- 
 gers bein' so a'rified 'bout hit, needer. 
 En w'at I yearn you gits straight jes' lak 
 I yearn hit, en dat is Dat ef 'twan't fer 
 de w'ite folks dar wouldn' be no nig- 
 %ers, dat is, dar wouldn' be none ter 
 year tell er. 
 
 u 'Twuz a long time ago, way in de 
 beginnin', w'en dar wan't no funda- 
 ment en no plantashuns, en dar wa'n't 
 but jes' only one pusson a libin' ober yer 
 den, en He wuz Marse Jesus' Pa. En 
 He, mun ! wa'n't only de goodes' en de 
 gre'tes', de outnes' en mos' surwiguses, 
 but He wuz de mos' stronges', mos'
 
 26 IN DE MIZ 
 
 swifies' pusson ebber wuz. Ebbyt'ing 
 den wuz His'n, en dough He wuz dat 
 rich en had so much persesshuns 
 b'longin' ter 'im, He could tu'n His 
 han' en mek any t' ing He sot His min' 
 'pon en mek hit out er nuttin', at 
 dat. 
 
 "De firs' en fo'mus' t'ingHe meked 
 dough wuz His bes', en co'se hit ought 
 ter be, w'en you comes ter dat, kaze 
 'twuz His own home Heaben. 
 
 u Atter dat He meked de ye'th en de 
 sea en all dat 'In de Miz,' en den 
 res'ed Hisse'f de Sebenf day eu hal- 
 lowed hit. 
 
 "But dar hain't nobody nebberyeard 
 nuttin' 'tall 'bout dem t'ings dat's * In 
 de Miz.' Per, you see, 'twuz lak dis, 
 w'en Marse Lawd sp'iled any t' ing He 
 wuz a mekin' er, no matter w'at-some-
 
 IN DE MIZ 27 
 
 ebber hit wuz, He flung hit ret smack 
 'In de Miz,' kaze ef He hadn', He 
 couldn' a said w'en He wuz done en 
 thoo wid all His wuk dat 'He saw 
 'twuz good.' Well, hit wuz gittin* 
 to'ds de een' er de week en moughty 
 nigh on ter Sunday, en Marse Lawd 
 'gun ter study 'bout w'at He wuz 
 gwine ter mek naix en a 'terminin' in 
 His min' w'ile He wuz a studdyin' 
 dat His las' piece er wuk should out- 
 shine all de yudder pieces. Well, 
 w'ile He wuz mekin' up His min' en 
 ponderin' 'bout w'at 'twould be, He 
 tuck de pail en went 'long ter de well 
 ter draw some water, w'en jes' 'fo' He 
 let de bucket down, lo-en-beholes ! He 
 seed Hisse'f 'fleeted. Ez soon ez ebber 
 He got ober His 'miration en 'stonish- 
 meut at de moughty grangerments en
 
 28 IN DE MIZ 
 
 grannificents er de han'some, bufeful 
 'flection dat He seed a lay in' dar flat on 
 de top er de deep, cool, smoobe water, 
 He stop studdyin' en t'inkin' en 'low 
 dat, ez long ez He tu'nt out so many 
 good jobs, He b'leebed He 'd try en 
 juplicate dat lakness dat He jes' seed 
 'fleeted er Hisse'f. 
 
 " Den I s'pose He t'ink, too, w'eii 
 He look 'roun' 'im, en seed all de lan's 
 en chatt'l 'state en y udder prop'ty dat 
 b' longs ter 'im dat hit's a moughty po' 
 bee dat don' mek mo' honey dan he 
 wants fer hisse'f. But dat's needer yer 
 ner needer dar, fer 'twan't mo' dan 
 'cided 'tween Hisse'f en His own min' 
 'fo' He stop foolin' en lookin' at Hisse'f 
 en tuck en drawed de water up quick, 
 en went 'long in a trot en ondo de 
 wuk-shop do' en git out His tools
 
 IN DE MIZ 29 
 
 ag'in, en tuck some er de ve'y ye'th 
 whar He meked a We'n'sday, en rollt 
 up His sleebes en shobed His hat 
 back offn His forehead, tuck a chaw 
 er terbacker en went ter wuk. En 
 den en dar He meked a couple er In- 
 'iz-Images, meked 'em jes' lak de one 
 He seed 'fleeted in de well (He allers 
 meked two er de same kin' er t'ing, 
 you know), en He meked dem In-'iz- 
 Images perzackly fer de worl' jes' 
 lak He wuz Hisse'f jes' ez purty, en 
 jes' ez fat en plump, en jes' ez lakly 
 lookin', too. Kaze de Lawd ain't got 
 nar' sumptions, stingyfied, jealousome 
 bone in His whole body. 
 
 "Bimeby, atter He git thoo, He 
 call Marse Gabe, dat wuz His oberseer, 
 de haid man 'bout de place w'at bosses 
 de han's, en tole 'im ter g'long fotch
 
 30 IN DE MIZ 
 
 de w'eelbarr' en tek bofe dem dar In- 
 'iz-Images en sot 'em in de sun whar 
 dey could be a dryin' derese'fs. Dey 
 wa'n't name mens w'en Marse Gabe 
 firs' seed 'em, dey wuz name In-'iz- 
 Images, you know, 'twel atter dey'd 
 dried derese'fs. 
 
 "Well, sub, de way Marse Gabe 
 open his eyes en mek 'miration w'en 
 he seed w'at he did see, gin 'im pop 
 eyes fer de res' er his life, but he 
 knowed his place, dough, en he ain't 
 say nuttin', sep'n jes' ter totch his hat 
 en scrope his foots en bow his haid, 
 kaze he wuz moughty aspeckful, en 
 say, sezzee : ' Yas, suh ; yas, suh. ' 
 
 4 ' Den Marse Gabe tuck up de two 
 In-'iz-Images jes' ez keerful ez he kin, 
 but he wuz skeered er 'em, dough, en 
 tarrified widin a inch er his life, leas'-
 
 IN DE MIZ 31 
 
 wise his knees wuz moughty sheky en 
 he had a moughty funny feelin' in de 
 nayberhood er his gizzard (ef he wa'n't 
 skeered en tarrified), but he tuck 'em, 
 dough, en lay 'em down easy en mil' 
 in de bottom er de w'eelbarr'; den he 
 spit in his han's en amble off in a kind 
 er pace-trot-ca-pluck-a-te-pluck, ca- 
 pluck-a-te-pluck, ontwel he corned up 
 'long side er de apple dryer, whar de 
 sun wuz hottes'. Den he tuck 'em out, 
 jes' ez gingerly en keerful ez ef dey'd 
 been a pyar er sneks, en sot 'em up 
 'g'inst de behime side er de apple 
 dryer en lef 'em, den went 'long 
 'boutn his yudder bizness a sorter 
 foolin' en dallyin' roun' ontwel his 
 Marser lay down ter tek His nap lak 
 He mos' in gen'ally do ebby ebenin'. 
 u His Marser wa'n't 'feared er ober-
 
 32 IN DE MIZ 
 
 sleepin' Hisse'f, needer. Nor, suh ! 
 He knowed p'intedly datHe wuz gwine 
 ter wek up perzackly ter de ve'y minit 
 dat His In-'iz-Images wuz dry 'nuff fer 
 'im ter wuk on ag'in, w'ich He did, 
 sho-nuff. 
 
 "Den He call Marse Gabe en tole 
 'im fer ter g'long en fetch dem In-'iz- 
 Images fer 'im ter put some bref in, en 
 finish up. Marse Gabe tuck off his hat 
 ag'in, pull his fo'lock en scrope his ret 
 foots back'ards en bow low, jes' lak he 
 did 'fo', en say, 'Yas, Suh,' en amble 
 off ag'in wid de w'eelbarr', ca-pluck- 
 a-te-pluck. But lawz-er-mussy 'pon 
 us ! Wen Marse Gabe git ter de place 
 whar he knowed he lef dem In-'iz- 
 Images, dar wa'n't but one er 'em dar. 
 He look ebbywhar, but 'tain't no use, 
 he kyan' fin' but jes' byarly de one dat
 
 IN DE MIZ 33 
 
 he seed w'en he firs' driv hisse'f up. 
 He look en he look en he look, den he 
 scrotch his haid, en studdy, en look 
 ag'in, monst'ous pestered 'boutn hit, 
 too, en a wukkin' his thunkin' ma- 
 chine for all he knowed. 
 
 "He fotch bofe, en dar wa'n't but 
 one en w'ile he wuz a kalkulatin' 
 how dat could a poserble happen, 
 w'edder some er dem varments, er 
 beasteses, er cropiii' t'ings dat wuz 
 rneked dat same Saddy mawnin' could 
 er kotch de missin' one, en wuz a 
 jawin' ter hisse'f en a sayin' dat folks 
 w'ats allers pesterin' en bodderin' 
 'longw'at ain't dar'n en w' at dey hain't 
 got no bizness wid, ought ter nebber 
 come ter no good een', en needer ought 
 beasteses en varments ez ter dat, no 
 mo' dan real pussons ; en w'ile he wuz
 
 34 IN DE MIZ 
 
 a jawin' en a lookin' he yeard Marse 
 Lawd's woice a callin' out loud : 
 
 " 'Gabe, G-a-b-e ; you-u-u Gabe, 
 come 'long dar wid you, you lazy ros- 
 kal, you! Wat you trollopin' 'long 
 dar fer, suh, a was' in' all my time? 
 You gwine ter tek all day ter fetch my 
 wuk ter me, suh? You better come 
 'long 'fo' you fin' out who is w'ich, en 
 w'ich is who !' 
 
 "Marse Gabe tromble all ober lak a 
 askin leaf, but he knowed he ain't got 
 no time ter fool 'long dat losted one no 
 mo'; he knowed he wuz 'bleeged ter 
 git up en git. So he tuck de one dat 
 wuz lef' en tuck hisse'f off en kyard 
 'im 'long jes' ez fas' ez he kin trot. 
 He wuz fyarly kivered wid mud en 
 inoughty nigh out er win' w'en he 
 brung up 'longside er de wuk-shop 
 en hist 'im out
 
 IN DE MIZ 35 
 
 14 En I tell you he lay moughty low, 
 en hain't say nuttin' 'tall 'bout de 
 y udder one whar he couldn' fin', kaze 
 he thunk mebbe Marse Lawd mought 
 er fergit Hisse'f 'bout dar bein' two er 
 'em, but He didn'. No, mun ! dat 
 He didn'. 
 
 41 W y , dey say dat Marse Lawd is dat 
 Uickular, dat He tuck a count er all de 
 sparrows en number de ve'y hyars er 
 dar haids w'en He meked 'em. En 
 w'en He seed dar wa'n't but one er de 
 In-'iz-Images whar He'd jes' done en 
 meked He cl'ared up His th'oat, en talk 
 biggerty, jes' lak He did once To', long 
 time alter dis time, dough. Dey wuz 
 out er do's den in de gyarden, in de cool 
 er de day, en 'twuz dat same day dey 
 said dat Marse Adam en his wife hid 
 derese'fs, en dey say, too, dat dat time 
 you could year His woicea walkin'.
 
 36 IN DR MIZ 
 
 "Well, He crowded His eyebrows 
 up tergedder, sorter shet up bofe eyes 
 kinder surwigus en fierce lak, en said, 
 sezzee : ' Boy ! Whar is dat yudder 
 one?' Marse Gabe look raoughty 
 sheepish en slunk back'ards. 'Twuz 
 tetch-en-go, rnun ! wid 'im, I tell you. 
 So he spuck moughty humble en 
 feeble lak, en say, * Wuz dar two er 
 'em ? ' Well, de wu'd wa'n't mo' dan 
 out er his mouf, w'en he seed 'twan't 
 no use projeckin' wid Marse Lawd, 
 kaze, ' twix de bug en de bee-martin, 
 Hain't hard ter tell w'ich is gwine ter 
 git kotch,' so he up en tell all 'bout 
 hit, how 'ticular he wuz, how he sot 
 bofe er 'em down tergedder, tetchiu' 
 wunner-nudder, sides by sides, en how 
 he went 'long den, 'tendin' ter his 
 yudder bizness, en how dat w'en he
 
 IN DE MIZ 37 
 
 come 'long back ag'in ter fetch 'em 
 bofe jes' lak lie wuz tole dar wa'n't 
 but jes' byarly one ter behole, en he 
 ' low dat he wuz gwine ter keep on a 
 lookin', dough, ontwel he'd foun' de 
 y udder one, w'en he yeard hisse'f 
 called. 
 
 "DenMarse Lawd look 'dignant, 
 His woice ro', de ye'th shuck, en He 
 'spon' out loud : 'Gabe, Gabe, go 
 fetch dat yudder missin' one, ' Den 
 Marse Gabe say, jes' lak de patter- 
 roller wuz behime 'im, 'Yas, Suh, I 
 gwine ret 'long, Suh,' en he huddle 
 hisse'f up tergedder sorter skittish, lak 
 he wuz a dodgin' sump'n, en went 
 'long back en tuck all de pains he kin. 
 He look firs' one side en den de yudder, 
 den he bat his eyes en hong his haid 
 down moneful en perjected, en wuz jes'
 
 38 IN DE MIZ 
 
 gwine ter gin up de s'arch, en hump 
 hisse'f en g'long back en git w'at he 
 knowed dar wuz fer 'im, w'en he on- 
 bat his eyes en drapped 'em down en 
 looked, en, lo-en-beholes ! dar crouched 
 all up in a lump ker-flap 'pon de 
 groun' wuz dat yudder missin' one. 
 W'y, a li'l' mo' en Marse Gabe would 
 er trompled on 'im. 
 
 " Den he 'skivered dat he wuz 
 bu'nt brack es a coal, mouf wide open, 
 w'ite teef a shinin' en jambya poun' er 
 wool on his haid whar de sun done all 
 kink up. 'Fas' asleep, too, I 'clar' ter 
 grashus,' sezzee. I s'poze he'd done 
 git ter noddin' en fall ober, er he 
 mought er git kotch wid a emptiness 
 in de pit er de stummuck a hoanin* 
 atter sump'n t' eat. But anyhow, dar 
 he wuz, jes' lak I tell you, en some
 
 IN DE MIZ 39 
 
 folks do say, dat dat's de 'kazion er 
 niggers bein' so sleepy h aided ter dis 
 day, dat dey wuz meked dat-a-way at 
 firs\ Well, Marse Gabe he crope 
 down on his all-fo's en tuck de po j 
 brack t'ing up en put 'im in de w'eel- 
 barr', en amble off ag'in en kyar 'im 
 'long ter Marse Lawd jes' ez fas' ez he 
 kin trot, ca-pluck-a-te-pluck, ca-pluck- 
 a-te-pluck. 
 
 " Now, den, w'en Marse L*awd look 
 en seed dat His wuk wuz all sp'iled en 
 mint, dat de sun had done en bu'nt 
 hit ez brack ez a charcoal, He shuck 
 His haid, en bat His eyes, en tu'n up 
 His nose kinder disgustin' lak, en say: 
 1 He ain't wuff foolin' away my time 
 wid, en a boderin' ober, so tek 'im, 
 Gabe tek 'im, en g'long en fling 'im 
 "In de Miz."
 
 40 IN DE MIZ 
 
 " By clat time Marse Lawd wuz done 
 en thoo wid polishin' up en puttin' 
 bref in dat firs' one, en you know, 
 mini! he wuz a-stan'in' up dar 'long 
 side er Marse Lawd lookin' pariently 
 lak he thunk he wuz in a crowd, wid 
 his han's in his britches-pocket, hat 
 cocked on one side, smokin' a seegyar. 
 En he wuz talkin' moughty uppity en 
 moughty familyus lak ter Marse Lawd, 
 too. Yas, suh ! jes' lak he wuz some- 
 body considerbul a' ready, a puttin' on 
 a'rs en a wigglin' de ashes ofF'n de 
 een' er his seegyar wid his li'l' finger. 
 En mo' dan dat, suh ; he tuck en bo- 
 daciously open up de confab hisse*f~w\& 
 Marse Lawd 'bout his po' bu'nt pard- 
 ner whar wuz a lyin' dar in de bottom 
 er de w'eelbarr' en whar in a ininit 
 mo' en Marse Gabe would er had Mm
 
 IN DE MIZ 41 
 
 flung smack ' In de Miz,' en spuck up 
 en say, jes' ez 'sumptions, too, ez you 
 please, bowin' en a smilin' en twis'in' 
 his merstach : 'Ah ! 'skuze me, Lawd, 
 'skuze me,' sezzee, 'but, ah don' 
 'stroy 'im, please ; don' fling 'im " In de 
 Miz" ; ah go on go on en finish 'im 
 up, en gi' 'im terme ter wait on me.' 
 "En so de Lord did. He retched 
 ret up, en git His kya'vin' knife down 
 ag'in, en kya'ved offn de looses' er de 
 bu'nt po'tions en den tuck some san' 
 paper en polish 'im, en fix 'im up 
 de bcs> He kin outn a bad job, en gin 
 'im ter de w'ite man ter wait on 'im. 
 Dey named 'im 'Nigger,' kaze dey 
 spuck de Greek fore'n langwidge in 
 dem days, en brack wuz 'nigger.' En 
 Marse Lawd gin dis nigger In-' iz-Image 
 ter de w'ite man ter wait on 'im den in
 
 42 IN DE MIZ 
 
 de ve'y begmuin* en he's been a waitin' 
 on l im ebber sence, fum dat time forre'd 
 ontwel dis present day. En hit's one 
 er deze yer jobs w'ats gwine ter las' a 
 long time yas, suh, jes' ez long ez de 
 Ham-begats kin Ham-begat mo' Ham- 
 begats, en don* you fergit dat off yo' 
 min', needer. Hit's 'bleeged ter be 
 dat-a-way. 'Twan't none er we-all's 
 choosin'. We's boim' ter mek de bes' 
 er hit. De moon may shine, but a 
 lightered knot is inoughty handy ter 
 hab roun*, en Gord knows, hit's better 
 ter be sump'n dan nuttin'. En hit's 
 all jes' lak I tell you, Honey, en dat is 
 dis Ef hit hadn' been fer de w'ite 
 folks dar wouldn' be no niggers, dat 
 is, dar wouldn' be none ter year tell er, 
 fer dat firs' nigger In-'iz-Image would 
 er been flung ' In de Miz.' "
 
 '/?* the Dixinul Xt
 
 MARSE TOM'S KUNNOO 
 SPERITS 
 
 '"SCRIBE de lake er de Dismal 
 Swamp? W'y, Boss, you kyan' see hit 
 ter 'scribe hit 'twel you gits jamby 
 'pon top er hit, en den you's so s' prized 
 en 'stonished dat mos' all yo' bref's 
 tuck outn you en strangulates yo' 
 words 'fo' dey kin git a chance ter 
 leabe yo' mouf. Co'se you kyan' 'scribe 
 hit den ef you would. 
 
 "But you ain't got daryit ; mo' dan 
 dat, you habs ter go ha' f way thoo de 
 swamp To' you kin git dar, anyhow, 
 en de swamp hitse' f is thutty mile long 
 one way, dough, bein' sorter slab-sided,
 
 44 MARSE TOM'S 
 
 'tain't dat fur de yudder. Deu ag'in 
 you's bleeged ter grabble moughty 
 deep fer yo' term'nashun, en fer pas- 
 sifycation er yo' pashtmce de whole 
 endurin' way fer ter git dar at all, wid 
 de groun' a tromblin' en a tromblin' 
 ebby step you fetches ; dat is, ef you 
 goes dat way, fer on de wes' aidge er 
 de swamp de groun' is jes' ez hard ez 
 a rock, dough, you year me ! you got 
 ter walk thoo water knee deep ter 
 tetch de groun' den. En, mun ! de 
 bigges' pine trees you ebber seed grows 
 ret dar in dat ve'y place. 
 
 "Ag'in, on de yudder aidge er de 
 swamp de reeds grows fo'teen footses 
 high, en gre't tall bamboo briahs filled 
 wid long thawns tangulates de reeds 
 in-en-out, in-en-out, lakreg'lar 'nittin' 
 wuk, but 'long to'ds de souf side, jes*
 
 KUNNOO SPER1TS 45 
 
 ez fur ez you kin see, is a wavin' green 
 sea. ' Green Sea ' is de name dey gin 
 hit, 'count er hits sho-nuff lakness 
 ter de real sea, kaze dar ain't nar' sin- 
 gle drap er water dar fer ter mek no 
 sea out er. Co'se de green reeds is 
 growin' dar, en dey stays green, too, 
 de whole endurin' time, I don' kyar 
 ef de snow is on de groun' er how de 
 wedder is, en den w'en de win' is a 
 rushin' thoo deze reeds hit do soun' 
 sho-nuff fer all de worl' lak de ro'in' 
 er de oshun. 
 
 " But ef dar ain't 'nuflf water dar in 
 dat perzack spot ter jesterfy de name 
 4 sea ' dat dey all gin hit, dar is plenty, 
 deLawd knows, ebbywharelsein sight, 
 let 'lone dem five big ribers, ter say 
 auttin' 'bout de creeks dat rises 'way 
 an'neaf de groun', out er sight. Bn
 
 46 MARSK TOM'S 
 
 all 'long de endurin' way, en mos' 
 anywhar in de swamp, ez ter dat, 
 you kin fin' stuck in de trees tommy- 
 hawkses, en hatchets, en arrer haids, 
 fer de ole folks say dat de whole place 
 b' longed ter de Injuns once, en dat de 
 Injuns had hit fer dar fabrit lumtin' 
 groun' 'twel de King tuck hit 'way 
 fum 'em widout leabe ner lisunce, en 
 gin hit ter Marse Ginul Washin'ton, 
 'count er his fittin' de reberlishunmerry 
 war fer 'im. I'll berboun' dat dem 
 Injuns libed high w'en dey did ownt 
 hit, too, 'sides habin' a lot er sport out er 
 hit, fer eben now dar's de mo'est deers 
 en ole hyars en rackoonzes en byars en 
 possums en wile tuckeys in abunnauce 
 all thoo en thoo hit. 
 
 "Atterde King gin hit ter Marse 
 Ginul Washin'ton hit wa'n't a bressed
 
 KUNNOO SPERITS 47 
 
 bit er use ter 'im, en hit wa'n't no 
 'count needer sep'n fer de timber, 
 kaze Marse Ginul wa'n't no coon- 
 hunter ner no byar-hunter; en de Ian' 
 all lay sich a way he couldn' raise no 
 craps 'pon hit. De woods wuz dar, I 
 'low, but atter dey wuz cut down, how 
 wuz he gwine ter git de lumber out. 
 Marse Ginul Washin'ton, dough, had a 
 heap er gumpshun, I tell you, en he 
 studdy en studdy 'bout hit a good long 
 time, en den he git a passle er de nay- 
 bers, en lak de ' Postles in de Bible dey 
 all fetched a compass en went 'long 
 out wid dis compass en chain en sur- 
 wayed a way. Den dey all got some 
 mo' peoples dat libed 'roun' 'bout dar, 
 en dey all han's er 'em j'ined in ter- 
 gedder en dug a ditch. Dey dug dis 
 ditch jes' whar de Ginul en de firs'
 
 48 MARSE TOM'S 
 
 passle er naybers dat went out had 
 marked hit off wid de compass, en dat 
 ve'y ditch is beknownst ez 'Washin'- 
 ton's Ditch' ter dis day. Along time 
 atter dis, dey cut de Jerrycho Kunnal, 
 w'ich wuz a heap mo' handy fer 'em 
 all, en 'sides dat, dey meked hit tetch 
 on ter Shingle Creek, en Shingle Creek 
 wuz nachul water, you know, en didn' 
 git outer order lak kunnals does, en 
 den ag'in de creek shortent de way fer 
 'em all ter git out de lumber. 
 
 "Well, w'en you gits nigher on ter 
 de middle er de swamp whar de trees is 
 highes' en bigges', en greenes', too, 
 'sep'n whar de win' done bruck some 
 er 'em off, en stuck 'em down haid-fo'- 
 mus' in de bog, er meked 'em fall ober 
 en ride topmus' er wunner-nudder, en 
 den in dat case you sees de w'ite- peeled
 
 KTJNNOO SPERITS 49 
 
 snags er de trees stan'in' up in de a'r 
 'long side de turer one's green tops, 
 w' ile dar green tops is downmus' . En 
 ebby one er de bodies er deze big trees, 
 w'edder dey is upside down er down- 
 side up, is entanglemented wid wood- 
 binze, en yaller jeserminz flowers, en 
 grapewines in bloom, too, kaze in dar 
 hit's lak de spring time all de yeah 
 roun', en de mosses en p'izen wines is 
 twistid ebby w'ich-er-way wid de on- 
 p'izen ones, en is all mingulatin' up 
 tergedder wid wunner-nudder, 'twel I 
 be dad-blame, mun ! ef you could git 
 thoo ter de Lake er de Dismal Swamp 
 widout gwine roun' on de yudder side, 
 ef you didn' know whar de gap wuz. 
 
 * ' But, Jimmerny Crimerny ! Big 
 Bethel Do' ! ! Jerusalem Crickets ! ! ! 
 Wen you does git thoo, en sees w'at
 
 50 MARSE TOM'S 
 
 you does see sees dat onnachul pon' 
 full er water ret fo'raus' you, en all 
 roun' de sho' jes' ez green ez green 
 kin be, de flowers all a bloomin' 
 de wile cats en pole cats a shreelin' 
 en a shreechin' de birds a singin' 
 chunes de byars agrowlin' de deers 
 a spluugin' in de waters de fishes a 
 jumpin' up en down de sneks en 
 reptilezes dat hangs in gre't bunches 
 all 'roun' ebbywhar, a drappin' in 
 de water kerblunkitty-blink, ker- 
 chunk, kerchunk ! de squir'ls chat'- 
 rin' lak dey wuz talkin' ter wunner- 
 nudder deyaller flies en muskeetersez 
 en bees a hummin' en a buzzin' de 
 crawfishes en mud-tuckles en tar' pins 
 bo' in en soggin in de mud de spring 
 lizzuds en skorpi'ns a jumpin' thoo 
 de branches de ole hyars gwine lip-
 
 KUNNOO SPERITS 51 
 
 per ty- clip thoo de underbresh de 
 squeechowls a liootin' en de bats a 
 floppin' dar wings ! En dough dey's 
 all doin' en gwine on jes' lak I tell you, 
 en dough dar's so many diffunt kind 
 er famblys er 'em all libin' in dar ter- 
 gedder, dey's all han's er 'em min'in' 
 dar own bizness en lettin' wuuncr- 
 nudder 'lone. 
 
 "De a'r in dar is sof, en ez mile ez a 
 dram er ten-yeah ole peach-en-honey, 
 en hit habs a sorter greenish-brownish 
 color ter hit, 'zackly lak de 'pearuuce 
 er de water in dar habs ; en w'ite 
 lilies en all kin's er unbeknownst 
 flowers berfumes up de ontire place. 
 Bress grashus, you dunuo w'at minit 
 is gwine ter be de naix, w'en de 'spe- 
 imce er de feelin' er dat place firs' 
 comes 'pon you thoo yo' eye-balls.
 
 52 MARSE TOM'S 
 
 " 'Twuz yeahs en yeahs atter dis, en 
 I had been gwine dar constant, too, 
 dat I tuck Marse Tom Mo' up ter de 
 Lake. Does I 'member all 'bout hit? 
 Yas, suh ; dat I does, dat I does, en I 
 put de faber er dat strange, oncommon 
 HT gemmanenall dat he said en all dat 
 he done dat day away safe in my 'mem- 
 b'unce, en hit's dar yit, dar jes' ez 
 fresh ez ef hit had all happen' yistiddy. 
 
 ' ' De time wuz 'long to'ds day-bre'k, 
 en I had jes' baled out my pirogue en 
 wuz gwine up ter de Lake fishin', w'en 
 I yeard a monst'ous cur' us kin' er soun* 
 retbehime me but I nebber tuck eben 
 'nuflfnotus er de soun' ter look 'roun'. 
 I didn' hab no understan'in' in my 
 min' dat 'twuz anybody dat had any 
 bizness 'long er me, en den how in 
 de name-er-de-Lawd wuz I gwine ter
 
 KUNNOO SPERITS 53 
 
 know dey waiit ine, fer dey didn' call 
 me 'Unkle,' ner ' Ole man,' ner 
 'Boy,' ner ' Ung Toney,' lak folks 
 in gen' ally does, but holler out en 
 say, ' Aye, aye, a-y-e, me gude mon, 
 aye,' lak who-sum-ebber 'twuz didn' 
 hab a grain er senses, en ain't nebber 
 larnt ter talk good wid de li'l' senses 
 dat dey did hab ; so I nebber pestered 
 myse'f 'bout 'em, en wuz pushin' 
 out, w'en firs' t'ing I knowed a strange 
 li'l' gemmaii had done sprunk ober 
 de brambles en briahs en wuz axin' 
 me ef I wuz de boa'smans dat he 
 had been rekermended 'bout ? I tole 
 'im I couldn' qualify fer sartin, dat 
 I mought be dat boa'smans, en den 
 agi'n I moughtn'. 
 
 ' ' I tuck off my hat ter ' im, dough, en 
 atter I had axt 'im ' Sarvent, Marsa', en
 
 54 MARSK TOM'S 
 
 axt 'ira how his coperosity sergashu- 
 ates, I axt ' im atter his fambly , kaze ez 
 soon ez I lay my eyes on 'im I seed 
 dat he wuz a stranger in dem parts, en 
 I didn' want ter mek no bad enfloons 
 on 'im 'bout how my w'ite folks had 
 brungme up ; but I tuck notus, dough, 
 dat he didn' hab nar' grain er perlite- 
 ness hisse'f, ner no gumpshun, needer, 
 'bout de perliteuess dat I had. He 
 jes' stood en star'd at me lak he ain't 
 nebber seed nobody berfo', en all de 
 answer he gin me back wuz, ter tek 
 outn his money-pus, en wiggle up a 
 piece er gol' none er yo' ninepunces 
 ner fo'punces, but a sho-nuff piece er 
 de real stuff, en show hit ter me en 
 say: 'I'll gi' you a pun', me gude 
 mon, ef you'll row me ter de Lake er 
 de Dismal Swamp.'
 
 KUNNOO SPERITS 55 
 
 " Co'se I didn' 'gree ter do lak he 
 axt me at de firs' offset, ner look 
 s'priz'd at de goP he gin me, ner 
 nuttin' lak dat, kaze I didn' want 'im 
 ter t'ink I ain't been use ter goP all 
 my life en dat my pockets wa'n't jes' 
 linded wid hit dat ve'y minit. 
 
 " Atter I hem-en-haw a w'ile en 
 meked de consequences er my gwine se- 
 r'ous, I axt 'im de time er day; den I 
 axt 'im ter gi' me a chaw er terbacker, 
 but he say he don' chaw. Den I ar- 
 gufy a li'P mo', en den I tuck de bar- 
 g'in up en say, bein' ez 'twuz 'im, I 
 reckon I'd try and put myse'f out en 
 'comerdate 'im, dough I meked de em- 
 inence plain ter 'im, dat I wuz pes- 
 tered 'bout gwine 'skhuzhunin' w'en 
 I'd laid out ter go fishin' ; dat my bait 
 wuz kotch en in de go'de, en I showed
 
 56 MARSE TOM'S 
 
 'im de go'de, en dat de w'ite folks dat 
 bergages messes er fish fum me reg'lar 
 would be moughty diserp' inted at gwine 
 widout 'em. 
 
 "DenI tole 'im terhopin, en hilt out 
 my han' ter hope 'im, but he thunk I 
 hilt hit out fer de money, en so drapped 
 hit in, en w'ile I wuz puttin' it away 
 he tuck en sprunk in de pirogue by 
 hisse'f widout any he'p, jes' ez nimble 
 ez ef he wuz a reg'lar watermans. 
 
 u You year me, he wa'n't lak none er 
 our folks, no how, Marse Tom wa'n't, 
 dough I didn' know ' Marse Tom ' wuz 
 his name den. Well, suh, he no sooner 
 sot hisse'f down in de boat 'fo' he tuck 
 outn his pencil en paper, en firs' t'ing 
 I knowed he had writ de water, en de 
 trees, en de sky all down on de paper, 
 en w'en I wuz gwine thoo de las' lock,
 
 KUNNOO SPKRITS 57 
 
 -de water jes' a rusliin' in en mekin de 
 boat rize up 'twel 'twuz 'way up eben 
 wid de lebei er de lake, I happen' ter 
 look to'ds 'iiu ag'in en wuz dat 'ston- 
 ished ter see he had done en writ me 
 en de pirogue bofe down jes' ez plain 
 ez he had meked de trees en de turrer 
 t'ings, dat I li'l' mo' en upsot us bofe, 
 den en dar. But I 'mejitly 'gun ter 
 back water, en I say, ' Marsa, I don' 
 mean no disrerspeck ner imperdunce, 
 but, suh, I would lak ter ax you, ef you 
 please, suh, whar in de name-er-Gord 
 you could hab comefum.' He 'spon' 
 he wuz fum Norfolk, dat-day-mawn- 
 in', but dat his home whar he en his 
 folks all libed at wuz mo' dan a 
 thousan' miles 'way fum dat place. 
 
 " I dunno ef Marse Tom p'intedly 
 kuowed w'at he wuz talkin' 'bout, fer
 
 58 MARSE TOM'S 
 
 he wuz moughty figgitty en cur'ous. 
 I reckon he mus' er had de rickits 
 w'en he wuz a chile, en ef he did, dat 
 'counts fer his beiu' stunted in his 
 grofe, en actin' so budgyfied now w'en 
 he wuz growed up. 
 
 " Den he 'gun queschefyin' me, en 
 he axt ef I had ebber seed any sperits. 
 I tole 'iin I ain't sho 'bout dat, but dat 
 I didn' lak ter let my jaw run loose 
 'bout ghos'es en sperits in dat lone- 
 some place, kaze folks said de whole 
 swannp wuz jes' 'libe wid 'em, en ef 
 dat wuz true, dey mought be lis'nin'. 
 Den he retch behime 'im en tuck outn 
 a bottle meked all out er silber en slipt 
 a li'P narer-shaped silber pail offn de 
 bottom part er dis bottle en den he 011- 
 screw out a silber stopper, en po' out 
 sump'ninde pail, jes' ez w'ite ez spring
 
 KUNNOO SPERITS 59 
 
 water, dat he calt ^Arish^ en gin 
 hit ter me ter drink En spam ! spam ! ! 
 I kin 'member de tas'e er dat 'Arish,' 
 ez he calt hit, yit, en how hit driv de 
 skeer en de spooken-kramps outn me, 
 'twel I wa'n't 'feer'd er nuttin' on de 
 top er Gord's green ye'th ; en I up en 
 tole 'im 'bout all de ghos'es dat I had 
 ebber yeard tell on. 
 
 I tole 'im firs' 'bout de bufeful lady 
 all dressed in lay lack fum top ter bottom, 
 swingin' her haid en tossin' her frock, 
 en comin' out at de se'f-same hour 
 ebby day de Lawd sen's, hoi' in' a 
 fishin' pole in her li'l' w'ite han', wid 
 rings shinin' on ebby one er her fin- 
 gers, en how she'd bait her hook en fish 
 en fish 'twel she cotch a nice big mess, 
 den she'd win' up her line same ez a 
 real pusson would, en espear jes' ez
 
 60 MARSE TOM'S 
 
 sudden ez she had espeart she, en de 
 mess er fish, en fishiu' line en all. 
 
 " Den I tole 'iin 'bout dat po' young 
 mudder holdin' a li'P new-bawn baby 
 in her arms, wid her face ez pale en 
 w'ite ez de inoon her hyar fly in', her 
 wile eyes mos' poppin' outn her haid 
 ridin' byar-back on a yaller critter en 
 lookin' back'ards lak old Satan wuz 
 behime her, skeerder en skeerder en 
 ridin' swiffer en swifler, en gittin' 
 nigher en nigher ter you, 'twel presny 
 you years de mos' unye'thly screech 
 en de swif'ness er de a'r jamby mos' 
 cuts de blood outn yo' face ez she 
 rides 'long pas' you, en w'en you opens 
 yo' eyes quick, you don' see nuttin', 
 she done espeart done gone new- 
 bawn baby, yaller critter en all. She 
 wuz de ghos' er dat po' lady dat tried
 
 KUNNOO SPERITS 6 1 
 
 ter git away fum Marse Nat Turner en 
 Jem, dat time he had dat war up dar 
 in Soufhampton County. 
 
 "I went on den, en I tole Marse 
 Tom 'bout de storm ghos', er de 
 'ketcher ghos',' ez some folks calls 
 hit. Den I tole 'im dat w'en de 
 thunder wuz in de a'r en de litenin' 
 wuz in de cloud, en Marse Gabul wuz 
 settin' up behime 'em, ef you looked 
 en wa'n't too skeered outn yo' senses 
 ter put 'pendunce in yo' eyes, you'd 
 sholy see dis ghos' ridin' on a fas' long- 
 tail mule ghos', wid a whole pack er 
 blood-houn' ghos'es a sniffin' en a 
 sniffin' lak dey had foun' de trail er 
 de los' ghos' dey wuz scentin' fer. 
 
 " I yearn de tale dat dis young gem- 
 rnun ghos' w'en he wuz libin' yer, 'fo' 
 he wuz a ghos', wuz haid ober heels in
 
 62 MARSR TOM'S 
 
 lub wid a moughty nice young lady in 
 de nayberhood, dough dey said her 
 ma wuz a redempshuner, but her folks 
 had sont de money ter perdeem her 
 fum de cap' in 'fo' de time er her 
 slabehood wuz out. 
 
 "Well, de night come dat dey'd 
 'p'inted fer ter git mar'ed in. De 
 folks wuz all 'sembled in de parlers. 
 De preacher wuz stan'in' up in de fiV 
 wid de praher-book in his han's, en 
 stan'in' 'long side er 'im wuz de mas 
 en pas en all de yudder kinlashuns en 
 naybers fum bofe sides er de famblys. 
 All er 'em wuz lis'nin' en watchin' 
 fer de bride en groom ter come in. 
 
 u De vi'tu'ls wuz all cooked. De 
 table wuz sot en fixed up skrumpshus, 
 en 'sides dat hit wuz uacherly loaded 
 down wid roasen pigs, en tuckeys
 
 KUNNOO SPERITS 63 
 
 whole, en tuckeys boned, en chicken 
 saluds, en oyschers, en pickles, en 
 zerbes, en nuts, en candies, en cakes. 
 De cullud folks wuz dressed up in dar 
 bes' Sunday-go- ter-meetin's, en wuz 
 all stan' in' in de passige, jes' whar 
 dey could see dar young missis vv'en she 
 come down styars, you know. De 
 fiddlers had dar riddles res' in un'neaf 
 dar chins wid dar han's on de bows 
 jes' raidy ter start off en strike up de 
 'jitimit weddin' music, ' Come, my 
 lub, come.' 
 
 "Well, ez bad luck would hab hit, 
 jes' ez de hall clock wuz strekin' de 
 'p' in ted hour, de groom bounced up de 
 styars, two steps, at a time, to fetch his 
 bufeful bride down, en dern dat seed 
 her said shesuttinly\yuz bufeful, too, 
 dat she look ez lubly ez a angel stret
 
 64 MARSE TOM'S 
 
 from heaben, stan'in' dar by her 
 brack mammy, waitin' fer her groom 
 all dressed up in her purty w'ite frock 
 jes' ez fine ez a cobweb, dat her ole 
 brack mammy say she had spunt en 
 weabed herse'f outn de flax dat growed 
 on her pa's farm. 
 
 "Well, 'co'se de bride, you know, 
 wuz sorter shameface' en bashful, lak 
 gals is, en w'en she seed de groom 
 coin in' up atter her, she smile en 
 hongherhaid down, en dough she tuck 
 his arm, she wuz moughty skittish 
 'bout hit, en she mus' er hilt off too 
 fur on de yudder side. Po' gal po' 
 t'ing ! Her modesty sholy wuz ag'in 
 her, fer w'en she hilt off lak dat her 
 frock, bein' flarery, kotch onter de 
 blaze ez she passed 'long so close ter de 
 big log fiah.
 
 KUNNOO SPERITS 65 
 
 " De skeer er de blaze kinder frus- 
 terd en addled de po' gal's jedgmen', 
 en 'fo' de groom tuck in w'at hisbufe- 
 ful bride wuz up ter (I s'pose he wuz 
 kinder squeegin' her li'P han' lak 
 grooms will, en jes' thunk mebbe she 
 wuz projeckin'), she had let go his arm 
 en wuz runnin' lak litenin' down de 
 steps en thoo de do', de win' a kindle- 
 lightin' de flames ez she flew 'twel 
 she look'd lak a ball er fiah, en 'fo' he 
 er any er 'em could kotch her she wuz 
 bu'nt up alibe. 
 
 ' ' De po' young gemmau greebed so 
 dat he went plum' 'strackted in his 
 min', en bein' frusterd twix' de run- 
 away niggers gwine ter de Dismal 
 Swamp, w'ich wuz a ebby-day 'cur- 
 rence wid 'em w'en dey wuz tired er 
 wuk, en his bride runnin' 'way fum
 
 66 MARSE TOM'S 
 
 'im dat night she kotch a-fiah, he 
 went ter de Dismal Swamp ter look 
 fer her, too. 
 
 u Po' bridegroom! En dar in dat 
 swamp he wandered 'bout thoo de 
 branches en de briahs en de bogs, 
 skeerin' up de pole cats en wile var- 
 ments en sleepin' on de cole ye'th wid 
 de wolfzez en de copperhaids en de 
 rattle sneks, 'twel one day de cap' in 
 er de paterrollers come 'long en foun' 
 'im layin' dar stone daid ; but his 
 sperit is dar yit, and hit kin be seen 
 w'enebber dar's a big storm in de 
 day time, he en all de houn' ghos'es, 
 too, whar he ownt 'fo' he wuz a ghos'. 
 Ebby wet night at midnight you kin 
 see 'em, all ez natchul ez ef dey wuz 
 real pussons, lak I tole you. 
 
 "But I ain't nebber yearn w'at come
 
 KUNNOO SPERITS 67 
 
 er dat weddiu' supper, eii all dem good 
 t'ings; w'edder de comp'ny eat hit up 
 er not, er w'edder hit stay'd dar en 
 wuz sp'iled, er w'edder dey gin hit ter 
 de po', I ain't nebber yearn. Dough I 
 yeard a heap yeard all dat preacher 
 talk 'bout eschangin' a weddin' fer 
 a fune'al ; yeard how dat de whole 
 county wuz monst'ous upsot 'bout de 
 po' gal, en 'bout de weddin' bein' 
 bruck up in dat turrerble way en all 
 lak dat, but I ain't neber, NEBER yeard 
 a bref 'bout dat good supper ! 
 
 U I ain't mo' en winded up dis las' 
 ghos' tale 'fo' we wuz on de Lake, en 
 Marse Tom jes' a writin' en a lookin' 
 lak he wuz wounded up. Well, mun ! 
 you orter seed Marse Tom w'en I lay 
 de paddle down en cl'ar my th'oat en 
 he riz up his haid en de sight er de
 
 68 MARSE TOM'S 
 
 Lake firs' bu'sted 'pou 'im. De way 
 he strotch dem eyes er his'n, en de 
 way his bref come en go, wtiz a cor- 
 shun. I knowed he wuz gwine ter be 
 s' prized, but he say de Lawd ain't uiek 
 room 'nuflfinsides er his 1'i'l body (en 
 he say his insides wuz bigger dan his 
 outsides at dat, dough I ain't got no 
 understan'in' how dat kin be) ter 
 hoi' de 'mount er 'stonishments sich 
 rnoughty grangerment meked. 
 
 ' ' Marse Torn say he had been ebby- 
 whar, but dat dat Lake er de Dismal 
 Swamp at de een' er dat moughty 
 fores' wuz de mos' wondersomest sight 
 he ebber sot his two eyes 'pon. He 
 tuck his pencil out en writ de faber er 
 hit all down 'pon a fresh piece er 
 paper, writ hit jes' lak 'twuz, fer all de 
 worP, en den he tuck en writ de
 
 KUNNOO SPERITS 69 
 
 talkin' part all down. I ain't nebber 
 seed no pencil fly ober de paper lak 
 Marse Tom's done. 
 
 " Wen we tu'nt de skiff 'roun' en 
 went 'long back Marse Tom wuz 
 speechless, 'twel we got 'way on de 
 y udder side er de Feeder, w'en we 
 come in de soun' er Br'er Alexander's 
 woice singin' dat gorspel chune all 
 'bout de 'Injuns bringin' de tigers 
 down,'* en dat one w'at said : 
 
 " 'John saw, John saw de holy numbah, 
 Settin' on de golden altah-ah ! ' 
 
 " Den Marse Tom riz up lak he wuz 
 dafted in de haid en axt me ter drap 
 dat paddle fer Cord's sek, en let 'im 
 year dat heabenly soun'. I tole 'im 
 dat wa'n't no heabenly soun' ; dat dat 
 wa'n't nobody but Br'er Alexander, de 
 
 * Angels brought the tidings down.
 
 70 MARSE TOM'S 
 
 ole bee-hunter preacher, corain' 'long 
 singin'. Ez soon ez Br'er Alexander 
 hobed in sight we bofe brung our boats 
 up 'long sides er wunner-nudder. Den 
 he en Marse Tom 'gun a confab ter- 
 gedder. Br'er Alexander had his haid 
 han'kercher tied up brim full er bees 
 dat he'd jes' swarmed. Marse Tom axt 
 all 'bout 'em, en he tole Marse Tom a 
 heap. He tole 'im all 'bout de profli- 
 gacy *erdebee-huntin' bizness, enebeii 
 done gin 'im some er de diffunt kin's er 
 honey ter tas'e. Marse Tom wuz 'stoii- 
 ished dat dar wuz ez many diffunt kin's 
 en diffunt colors er honey ez dar wuz. 
 
 "Wen he wuz thoo tas'in' hit he 
 axt ' im 'bout dat ch une he wuz singin', 
 en 'bout his 'ligion. Br'er Alexander 
 tole 'im 'bout de chune, en tole 'iin 
 
 * Profitableness.
 
 KUNNOO SPERITS JI 
 
 dat he b' longed ter de silk-stockin' 
 Chutch en wuz a praher-book ' Pisker- 
 paleyun thoo en thoo, jes' lak his ole 
 Marsawuz 'fo' 'im ole Marse Parson 
 Keeling. Den he tole Marse Tom he 
 s'poze, dough, c'ose he wuz a Roman 
 Caferlick. But Marse Tom didn' say 
 w'edder he wuz er w'edder he wa'n't. 
 He jes' laft fit ter kill hisse'f en tu'nt 
 de talk by axin' Br'er Alexander ef he 
 wa'n't skeerd sometimes w'en he came 
 thoo de swamps uver nights. Br'er 
 Alexander 'low w'at in de name er 
 Gord wuz he gwine ter be skeered fer; 
 dat his 'ligeon was mo' perteckshun 
 ter 'im fum de daid en fum de libin', 
 fum de wile en de tame, fum cunjur 
 er fum p'izen, dan de whole er Col. 
 Willis Riddick's merlishy wuz ; den 
 ag'in, he said ef he wuz shot at, his
 
 72 MARSE TOM'S 
 
 jacket wuz linded wid tuckey fedders 
 so hit could tu'n aside de li'l' bird 
 shots, w'ich wuz de onlies' kind er 
 shot, he 'splained, dat de ketchers er 
 anybody ebber shoots at de runaways 
 wid, fer co'se dey don' want ter 'stroy 
 w'ite folks' prop'ty, en ef dey wuz 
 ter shoot 'em wid sho-nuff shot dey 
 niought kill 'em, en 'stroy 'em, w'en 
 all dey wants wuz jes' ter pepper 'em 
 up some en mek 'em smart so dey 
 could kotch 'em en git de 'wards. 
 
 Den he tole Marse Tom dat dem 
 papers he seed 'im tekin' off de trees 
 w'en we hoved in sight er wunner- 
 nudder wuz 'wards. De 'wards whar 
 de owners had had stuck up. Den he 
 hand a passle er de 'ward papers ter 
 Marse Tom ter read. De readin' all 
 soun' mos' alak, ' sep'n some said dey 'd
 
 KUNNOO SPERITS 73 
 
 gib ten dollars, en some ino' ter de 
 ketchers. Co'se de 'skripshuns er de 
 runaways didn' soun' 'zackly alak, 
 kaze some er 'em had 'formities, en 
 some wuz short, en some wuz tall, en 
 mos' all er 'em wuz difFunt colors fum 
 wunner-nudder. 
 
 "Br'er Alexander say he tuck de 
 ' wards down hisse' f kaze he want ter use 
 ^swagin' wid de po' runaways firs', en 
 dat de runaways want 'feared er 'im, 
 fer dey all knowed dat de whippin' 
 pos' ner jail, ner nuttin' couldn' mek 
 him tell on 'em, en dat he allers gin 
 'em sump' u t' eat, eu gin 'em matches, 
 n 'wided his backer wid 'em, en w'at- 
 somebber else he mought hab, en dat de 
 marsers en de runaways bofe tins' 'im, 
 too, dough dey couldn' mek 'im tetch 
 none er de "wards money' dat dey
 
 74 MARSE TOM'S 
 
 ofFert. Den Marse Tom axt 'im ter 
 sing some mo' er dem chimes fer 'im. 
 "Atter Br'er Alexander had sung 
 ' Happy Kaneyun ' en ' Keep er 
 iuchin' en er gittin' 'twel you inch on 
 turer sho',' en 'Chillun, drap yo' nets 
 en foller me,' Marse Tom loosent up 
 his coller en say he's gwine sing some 
 fer him now hisse'f, en w'en Marse 
 Tom open his mouf en did sing, 'twuz 
 lak de birds a singin' at sunrise in de 
 mawnin' in de spring time er de 
 yeah, en de squir'ls crackin' dar nuts 
 en de shells a drappin' thoo de leabes er 
 de trees; lak de sof a'r blowin' thoo 
 de pines, lak de ripplin' er de silber 
 fishes ez dey cracks open de golden 
 sunshine er de blue wabes, en de coo- 
 in' er de firs' -bawn baby ter its young 
 mudder, all put tergedder. Br'er Alex-
 
 KUNNOO SPERITS 75 
 
 ander lis'en wid his mouf wide open, his 
 eyes shot tight en his haid flung back. 
 Wen Marse Torn wuz thoo, Br'er Al- 
 exander nebber spuck a word, not a 
 single word, nebber said thauky ner 
 nuttin'. He jes' wipe offn his baP 
 haid wid his red han'kercher, tie up 
 de gol' piece Marse Tom gin 'im in 
 one cornder er de same han'kercher en 
 put hit back in his hat, en put his hat 
 on ag'in en swish his haid back 
 en fofe, slow, en soush his bref up en 
 down lak dis, den he riz his woice up 
 ter heaben en gulp out, ' Gord-er- 
 moughty, Gord-er-moughty ! ' Den 
 he tu'n his punt about en paddle 
 off wid his bees, en nebber eben look 
 'roun'. 
 
 "I had a monst'ous'ligious, solum- 
 cholly feelan' in my breas' myse'f, en
 
 76 MARSE TOM'S 
 
 'twuz all I could do ter git my bref ez 
 I steert iny ole pirogue 'long back 
 pas' de bamboo en de bunyan en de 
 rattan, de juniper en de cypress all 
 tanglematted tergedder, wid berfum- 
 ery en grape wines wropped 'roun' 
 en' roun', de bees a swarmin' fum 
 de gums ter de blossoms en circlin' 
 'roun' en suckin' de bref outn de 
 buds en de flowers, de rackoonzes 
 swingin' fum de branches, de wile 
 hogs a gruntin', en de byars en wolf- 
 zez en de turer wile varments a howl- 
 in' en a growlin' en a barkin', en de 
 rattle sneks springin' dar rattles. All 
 dis w'ile I wuz t'inkin' 'bout Gord-er- 
 moughty, en de clouds, en de angels, 
 en de harps wid a thousan' strings ; 
 rowin' my swiffes', 'pear lak I wuz 
 niekin' fer de promis' land, en I wuz
 
 KUNNOO SPERITS 77 
 
 so short brefed en peacerble dat w'en 
 Marse Tom spuck up hit startleize me, 
 en meked me come back ter ye' th ag' in. 
 Marse Tom say : 
 
 " 'Lay down yo' oaz, me gude mon, 
 en let yo' pirogue, ez you calls yo* 
 kunnoo, g'long wid de scudder a w'ile, 
 fer I's gwine ter tell you a ghos r 
 story now myse'f.' 1 
 
 "Den I say : 
 
 u 'Marsa, Marsa, don' you reckon 
 how den you better gi' me some mo' 
 er dat ' 'Arish " ' fo' you bergins hit ? ' 
 
 "En he laft, en gin me some, a sing- 
 in' a chune w'ile he wuz a po'in' 
 hit out, w'at said dat 'We'll tek a ret 
 good swill, widout water, fer old Aun* 
 Siny.'* Jes' ez I wuz gwine ter drink 
 
 " We'll tak a right gude Willie-waught 
 For Auld Laug Syne."
 
 78 MARSE TOM'S 
 
 dis las' dram er Arish down I say, 
 'Marser, I ain't 'quainted wid yo' ole 
 Aun' Siny, but dis Arish is so good I 
 could tek a drink fer all yo' kinla- 
 shuns, young en ole, aunts en uncles 
 en all ' ; but his ole Aun' Siny wuz de 
 onlies' one er his fambly dat Marse 
 Tom menshuned. 
 
 ' ' Atter I had dreened de las' drap er 
 dis Arish down my th'oat, Marse Tom 
 tuckn read me offn de paper de same 
 readin' he had writ down on hit dat 
 ve'y mawnin'. 'Twuz all 'bout a 
 young lady gittin' out er her grabe in 
 her w'ite s'roud, 'count er her folks 
 mekin' de grabe cole en damp, en 
 'bout her gwine rowin' roun' nights 
 wid a fiah-flyin' lamp; en paddlin' a 
 w'ite kunnoo. Well, suh, ef Marse 
 Tom had a tole me 'bout dat ghos'-
 
 KUNNOO SPERITS 79 
 
 tale 'fo' he got inter my pirogue, he'd 
 a had ter a got 'im a nudder nigger ter 
 kyar 'im ter de Lake er de Dismal 
 Swamp. I wouldn' er tuck 'im fer a 
 whole bar'l er Arish, dough co'se I 
 don' bleebe de ha'f er dat ghos'-tale, 
 kaze fer one t'ing, gals is moughty 
 skeery, en dey's feared ter go out 
 nights, en anudder t'ing, gals don' 
 know nuttin' 'tall 'bout paddliu' no 
 kunnoos dey'ud a tu'nt de boats ober 
 sho' ; en ag'in, we all knows dat ef 
 ebbybody got outn dar grabes kaze 
 dey wa'n't warm en dry, de grabes 
 would all moughty soon be empty, en 
 skilitons en ghos'es en sperits would 
 tek up all er we-all's room. Den ag'in 
 I don' lak ter 'spute Marse Tom's 
 word, kaze he's a gemman, but he 
 don' come fum our part er de worl' en he
 
 8o MARSE TOM'S 
 
 don' know our young missuses en how 
 'ticular dey wuz brung up, en I does, 
 en I knows dat all our young missuses' 
 ghos'cs is got too much especk fer 
 demse'fs ter be gwine out nights wid 
 a young gemman ghos' widoutn dar 
 ma's ghos', ersome yudder lady ghos' 
 wuz 'long wid 'em. I hates to argufy 
 wid Marse Tom, kaze I laks him 
 moughtly en he suttinly wuz a gemman 
 ter me, but I bleeged ter say dat I bleebe 
 Marse Tom meked all dat tale up 
 'bout hidin' de maid in a cypress tree en 
 all 'boutn dat w'ite kunnoo en dat 
 flail-fly in' lamp, kaze ez much ez I 
 been on dat Lake er de Dismal Swamp, 
 I'd been boun' ter yeard ef dar had 
 been any sperits dar a paddlin' 'roun' 
 "nights in a w'ite kunnoo wid a fiah- 
 flyin' lamp."
 
 KUNNOO SPERITS 8 1 
 
 They made her a grave too cold and damp 
 
 For a soul so warm and true ; 
 And she 's gone to the Lake of the Dismal 
 
 Swamp, 
 Where all night long by a fire-fly lamp 
 
 She paddles her white canoe. 
 
 And her fire-fly lamp I soon shall see, 
 
 And her paddle I soon shall hear ; 
 Long and loving our lives shall be, 
 And I'll hide the maid in a cypress tree 
 When the footsteps of death draw near. 
 
 Away to the Dismal Swamp he speeds 
 
 His path was rugged and sore, 
 Through tangled juniper, beds of reeds, 
 Through many a fen where the serpent feeds 
 
 And man never trod before. 
 
 And when on the earth he sunk to sleep, 
 
 If slumber his eyelids knew, 
 He lay where the deadly vine doth weep 
 Its venomous tear and nightly steep 
 
 The flesh with blistering dew.
 
 82 MARSE TOM'S XUNNOO SPERITS 
 
 " And near him the she- wolf stirred the brake, 
 And the copper-snake breathed iu his ear, 
 Till he starting cried, from his dream awake, 
 ' Oh, when shall I see the dusky Lake, 
 And the white canoe of my dear ! ' 
 
 He saw the Lake, and a meteor bright 
 
 Quick over the surface play'd 
 ' Welcome," he said, ' my dear one's light,' 
 And the dim shore echoed for many a night 
 The name of the death-cold maid. 
 
 1 Till he hollowed a boat of the birchen bark, 
 
 Which carried him off from the shore ; 
 Far, far he follow'd the meteor spark 
 The wind was high and the clouds were dark, 
 And the boat return'd no more. 
 
 But oft from the Indian hunter's camp 
 
 This lover and maid so true 
 Are seen at the hour of midnight damp 
 To cross the Lake by a fire-fly lamp, 
 And paddle their white canoe."
 
 "/ crope ter tie do', en knock sojf.'
 
 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 
 
 " ' WAT'S de matter wid mammy's 
 chile? Dar, dar, honey, who's been 
 boderin' en pesterin' you ? Come ' long, 
 come 'long yer en git up in yo' ole 
 mammy's lap en let her rock you en 
 sing ter you dat's a good li'P gyerl. 
 Dar, dar, dar mammy lubs her baby, 
 'deed she do. Yas, en she's her mam- 
 my's li'l' Miss Marg'it, too, en her 
 mammy is gwine ter baby-buntin' her 
 ter sleep-eye-town now, en den de- 
 morrer mawnin' w'en mammy's baby 
 weks up mammy gwine ter wash her 
 face en cyurl her hyar en put on her new 
 striked frock en kyar her in ter see her
 
 84 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZKS 
 
 ma. En she'll see sump'n, too, 'sides 
 her ma, yas, two stimp'ns. Dem two 
 sump'ns suttin'ly is gwine s' prize 
 mammy's baby, too, bress her bones ! 
 Nemmine, Miss Marg'it, neramine, 
 yo' li'P nose ain't nebber gwiue ter 
 be outer j'int wid yo' brack mammy, 
 dat hit ain't, honey. Dar, dar, go 
 sleep, now.' 
 
 " Po' li'P Miss Marg'it klum up in 
 my lap jes' lak I tole her, en 'fo' she 
 knowed hit her liT eyes had stop 
 quiberin' en shet up tight, den she 
 stop sobbin' en 'fo' I wuz eben thoo 
 singin' her fabrit chune 'bout de dif- 
 funt kin's er tails de diffunt animals 
 hab, de squir'l wid his bushy tail, en 
 de possum tail gwine byar ; de rackoon 
 tail wid rings all 'roun', en de stumpy- 
 tail ole hyar, de chile had done en
 
 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZBS 85 
 
 forgot all her worry ments en had gone 
 fas' asleep en wuz dreamin' dat she 
 wuz playin' wid de butterflies en 
 daisies in Marse Jesus' back yard wid 
 His yudder HT brack en w'ite angels 
 bress her li'P bones. 
 
 "De po' li'P t'ing hain't nebber 
 been 'way fum her ma ez long ez dis 
 'fo' now. Nebber sence she wuz bawn, 
 en she's gwine on mos' fo' yeahs ole 
 dis comin' co'n-shuckin'. 
 
 " She'd allers been de pet er de on- 
 tire plantashun, en wuz de onlyes' 
 chile dat her ma en pa had up ter day 
 'fo' yistiddy, w'ich wuz Chuzedy, 
 w'en ole Doctor Finney rid up in his 
 gig en Marser had de doctor's hoss, dat 
 ole w'ite-face soral er his'n, onhitched 
 en put up. Den li'l' w'ile atter de 
 doctor driv up, Aun' Drusindy she
 
 86 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 
 
 driv up ill de ole steer kyart wid her 
 kyarpit bag, basket en bunnels en got 
 out en went 'long in de house wid a 
 moughty einportant, inouster'ous, be- 
 knowin'some a'r, en hit twan't a gre't 
 w'ile den 'fo' we-all tuck notus dat de 
 parsley baid wuz all grubbled up. I 
 'clar' dat's a fac' 'boutn dat parsley 
 baid. 
 
 "Den 'way 'long to'ds night dar 
 wuz a whang, w-h-a-n-g, come a 
 squeech'n en a squeal' n thoo de cham- 
 ber do', en den in a minit ino' dar wuz 
 anudder squeal en anudder w-h-a-n-g, 
 w-h-a-n-g, en pres'n'y Marser come a 
 runnin' out moughty acksitable, en 
 jes' fit ter bu'st out cryin' fer joy his 
 own se'f. 
 
 ' ' Soon ez ebber de do' open en I 
 kotch sight er de Marser, I sprunk up
 
 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 87 
 
 en run to'ds 'im wid my heart mos' 
 out er win', en I axt 'im, ' Wat is hit, 
 Marser? Wat is hit? Gal er boy? En 
 who does hit faber ? ' 
 
 " Marser flung back his haid en laff 
 lak he'd split his sides open en gin me 
 de answer back kinder proud en con- 
 sequenshel, en say: 
 
 " 'Hit's bofe, Kalline ; bofe. Boy 
 en gal, bofe. Yas, Kalline, we's got 
 de fines' pyar er twinzes you ebber sot 
 yo' two eyes 'pon in de room dar, fer 
 you ter nuss. ' 
 
 4 'Den he stop ret short off en sez, 
 sezzee : 
 
 '"But, min', Kalline, min',' sezzee, 
 4 don' you on no 'count say nuttin' 'tall 
 'boutn de twinzes ter yo' li'l' Miss 
 Marg'it ; kaze me en her ma wants 
 ter show 'em ter de chile firs' we own-
 
 88 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 
 
 se'fs, eu see how de enfloons er de sight 
 er a pyar li'l' babies will strek her li'l' 
 in'sence min'.' 
 
 "Co'se ebbybody knows dat wuz a 
 unconshubul hard reman' ment fer de 
 Marser ter mek. I 'clar ter grashus 
 hit wuz wusser dan de toofache, er a 
 miz'ry in de haid, ter be a nussin' a 
 queschifyin' chile lak Miss Marg'it, 
 en be wid her day in en day out con- 
 stant, en keep yo' mouf shet en not 
 tell her nuttin' 'tall 'bout sich a 
 'portant piece er news ez a pyar er 
 twinzes. She allers wuz a enquira- 
 shun chile, but now she wuz worri- 
 fyin' herse'f en cryin' en axin' ques- 
 chuns, en kyar'in' on kaze she kyan' 
 see her ma, en spishenin' en speckin', 
 young ez she wuz, too, dat sump'n 
 outn de common wuz up. En you
 
 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 89 
 
 know de po' li'P t'ing tuck hit inter 
 her haid dat w'atsumebber 'twuz had 
 sump'n er nudder ter do wid her nose. 
 She would set en feel her li'P nose en 
 want ter look at hit in delookin' -glass 
 en poke her li'P fingers in her nos- 
 trums en ax ebbybody did dey know 
 w'edder hit come fum outn de fer- truly- 
 Giant dat Marse Jack kilt, eu ef hit 
 did, whar wuz de eyes en mouf eu de 
 ballunce part er de po' chile de Giant 
 had eat up, en wuz hit de same Giant 
 dat Marse Jack cut de bean-stalk down 
 fum under? En w'at kinlashun wuz 
 she, wid her nose out er Giant, ter de 
 res' er dat chile de Giant eat ? 
 
 " Bn, you year me, li'P Miss Mar- 
 g'it suttinly wuz de though tsomes' , 
 sprightlies' chile fer a gyerl chile you 
 ebber seed, en she could ax de mos'
 
 90 DE MARIKLE KR TWINZKS 
 
 tarry fy in' es', oudashusouies' quescliuns 
 you ebber yeard. You see, all de folks 
 on de place, en de naybers, had all 
 pityfied de li'l' t'ing so, tellin' her jes' 
 ez soon ez dey seed her, atter dey 
 knowed 'bout de two twinzes, dat her 
 * nose wuz out er j'int.' Dat sayin', 
 you know, 'bout yo' 'nose bein' out 
 er j'int,' wuz one er de ole time sayin' s 
 dat de ole folks has w'enebber a new- 
 bawn baby wuz bawn inter de fambly 
 ter tek de place er de las' baby. 
 
 "Po' li'P Miss Marg'it knowed 
 sump'n wuz wrong wid sump'n, en 
 she faulted hit all 'pon her nose, 'count 
 er dat sayin' dey all kep' a sayin' ter 
 her, ' nose wuz out er j'int,' dat she 
 wan't ole nuff ter hab de ret un'er- 
 stan'in' 'bout. 
 
 u Naix' mawnin' I wuz ez good ez
 
 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 91 
 
 my wild. I put on her bran' spankin' 
 new striked frock, en her low-naiked 
 check-muzzle ap'un, en put her gre't 
 gran'ma's Sunday year-bobs in her 
 years ; en w'en she wuz all raidy I 
 crope ter de do' on my tipen-toes lak 
 I wuz treadin' on kurkle-burs en 
 knock sof en tole de nuss, ' Yer we 
 wuz. ' Den de nuss she brung us bofe 
 'long in de room jes' ez a'rish en proud 
 ez a nigger wid a cooked 'possum. 
 
 ' ' My grashus me ! Seks alibe ! But 
 Missis sutt'inly did look sweet en 
 purty wid her brack cyurly haid a 
 lay in' back 'g'inst de bran', spang, 
 clean 'broidered ruffle pillow-cases wid 
 de lace rufflesez all nuchted. De baid 
 wuz kibered oberwid aw'ite marsains 
 counterp'in, en Missis' han's en face 
 wuz mos' w'ite ez de baid-close.
 
 92 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 
 
 " Two er th'ee big sprenches er 
 labender wuz bu'nin' away on de h'arf 
 en berfumed up de whole room. A 
 li'P bokay er crocuses w'ich I seed 
 Marser squattin' down pickin off dat 
 mawnin' hisse'f sot in de wase on de 
 table 'long side de baid. 
 
 " Missis looked up en retched outn 
 her han' en smile a li'P weakly smile 
 at me en li'P Miss Marg'it. Jes' den 
 Marser, who wuz fixin' de winder 
 blinzes, come for'ards en tuck li'P Miss 
 Marg'it outn my arms en lay her down 
 real slow en keerful ' long side her ma. 
 He tole her not ter budge ner mobe 
 her li'P footses, ner not ter squ'm, 
 needer, kaze her ma wuz moughty 
 sick, but dat she mus' lay jes' ez still 
 ez a li'P mouse, w'ich de chile did. 
 
 "Alter de li'P t'ing lay dar a w'ile,
 
 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 93 
 
 her ma a talkin' ter her en kissin' her 
 en smobin' her hyar en pettin' her, 
 wid her pa en de miss bofe stan'in' 
 close by, watch in' uneasy lak, her pa 
 sez ter her, sezzee : 
 
 u 'Come 'long now, dear, youmus'n' 
 tire yo' po' mamma. Come, papa 
 got sump'n ter show you; dar, li'P 
 gyerl, dat'll do now. Come, now; 
 come wid papa. ' 
 
 " She retched out her li'P arms ez 
 docilmus ez a li'P lamb, en her 
 papa tuck her up en toted her ober ter 
 de yudder side er de room whar an- 
 udder baid wuz settin' up 'g'inst de 
 wall. Marser hilt li'P Marg'it in his 
 ret arm en tu'nt de kivers down at de 
 haid-boa'd wid his lef han' en den 
 look up at her en say : 
 
 " 'Yer, my li'P Marg'it,' sezzee,
 
 94 EE MARIKLE ER TWIN3ES 
 
 4 yer's a li'P brudder fer you dat de 
 good Lawd done sont down fum heaben 
 ter you. ' 
 
 " En dar a lay in' en a squ'min', all 
 s wabbled up in flannens, wid his eyes 
 shet tight, his haid a wabblin', a tryin' 
 ter git bofe fistses in his mouf at one 
 time, en a wigglin' away lak a wum in 
 de ashes, wuz dat firs' twinz de 
 brudder. 
 
 "Li' I 1 Miss Marg'it look down in 
 'mirashun en wondermen' at dis liT 
 brudder twinz' s pink face en fuzzy 
 haid. 'Twuz de firs' sho-nuff real 
 baby she'd ebber seed ; but, my ! she 
 didn' know w'at ter mek er de wab- 
 blin' en de wigglin' part. Dat kinder 
 skarified her, fer her doll babies nebber 
 wabbled ner nebber wriggled. She 
 look, en look. She didn' mek no
 
 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 95 
 
 'moustrencc ter tetch de brudder twinz, 
 dough, en mo' dan dat, w'en her pa 
 hilt her down en say, ' Come, li'l' 
 gyerl, come en kiss yo' dear li'l' 
 brudder dat de good Lawd done en 
 sont you en tell 'im good-bye, en le's 
 kiver 'im up nice en warm ag'in, 'fo' 
 he ketches col',' she jamby tu'nt her- 
 se'f cranksided try in' ter keep funi 
 tetchin' 'im, en a hollerin' out jes' ez 
 loud ez she kin holler : ' Me no want 
 ter kiss li'l' brudders ! Li'l' brudders 
 is puppy-babies ! No, no ; me s'ant 
 kiss 'im, me no want ter, papa ! No, 
 no, no !' En, po' li'l' t'ing, she hug 
 her pa so tight 'roun' de naik in her 
 skarification er dat wigglin' li'l' kin- 
 lashun de Lawd had sont her dat 
 she mos' choke de bref outn her po' 
 papa, but at de same time, dough, she
 
 96 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 
 
 wuz so skeeredshe begged en 'swaded 
 'im, please, suh, not ter kiber her liT 
 brudder up ef he wuz a puppy baby- 
 brudder. 
 
 ' ' But Marser nebber tuck no notus 
 er li'l' Miss Marg'it's beggin' en per- 
 testinin' en frettin'. Hejes' 'lib'retly 
 kibered de baby ober, en den mobed 
 'long ter de foots er de baid en tu'nt 
 de kibers down dar, too, en said : 
 
 u 'See yer, my li'l' Marg'it, see dis 
 yer ! See dar, now, li'l' gyerl, see ! I 
 Yer's a li'l' sister papa's got fer you, 
 too, see. Tooby sho', tooby sho'/ 
 sezzee ; 'tooby sho'.' 
 
 "Widdat de chile stopped cryin* 
 so short off she mos' choked herse'f 
 dis time. She drapped her li'l' eyes 
 down all full er wondermen', en de 
 wet tears drapped down 'pon de li'P
 
 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 97 
 
 new sister de yudder twinz. Den she 
 look up at her pa en den look to'ds de 
 haid er de baid whar de baid-close wuz 
 a quiberin' en a budgin', den she look 
 back ag'in whar de li'l' sister wuz a 
 wigglin' en a squ'min'. Herbigeyes 
 wuz starin' wid jes' ez much s'prize- 
 ment, 'peared lak ez ef she hadn' jes' 
 seed de yudder li'l' brudder-twinz up 
 at de yudder een' er de baid. Her pa 
 en ma, en de nuss en me, wuz all 
 ban's er us a watch in' her jes' lak a 
 cat watch a mouse, wonderin' w'at she 
 wuz gwine ter do, en pres'n'y she say: 
 * Did de good Lawd sont de li'l' sister 
 down ter me, too ? ' En dey all laff 
 en tell her, ' Yas, de good Lawd sont 
 de li'l' sister down ter her, too.' Den 
 she clap her li'l' han's en say : 'Ain't 
 He a nice, dear Lawd, papa ? '
 
 98 DE MARIKLK ER TWINZKS 
 
 " Marser en de res' er 'em 'spec ted 
 she'd mek a fussw'en deykibered her 
 li'l' sister-twinz up, but she didn',she 
 nebber meked no rejection ner nuttin'. 
 All she do \vuz jes' ter look 'roun' de 
 room en clap her han's en say : 
 
 ' ' ' Show me anudder one, papa ; 
 show me anudder one ; show me 
 some mo' nudder ones de good Lawd 
 sont.' 
 
 "Her pa 'splained dat dem two wuz 
 all de Lawd sont, dat dey wuz twinzes 
 en wuz her li'l' brudder en sister, en 
 dey had come down fum heaben ter 
 play wid her, en she mus' lub 'em en 
 he'p tek kyar er'em, kaze she wuz de 
 oldes'. 
 
 " De po' chile didn' hab no under- 
 stan'in' dat a pyar er twinzes couldn' 
 be but two, en she 'gun ter cry fer
 
 DK MARIKLE EK. TWINZES 99 
 
 * anudder one. ' ' Show me anudder 
 one, show me anudder one, ' she say, 
 en de mo' we all laff de harder de li'P 
 t' ing was ter passerfy. Her pa wuz 
 'feared hit would mek her ma mo' 
 sicker, en so he tole me I better kyar 
 her 'long out en try en 'stract her min' 
 en 'muze her, w'ich I did. But hit 
 sutt'inly wuz a pity, dough, dat de 
 tears should er drapped on de gyerl- 
 twinz. 'Pear lak gyerl chilluns is 
 'bleeged ter hab bad luck. 
 
 " L,an' er Goshen, dough, de ques- 
 chuns dat chile axt me atter she seed 
 dem two twinzes wuz a corshun ! 
 
 "'Wat's twinzes, mammy?' she 
 say, 'en how come twinzes, anyhow? 
 En how did de good Lawd git 'em 
 'way down yer fum heaben widout 
 breckin' 'em all ter pieces, en w'y
 
 IOO DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 
 
 didn' He send mo' twinzes, mammy ? 
 En wuz dem twinzes all he had up in 
 heaben ? ' 
 
 "She wa'n't one er dem chillun you 
 could put off widout ans'in' back, 
 needer. You wuz natchully 'bleeged 
 ter tell her de trufe 'boutii t'ings. 
 
 " So I tole de li'l' t'ing de tale jes' 
 'zackly lak I yearn hit tole myse'f 
 w'en I wuz a chile, en gin her de bes' 
 un'erstan'in' I could 'bout hit all. I 
 esplaint at de firs' gwine off dat 
 twinzes wuz a marikle, a gre't 
 marikle, en dat de creashun had been 
 meked a long time, en de whole er 
 dat firs' lot er peoples de Lawd had 
 meked in His image had bawned li'l' 
 chillun en dey had growed up en had 
 mo' li'l' chillun, en dey all wuz daid 
 en bur'ed en mo' had come en gone
 
 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES IOI 
 
 in dar places To' dar wuz any sich a 
 t'ing ez a pyar er twinzes in de whole 
 worP. 
 
 "Den I tole her de name er de firs' 
 man dat ebber meked a pyar er 
 twinzes, eii I tole her, too, dat dis 
 man did a heap mo' slronagin' t'iiigs 
 dan jes' mekin' a simple pyar er 
 twinzes, fer dat he wuz one er de 
 stronges' en mos' kerragesome mens 
 dat ebber libed. 
 
 " Dat at one time w'en he fergit in 
 his confuzhun en lef his razor at 
 home, en didn' hab no shot-gun ner 
 hoss-pistal, ner no y udder kin' er 
 shootin' i'ons ner no bowie-knife handy, 
 dat he retched down en tuck a ole jaw- 
 bone w'ich wuz a layin' up in de 
 cornder er de fence 'long side de road, 
 dat de buzzuds had picked, en dat he
 
 IO2 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 
 
 tuck dis jaw-bone up en knocked de 
 dirt offn hit en kilt de gre'tes' passel 
 er Jews wid hit dat you ebber yeard 
 tell on. He kilt dem Jews, too, 'fo' 
 dey come ter dar ret minzes en kuowed 
 w'at he wuz up ter. 
 
 "Den I tole her dat at anudder time, 
 w'eii nobody wa'n't study in' 'bout his 
 doin' nuttin' outn de common, dat he 
 up en flung a pillow to'ds de chutch 
 w'ile de preacher wuz a preachin', en 
 kilt deontire congregashun en knocked 
 de whole chutch down ter de groun', 
 steeple en all, en busted hit wide open, 
 en dem dat wa'n't mashed up en kilt 
 wuz strangled ter def wid de fedders 
 dat flew outn de pillow. I tole her 
 dis man wuz jes' ez fyar-minded ez he 
 wuz pow'ful in strenkf, eu folks fum 
 all ober de country come fur en nigh
 
 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 10^ 
 
 fer ter git 'im ter settle dar 'sputes en 
 foughts eu quar'ls. Co'se de chile 
 didn' un'stan' all de wharfo's er dis 
 marikle er twinzes, but she lis'en en 
 ax queschuns en un'stan' a heap dat I 
 tell her, w'ich wuz dis : 
 
 " Dat one time two big Jew oomans 
 got ter quar'lin' en 'sputin' 'boutn a 
 baby. One er de oomans said hit wuz 
 her chile en de yudder one said hit 
 wuz hern, en de mo' dey quar'led en 
 'sputed de mo' onreznerable dey got, 
 en de mo' onsottled dar own minzes 
 wuz. 'Twuz jes' 'bout dis time de 
 news come fum Leb'uon all 'bout dat 
 gre't wise King who wuz thutteen 
 yeahs buildin' a house ferhisse'f. Dat 
 King, dey all said dat w'en de angel er 
 de Lawd tole 'iin he mought hab any- 
 t'ing he wuz a min' ter ax de Lawd
 
 104 DK MARIKLE ER TWINZES 
 
 fer, had jes' simply up en axt 'iin fer a 
 good jedgment, a ret un'erstan'in' en 
 a pure heart. He didn' spuck a wud 
 'bout money er 'sessions. Well, suh, 
 dat praher pleased de Lawd mought'ly, 
 en He gin de King not onlyes' w'at 
 he axt fer, but gin 'im de money en 
 'sessions whar he didn' ax fer. 
 
 u We'n de news come 'bout dis gre't 
 King, de preacher en de naybers all 
 'vized deze two oomans ter tek de 
 chile en go ter Leb'non en let dis gre't 
 King 'cide whose chile de chile wuz. 
 So dey 'lowed dey would, en dey tuk 
 ten loafs er braid en some crackerlin's 
 en a cruze er honey en started off ter 
 de place whar dis gre't wise King 
 libed at, en dey walked, en dey 
 walked, fer de way er de trans- 
 greshum wuz a long way ter trabbul.
 
 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 105 
 
 " Firs' one er de oomans toted de 
 chile in her arms, en den de yudder 
 one she tuck hit en she toted hit 
 aw'ile, ontwel bimeby atter dey keep 
 on swappin' en a res' in' dey come 
 ter whar de roads forked. Den dey 
 stopped en 'sputed a spell 'bout w'ich 
 road ter tek, 'twel pres'n'y dey 'cided 
 'twix' derese'fs dat dey'd tek de lef- 
 han' road, w'ich wuz de ret one, fer 
 dat wuz de road dat tuck em stret up 
 ter de ve'y gate er de palace whar dis 
 gre't King libed. 
 
 " On bofe sides erde palace de trees 
 er life wuz growin', en de riber er life, 
 dat run ret 'long pas' de ve'y do'. Hit 
 wuz ez clar ez a crystal, too. De pal- 
 ace wuz meked all outen pure gol', 
 insides en outsides, lak glass, en wuz 
 stucked full er pearls en diamon's en
 
 I06 DE MARIKLK ER TWIXZKS 
 
 sardines, en th'ee rows er windows wid 
 po'ches, en th'ones in all de po'ches. 
 
 u De gre't King wuz in his 'pres- 
 ence room,' jes' lak de}' yeard he 
 would be. He wuz a settin' back, 
 dey said, on his big w'ite th'one in de 
 middle er a rainbow, readin' de Rich- 
 mon' Whig en smokin' a Herbanner 
 cigyar. His teef wuz lak a lion's, his 
 haid en his hyars wuz lak w'ite wool, 
 his feets wuz er brass, en he hilt de 
 seben styars in his ret han' en de keys 
 er def en damnation jinglet fum his 
 side, en he wuz cloved all in vestures. 
 
 " De oomans bofe reshed in terged- 
 der en drapped down kerflap 'pon dar 
 knees ret fo' dis gre't King. Bofe er 
 'em hilt tight holt er dat one po' 
 teensy-weensy li'l' baby dey had fotch 
 wid 'em. Bofe er 'em wuz cryin' en
 
 DK MARIKLK ER TWINZES 107 
 
 kyarin' on, en 'clarin' dat she wuz de 
 baby's true en 'jitimate ma, en dat de 
 yudder ooman wuz a deposter en a 
 t'ief. 
 
 "De name er dis gre't King wuz 
 Marse King Solomon, dough I has 
 yeard some folks dat didn' know no 
 better say dey b'leebed 'twuz Marse 
 King Sampson, kaze Marse King 
 Sampson wuz a kin' er slight-er-han' 
 man, en Marse King Solomon wa'n't. 
 But hit 'taint needer yer ner needer 
 dar who meked dat firs' pyar er twinzes 
 dey wuz meked, en de Good Book 
 gibs all de credick er mekin' dem firs' 
 twinzes ter Marse King Solomon. 
 
 u Wen dem two oomans proscrated 
 demse'fs on de flo' 'fo' de King ter 
 'cide whose chile 'twuz, he was 
 moughty pestered 'bout w'at ter say er
 
 108 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 
 
 do, fer he seed 'twan't no orneray case 
 ter noller prostikute. He axt 'em ef 
 dey'd come peaceable, en dey said 
 yas, dey'd come peaceable. 
 
 " Firs' he try perswazhunin' en den 
 argufymen's wid em bofe ; but, nor 
 suh ! elerwashun er de senterments 
 didn' mek no enfloons, . ner reman' a 
 single speck er 'esponse, needer, fum 
 dem two oomans. Dey didn' want 
 no errashuns ; dey want 'session er dat 
 liT baby chile. 
 
 " De King wuz so scandleized at 
 de testiment dey bofe gin 'boutn how 
 dey come by de baby dat he got frus- 
 trated in his own min'. De mo' he 
 lis'ened ter em de mo' he didn' know 
 tudder fum w'ich, en dough he paid 
 marked detenshun ter de eminence 
 ff fo' him, en wuz jes' ez ser'ous ez ef
 
 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 109 
 
 he had been in de cote-room at Ile-er- 
 Wight Cotehouse 'fo' all de jedges en 
 constubbles en majestricks in de whole 
 county, he couldu' tell de 'fendunt 
 fum de culbert ter sabe his life. 
 
 " De trouble, I especk, wuz dat bofe 
 de 'fendunt en de culbert wuz ooman- 
 folks, en dey say Marse King Solomon 
 was moughty fond er strange oomans. 
 Yas, 'pear lak dat, ez gre't en ez 'nip- 
 ertunt a man ez dis gre't King wuz, 
 de ooman-folks wuz ineluctable, eben 
 wid 'im. Hit wuz de firs' time, dough, 
 in Marse King Solomon's whole rack- 
 erlacshun dat he ebber was floundered. 
 
 "He run his han's thoo his long 
 cyurly hyar en rolled up his eyes ter 
 de heabenly th'one lak he wuz in a 
 deep tranch, en axt his Heabenly 
 Fader fer mo' jedgment ter mek de ret
 
 IIO DE MARIKLE KR TWINZES 
 
 endikement, en ter ack squar' en fyar 
 by bofe er de oomans alak. 
 
 "Wen de answer ter his praher 
 conie, hit come lak a thunder-clap, en 
 he called out in his surwiguses woice : 
 ' Boy, boy, go fetch me my sode, 
 quick quick ! I am de Rose er 
 Sharon en de Lily er de Walley ! ' 
 Den he stunt up en bow especkfully 
 ter de two oomans en axt 'em would 
 dey please ter rise en tek a cheer en 
 be seated. De boy, he run en fotch 
 de sode, quick. De oomans, dey riz 
 en sot. 
 
 u Marse King Solomon look 'roun' 
 fierce, den skunt de skabbud off de 
 sode de boy had fotch, en den he sharp- 
 ent de sode back'ards en for'ards 'cross 
 his boot two th'ee times en say, 'All 
 flesh is not de same flesh. Dar is a
 
 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES III 
 
 kin' er flesh er man en anndder er 
 beastestes. En datw'ich don sawes' 
 don sawes'; not dat body w'ich shall 
 be, but a loose man. Behole ! I 
 show yon a mystery. We shall be 
 changed.' 
 
 "En 'fo' de oomans knowed hit, 
 Marse King Solomon had deformed 
 de gre' t mystery, en had meked a pyar 
 er twiuzes outn one po' teensy-weensy 
 HT spindlin' baby, en bofe twinzes 
 wnz a heap bigger en a heap mo' sizer- 
 bul dan de baby he had meked 'em 
 outn. En dar wa'n't no seamses in 
 dar bodies, needer, en all de members 
 wuz dar, ter tek kyar er one-er-nudder. 
 De ret-han' ooman cried en kyar'd on 
 moughty bad w'ile Marse King Solo- 
 mon wuz a sawin' wid his sode en wuz 
 deformin' de marikle er twinzes ; butde
 
 112 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 
 
 lef -ban' ooman jes' hilt her bref en 
 hain't say nuttiu', jes' lak Brer Rabbit 
 did. 
 
 "Wen Marse King Solomon wuz 
 thoo mekin' deze twinzes he put a 
 strawberry mark on dar lef shoul'ers, 
 widout w'ich ef he didn' nobody could 
 er tole one twinz fum de yudder twinz, 
 dey fabered so in dar lakness. Hit 
 suttinly is s'prizin', but dar wa'n't 
 nuttin' spindlin' 'bout dem chillun 
 atter dey wuz meked inter twinzes, 
 dough hit do 'pear lak ter me dat de 
 one wid de bigges' strawberry mark 
 mus 1 er been a li'P de laklies', kaze 
 Marse King Solomon gin dat one ter 
 de ooman dat cried en kyar'd on so 
 bad. Den he sez, sezzee : ' You is brack 
 but comely, O ye daughters er Jeru- 
 salem, go fofe en feed dy kids by de 
 shep'erd's tent.'
 
 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 113 
 
 " Den he riz his eyes up ter heaben 
 en de smoke puflfed outn his nostrums, 
 en he said : 
 
 "'I/awd, let dy serpents 'part in 
 peace, ez soundin' brass en tinklin' 
 symblins, fer all flesh is grass, en de 
 lub er money is ter root ef you is able ! 
 Grind de faces er de po' ! Rule wid a 
 rod er i'on! Hole fas' dat w'ich is 
 good, fer in dat day seben oomanzes 
 shill tek hole er one man ! Now, Al- 
 furd en Emrnega, be fait'ful ter det ! 
 Wat dou seest, write hit in a book, en 
 sen' de book ter Af'ica!' 
 
 ' ' De oomans was marvelled en 
 'mazed, en went dar ways a 'joicin', en 
 stretway tuck de two chillun, Alfurd 
 en Emmega, en 'parted. En de win' 
 'ceasted en dar wuz a gre't ca'm. 
 
 " En dat wuz de gre't marikle. De
 
 114 DE MARIKLK KR TVVINZES 
 
 gre't mystery wttz deformed en de firs' 
 pyar er twinzes wuz meked. De 
 oomans wuz de owners. Marse King 
 Solomon meked 'em wid his flamin' 
 sode ontn one po' li'l' teensy-weeusy 
 baby. 
 
 " But who kin tell w'ich wuz whose 
 chile ? Er whose chile wuz de yudder? 
 Er how many faders dar wuz ter dem 
 two twinzes? Er did de sho'-en-sartin 
 mudder hab 'session er de sho'-en-sar- 
 tin twinzes dat wuz retly en truly her 
 own twinzes, en ef so, how much er 
 hit ? Could dat flamin' sode dat sawed 
 dat one po' li'P baby inter a pyar er 
 twinzes be de hyary parunt ? Whose 
 chillun wuz dem twinzes, anyhow? 
 W'ich one wuz Alfurd en w'ich one 
 wuz Emmega? 
 
 4 ' Let dy sperit byar witness. Bress
 
 DE MARIKLE ER TWINZES 115 
 
 de L,awd, O my soul ! We's all sich 
 sinners. Hit's bes' ter tas'e not, tech 
 not, handle not, ef yer wants ter climb 
 dem golden styars en git yo' 'lowence 
 er milk en honey."
 
 'De p. 
 
 nt rii ini/clifd \>m, but ni'i'ili' 
 ner nccdcr tliil hi' whine." 
 
 iiiii Ac bark
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 THIS graphic description of these 
 two historical duels was given to me 
 by an old negro whose father was an 
 eye-witness to the one and a hearsay 
 witness to the other. 
 
 The first of these duels was fought 
 by the " political meteor of Congress," 
 John Randolph, and the "Great 
 Compromiser," Henry Clay. When 
 the election of 1824 went to the 
 House and was decided in favor of 
 John Quincy Adams by the vote of
 
 Il8 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 Henry Clay the thunder of Ran- 
 dolph's voice was not the smallest 
 element in the storm which assailed 
 the recalcitrant Kentuckian. To the 
 general denunciation of "bargain and 
 corruption" with which Clay's action 
 was received Randolph added yet 
 more stinging characterization, for 
 which language he was challenged. 
 
 The magnanimity of the one and 
 the generous sensibility of the other 
 on the occasion of the duel excited 
 general admiration. 
 
 The second notable duel was in a 
 less elevated class of society, but 
 was nevertheless characterized by hon- 
 orable conduct, cool determination 
 and unflinching courage, which would 
 have been commendable in much 
 higher circles. It was fought between
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 119 
 
 two very black servitors, and grew out 
 of a sentiment which has been the oc- 
 casion of many remarkable events, 
 L/ove. A sable-tinted beauty having 
 taken possession of both hearts, it be- 
 came necessary that the vital question 
 should be decided in some definite 
 manner, and what could be more con- 
 clusive than the primitive test to 
 which resort was had away back in 
 the beginning when Cupid first dis- 
 turbed the peace of the human race ? 
 
 '"HATAX, yas, suh, dat's my 
 name. Dat is, hit's de las' po'tion- 
 part w'ich I answers by w'en dey calls 
 me, kaze my whole name, Powhatan, 
 was'es too much er de w'ite folkses 
 bref, habin' ter call hit ez ofn ez dey
 
 I2O STORICAL JUELS 
 
 does. Powliatau is one er \ve-all's 
 fambly names en signerfies who we z's } 
 dough dar's some er deze yer 'sump- 
 shus niggers en po' w'ite trash steals 
 hit fum us, kaze 'taint nuttin' 'tall 
 but stealin' fer anybody ter tek a 
 name dat dey don' 'herit fum dar own 
 gran'faders. Our fambly don' lak 
 hit, needer. 
 
 " Our w'ite folks is quality, en co'se 
 so is we. We don' come fum none 
 er dat jail-bird, pizen Guinea trash. 
 Nar, stih, dem dar ole time Butchers 
 didn' hab nuttin' 'tall ter do wid 
 selliu' er we-alls incesters fer ter- 
 backer. In dem days dat I's talkin' 
 'bout, you know, terbacker wuz 
 mos'ly de onlyes' kin' er money dat 
 folks ober yer had ter sell en buy per- 
 wizhuns en niggers en wifes en yudder
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 121 
 
 t'ings lak dat wid. Yas, suh, I wuz 
 bawn en bred en brung up 'long er de 
 Ran'olfses. 
 
 "De ve'y firs' meat-peddlers dat 
 dar wuz, dough, didn' confine dey- 
 se'fs entirely ter cullud meat ; dey use- 
 ter sell moughty nigh ez many wi'te 
 niggers ez dey did brack niggers in 
 dem days. But po' w'ite trash den 
 wuz jes' lak po' w'ite trash is now. 
 Dey wuz uppish eu no 'count on de 
 face er de ye'th, allers 'tendin' lak dey 
 kyan' stan' wuk. So de folks nat- 
 chully stuck ter de kin' dat wuz wuff 
 de mos' ter 'em radder dan ter de ones 
 dat wa'n't wuffde salt dey eats in dar 
 hoe-cakes. 
 
 "Flesh en blood wa'n't sole allers 
 fer endurin' yo' whole life in dem 
 days. Sometimes dey wuz sole fer a
 
 122 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 termnashun er time, en ef one er dem 
 dat wuz sole got onsatisfied in his 
 inin' en rnnned away 'fo' de termna- 
 shun er his time wuz up de owners 
 would bran' 'im on one er his cheeks 
 wid a red hot i'on, dat is ef dey kotch 
 'im. My daddy say dat Marse John 
 Ran'olf allers said he b'leebed dat 
 dem boat-loads er imergrates would be 
 mos' er 'em tuck back whar dey 
 coined fum, ef hit hadn' been fer dat 
 pesky terbacker crap. You see, ter- 
 backer is a heap er trouble. Firs' t' ing 
 you does you plants hit, den you 
 wuks hit, den you wums hit, kaze de 
 wums would eat de 'tire crap up ef 
 you didn'. Den you habs ter kiver hit 
 up uver nights, den onkiver hit uver 
 days, jes' lak 'twuz a new-bawn baby, 
 kaze ef you didn' 'twould freeze; en
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 123 
 
 you habs ter keep on wid dat kiverin' 
 en onkiverin' en handlin' hit en 011- 
 handlin' hit ober en ober ag'in, tvvel 
 de crap is not only meked, but is put 
 in boxes en nailt up en sont ter town. 
 
 '"Deed, hit meks me laff, but hit's 
 de trufe de terbacker crap puts me 
 mought'ly in min' er folks, dough I 
 c'lar ter graslitis, ef you teks hit all 
 fum firs' ter las', hit's a sight mo' 
 trouble ter raise a crap er terbacker 
 dan 'tis a crap er chillun. Co'se dar 
 wa'n't 'nuff po' w'ite folks a libin' 
 ober yer endurin' dem days ter do all 
 de wuk dat dat kind er crap 'quired, 
 Dey could 'tend ter de corn, en de 
 wheat, en fodder, en 'tater craps, en 
 sich ez dem, but atter dat time you 
 year tell 'bout w'en Miss Liz'befs 
 beau, Marse Rawley, coined ober yer
 
 124 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 en meked dat wonderful 'skivery er 
 terbacker ('twa'n't nuttin' biit a weed 
 w'en Marse Rawley 'skivered hit) en 
 all ban's tuck ter raisin' hit, dey wuz 
 consequently 'bleeged ter hab mo' 
 he'p dan dey had had. 
 
 1 ' Dough I wuz brung up in de 
 Rau'olf s fambly myse'f, we-alls wuz 
 'herited in hit fum de Bland side er de 
 house. Marse John's ma wuz a Bland, 
 en all er my kinlashuns en my daddy's 
 kinlashuns b' longed ter her, en wuz 
 Blands, too. Well, Marse John's ma, 
 ez I tell you, mar'ed Marse John's pa. 
 En, mini ! She wuz a ketch ter be 
 kotch, too, fum way back. She wuz 
 ez rich ez cream, en let 'lone dat, she 
 wuz de purties' young gal in de whole 
 county, en she had a sight mo' beaux, 
 too, 'sides Marse John's pa, en mo' 'an
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 125 
 
 dat, she could er got anybody in de 
 whole Ian'. 
 
 "I don' b'leebe, fum w'at I yearn 
 'bout Marse John's looks, dat he tuck 
 his looks atter his ma, dough my daddy 
 say, dey all said he wuz a moughty 
 lakly, peart chile w'en he wuz ret 
 young, but looks ain't needer yer, ner 
 needer dar, fer 'purty is ez purty does,' 
 en ef Marse John outgrowed his good 
 looks he suttiuly ingrowed monst'ous 
 good sense to stedify de loss er de looks. 
 
 " My daddy say he yeard his daddy 
 tell dat he ain't nebber come 'crost no 
 yudder pusson dat fabers Marse John 
 perzackly. He say Marse John's face 
 wuz ez narer ez his han' ; dat twuz so 
 conshumbly narer hit meked his chin, 
 dat wuz a natchul good size chin ef 
 hit had been lef by hitse'f, 'pear on-
 
 126 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 sizabul fer his face. Den ag'in, he 
 didn' hab any sign er lips growin' on 
 de outsides er his niouf, en habin' nut- 
 tin' but inside lips, hit meked his 
 mouf 'sume de 'pearnnce er a slit cut 
 lenkfwise 'twix' en 'tween his nose en 
 his chin. En dat mouf-slit er Marse 
 John's wuz jes' strotch ez tort ober his 
 teefs ez hit could be strotch. He wuz 
 dark-skinded en didn' hab nar' single 
 bit er red color in his face, lak his ma 
 had, ner a speck er smitch er whisker 
 roots eben growin' in de meat, much 
 less real sho-nuif whiskers. His nose 
 wuz short, but 'twuz ez stret ez a 
 shingle, dough. His haid well, suh, 
 his haid wuz scan'lous, hit wuz so 
 li'P. Hit wuz de li'les' haid for a 
 growed-up man you ebber sot yo' two 
 eyes 'pon. 'Deed, fum w'at dey said,
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 1 27 
 
 'twa'n't much bigger dan my two 
 fis'es. En he wuz dat skinny, en 
 spindlin', dat ef he hadn' er been a 
 moughty rich man, you'd a p'intedly 
 b'leebed he ain't nebber had a good 
 squar' meal er wittles in his whole life. 
 En bein' so straight en tall ez he wuz, 
 de HT bit er fat he did hab on his 
 bones didn' mek no sort er enfloons. 
 
 u His woice w'en he spuck in a low 
 tone soun 1 lak a pianer, 'twuz dat 
 tuneful en sweet. W'y, dar wa'n't a 
 ooman 'bout de place, w'ite er brack, 
 had nar' sof er woice dan his'n. But, 
 mun ! w'en he spuck loud, 'twuz a can- 
 opener, I tell you, en jes' ez squeechy, 
 too, ez a ole brucken tin horn. He had 
 one er de purties' meked han's you 
 ebber seed, en you could jamby clutch 
 bofe er yo' own han's 'roun' hiswais,'
 
 128 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 'twuz dat li'l'i But dem speckled eyes 
 er his' 11, by Jimerny ! Dem eyes ! 
 
 "Darwa'n't nar' nudder pyar eyes 
 lak Marse John Ran'olf 's in de whole 
 County er Ferginny, no, ner in de 
 whole relation er de Nunited States, 
 needer. My L,awd ! I tell you de 
 hawk's eyes dat you yeard folks read 
 en talk 'bout bein' so bright, wuz li'l' 
 'signifercant fish eyes ter Marse John 
 Ran'olf's eyes. 
 
 "All han's er de brack folks sot a 
 heap sto' by Marse John ; no mo' sto' 
 dan dey orter er sot, dough, kaze I tell 
 you Marse John didn' hab no ekal in 
 de wide worP. Nar, suh ! W'y, does 
 you know he tuck en 'deaverd ter Parn 
 ebby bressed one er we-all cullud folks, 
 fum de li'les' ter de bigges', ter say de 
 I/awd's Praher, en all ten er de Re-
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 1 29 
 
 man 'men's er de Law by heart. En 
 uver Sundays, w'en he wuz at home, 
 he allers preached a sho-nuff sermon 
 er de gorspil ter us hisse'f. 
 
 ' ' Marse John wuz ez rich mos' ez 
 pie-crus', too. Yas, suh, dat he wuz. 
 W'y, he had jamby fo' hundud niggers 
 en two hundud hosses, ter say nutthT 
 'tall 'boutn all de lan's en all de yud- 
 der t'ings dat he ownt in abunnance. 
 En, mun ! ebby las' one er dem fo' 
 hundud niggers er Marse John's lubbed 
 de ve'y groun' he trod 'pon ; dey would 
 er gib de las' drap er dar blood fer 'im, 
 dat dey would. I knows, kaze I wuz 
 one er 'em. 
 
 " Nar, suh ; po' Marse John nebber 
 got mar'ed ; no, nebber, dough dey 
 say he come moughty nigh hit oncet. 
 Yas, suh ; de weddin' day eben wuz
 
 130 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 sot ; but my daddy say dey all tuk 
 notus dat de nigher de 'pinted time 
 got, de mo' onres'less en onsatusfied 
 Marse John got, twel one Chuzedy 
 inawnin', I yeard 'twuz de ve'y day 
 sot fer de mar'iage, he 'low dat he'd 
 lak ter hab a inferdenshal talk wid de 
 young missis dat wuz gwine ter be. 
 She 'low she 'greed, en she corned 
 down moughty peart en gay en met 
 Marse John in de passige. Dey bofe 
 bow en smile en ax atter wunner 
 nudder, en bofe look inoughty lubbin' 
 en bofe 'quired moughty perlite how 
 tur'er one sergashuates. Den dey went 
 'long soshuble-lak tergedder inter de 
 drawin'-room. De young Missis she 
 wuz a blushin' en lis'nin' ter Marse 
 John kinder sideways wid her eyes half 
 shot up, en he wuz confabin' ter her
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 131 
 
 'bout de bunch er mawnin' - glories dat 
 he hilt in his han'. 
 
 "De las' t'ing dey all yeard Marse 
 John say wuz jes' 'fo' he git ter de do', 
 w'en he tu'nt 'roun' en look at her 
 jes' lak she wuz de ve'y firs' red-meat 
 watermillion dat ebber growed 'pon 
 de vine, en he lay de mawnin' -glories 
 'long side her purty, blushin' face, en 
 say dat she 'vide dar glory wid 'em, 
 she wuz so royal en so gran' . But dar 
 ain't noboddy nebber knowed w'at pas' 
 'twix dem two atter dey went 'long in 
 de room en shet de do' to behinst 
 'em ; needer w'at dey done, ner w'at 
 dey wuz a talkin' 'bout, ner nuttin' 
 else; dough Kalline (she wuz de maid) 
 she say she lis'en ebby chance she git, 
 but she say she kyan' year a wud dey 
 said ner a t'ing dey done, dey talk so
 
 132 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 low, widout she say she could er crope 
 'roun' on de y udder side, whar de dor- 
 mer winder wuz, but she say ef she'd 
 er done dat she skeered somebody 
 would er kotch her. 
 
 "Atter a long w'ile pass by, Marse 
 John open de do' en corned 'long out 
 all by his lone se'f. Den he shet de 
 do' sort er sof en keerful jes' lak 
 hit 'twuz shet to by de bref er de sigh 
 dat he breabed 'g'inst hit. Bress de 
 grashus ! but he looked ez w'ite ez ef 
 he'd seed a ghos' w'ile he been in dar. 
 His haid wuz bow down on his li'l 
 breas'bone, en his mouf wuz drawed so 
 tight ober his teefs, en wuz so pupple, 
 hit looked lak 'twuz mos' mortifycated. 
 He allers walked lak a Injun any way, 
 but he walked straighter en fas'er en 
 mo' lak a Injun dan ebber, en went
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 133 
 
 'long out lonesome lak ter de stable 
 en git ou tn his boss all by hisse'f, en 
 put de saddle on 'iin by hisse'f, too, en 
 rid off 'fo' anybody knowed w'at he 
 wuz up ter, rid off widout ans'in' 
 any queschuns ter nobody, er eben 
 down sayin' good-bye, ner nuttin', 
 dough w'en Ung Jim gib Sis Viny de 
 aigs out de troff whar his hoss wuz fed 
 outn he foun' some money layin 'long 
 side er dc aigs, en you know de hen 
 nebber layed no money in de hoss troff. 
 " De sufF'rin' dat wuz in Marse 
 John's min' ez he rid away wuz 
 wukin' hitse'f out, dough, spite er all 
 he could do, en fum dat time for'ards 
 dat same 'spresshun he had on his face 
 den, en dat same manner he had in his 
 ways den, lasted twel dat las' night 
 in dat HT 'ligeous town er Filerdel-
 
 134 'STORICAL JURLS 
 
 fyer, whar he went ter kotch de boat 
 dat wuz gwine ter kyar 'im 'cross de 
 oshun ter L/un'en ter see ef a change 
 er a'r ober dar in L,un'en wouldn' do 
 'im some good; but Filerdelfyer wuz 
 all de fur Marse John got. Dat yudder 
 boat dat Ian' on a diffunt sho' fum 
 Lun'en, dat sho' whar dar ain't no 
 mar' in' nerno gibin' in mar' in', wuz de 
 boat dat po' Marse John Ran' olf tuck. 
 
 " Po' Marse John ! he wuz only' jes' 
 gwine on sixty odd w'en he wuz called 
 home to glory. De green life wid its 
 moss en ferns en wid all hits buds en 
 twigs wuz bu'nt out by de fiahs er def. 
 Yas, I knows ez well ez ef I'd been dar 
 dat ole man Gabe tooted his horn loud 
 en cl'ar ; dat ole man Jacob let down his 
 lather moughty pleasin' en proud, en 
 ole man Peter meked a moughty jing-
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 135 
 
 lin' wid his keys eti de angels tuned dar 
 harps mo' keerful en clared dar th'oats 
 ter sing mo' sweeter, en jedgment day 
 put out anudder sign dat day dat Marse 
 John Ran'olf die. 
 
 ' ' ' Pears lak ez his bref swunk away 
 ter a th'ead, dat his weary eyes wuz 
 res' in on de yaller golden fiel's er 
 waberin' wheat wid ebby haid er wheat 
 kindlelighted by a glowfly lamp, en 
 dat his yeahs wuz a lis'nin' ter a sof 
 cooin' woice fum heaben, singin' a low 
 cradle song. 
 
 " Po' Marse John ! His las' sun set 
 in de Ian' er Filerdelfyer, but I knows 
 de hand er redempshun wuz hilt out 
 ter 'iin jes' ez keerful ober dar in Filer- 
 delfyer ez ef he'd been in ole Fer- 
 ginny. De angels dat de Lord sont 
 fer Marse John's sperit steert de boat
 
 136 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 ez stret fum Filerdelfyer ez ef dey'd 
 put it aboa'd at de Ole Dominion 
 w'arf at Riclimon'. En w'en de sun 
 riz de naix mawnin' on de turer sho' 
 whar de ekkoes er dis yer worl' kyan' 
 soun' I b'leebe dat ef you could er 
 looked thoo de clouds you'd er seed 
 Marse John wid his puny li'P haid, en 
 his gre't proud spent layin' on Marse 
 Aberham's sof w'ite buzzom, peacebul 
 en pashunt en at res' at las', wid de 
 shackels er de ye'th done loosted, de 
 bells er heaben a ringin', en de angels 
 en archangels en mussy en lub en de 
 sisterin' all 'roun' 'im shoutin' glory 
 halleluyer! Dey said Marse John's li'l' 
 corpse didn' look mo' dan sixteen 
 yeahs ole, en dat he talked up ter de 
 las' minit ; yas, talked 'twel he got 
 almos' inside er de walley wid de
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 137 
 
 shadder er def, den his mouf 'gun ter 
 wiggle, his jaw drapped suddent en 
 Marse John wuz daid. Co'se w'at he 
 said at de las' wuz meant fer de sperits, 
 kaze he didn' spuck loud nuff fer 
 nobody but sperits ter un'stan' de 
 meanin'. 
 
 "Wen po' Marse John Ran'olf wuz 
 libin', he didn' do so pow'ful many 
 stronagin' t'ings ez he did perwentin' 
 wicked en onwrong t'ings fum bein' 
 done. I disremembers perzackly de 
 time my daddy say dat Marse John 
 fought dat juel wid Marse Henry Clay, 
 but 'twuz endurin' de time Marse 
 John Quinz Adams wuz de Pres'den' 
 er de Nunited States er Ferginny. 
 Marse John Quinzy, you know, wuz 
 dat Pres'den' w'at drapped down daid 
 up dar at de Cap' tol dat time, en dey
 
 138 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 say dat ter dis ve'y day, ebby yeah 
 jes' 'bout de same hour-dat Marse John 
 Quinz Adams deceasted dis life en 
 drapped daid, his po' onres'les ghos' 
 kin be seen prowlin' 'roun' de corde- 
 roys, en dat his ghos' gibs kerrage ter 
 all de y udder ghos'es, en dough you 
 kyan' see de sperits er deze onconse- 
 quenshal ghos'es lak you kin Marse 
 John Quinz Adams sperit, you kin 
 year 'em mekin' de bigges' kin' er 
 rus'lin', en confabin 1 , en jabberin', en 
 roarin' 'roun', en buzzin' a clappin' 
 fer pages, en de pages a runnin', en all 
 de lak er dat de whole endurin' time 
 dat Marse John Quinzy's ghos' is out. 
 "Dough Marse John Quinz Adams 
 was jamby a hundud yeahs ole he 
 wa'n't nuttin' lak raidy ter deceast his 
 life en lay down ez ghos'. Some say
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 139 
 
 'twuz kaze he had a speech he want 
 ter mek firs' 'fo' he go, en some ag'in 
 say he wuz a gre't man fer wotin', en 
 dat he want ter wote wid his party. 
 Wat dey all sez, dough, don' encord 
 wid w'at Marse John Quinz Adams say 
 hisse'fwid his las' bref, w'ich wuz dat 
 he 'wuz content.' But den ag'in 
 w'en you looks fuddermo', how is you 
 gwine ter put any 'pendunce in dem 
 las' wuds er his'n 'bout his bein' ' con- 
 tent,' w'en jes' 'bout a minit 'fo' he 
 said dem las' two wuds he said, ' Dis 
 am de een' er de ye'th,' en we all know 
 dat ain't so, fer de ye'th is yer yit. 
 
 " Marse John Quinz Adams ain't 
 got nuttin' tall in de Lawd's worP ter 
 do wid dis yer juel I's gwine ter tell 
 you 'bout, en I don' know w'at meked 
 me let my jaw run on 'bout 'im lak I
 
 140 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 is, so I better g'long back ter hit 'fo' 
 I lose de way fer good en all. I 
 'bleeged ter tell you de trufe at de 
 start, en dat is, Marse John Ran' olfwuz 
 entirely ter blame fer dis juel, fer he 
 'gun de qua'el hisse'f wid Marse Henry 
 Clay. You see, Marse John wuz 
 moughty high sperited, en had too 
 much strenkf en surwigusness in his 
 temperashun fer his own good. I 
 dunno w'at he en Marse Henry Clay 
 wuz 'sputin' 'bout, but I does know dis, 
 dat Marse John called Marse Henry out 
 r his name, en 'suited 'im ; 'suited 
 'im, too, in de Senate-house, 'fo' mo 
 dan a hundud peoples, I reckon. 
 Co'se dat riz de anamus in Marse 
 Henry's breas\ en he tuck Marse John 
 up, en reman' dissatusfacshun. Marse 
 John say he kin hab all de dissatus-
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 141 
 
 facshun he wants, en he kin hab hit 
 w'eu en whar he choose, en ret dat 
 minit ef he laks. 
 
 "All dar frien's on bofe sides dat 
 yeard 'boutn de fuss wuz in dead 
 restress, fer ebbyboddy knowed dey 
 wuz bofe er 'ein de bes'es shots in de 
 whole Ian'. Marse John p'intedly 
 said, dough, fum de firs', dat he wa'n't 
 gwine ter mek no widderses ner orfan- 
 ses er Marse Henry's fambly ; dat co'se 
 he wuz gwine ter shoot, but he ain't 
 say whar he wuz gwine ter p'int his 
 gun w'en he do shoot. Dis foolish- 
 ness didn' oncord wid de noshunments 
 er Marse John's two seckonses, dat 
 wuz gwine 'long wid 'im, 'cordin' ter 
 dar 'greement, ter he'p 'im shoot 
 Marse Henry. Marse Ginul Hamilton 
 he up en spuck firs'. He wuz lak
 
 142 'STORICAL JUKLS 
 
 Marse John's own brudder, Marse 
 Ginul Hamilton wuz, kaze his ma en 
 Marse John's ma had been ez familious 
 ez sisters ebber sence dey wuz liT 
 gals tergedder, en he 'lowdat ef Marse 
 John wuz gwine ter kyar his aigs-en- 
 trikiness ez fur ez dat, en ack ez dad- 
 blame curisom en onreazenerubble ez 
 he say he wuz dat he'd be-dog his cats 
 ef he wuz gwine wid 'im one step. 
 Marse Kun'el Tattnell j'ined in wid de 
 same argufyments, en bofe er deze gem- 
 mens 'greed dat Marse John mus' git 
 some yudder frien's ter see 'im shot 
 down. All dat Marse John's seckon- 
 ses could say, en all de eminence dat 
 dey brung ter byar, didn' onsottle 
 Marse John's min'. His mill' wuz 
 meked up ter shoot in de a'r, en in de 
 a'r he wuz gwine ter shoot, but he say
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 143 
 
 he gwine ter deceibe Marse Henry's 
 load, dough, ret in de breas', kaze he 
 say hit don' matter ef he do git kilt, 
 fer dar ain't nobody ter greebe atter 
 'im in dis wide worl' ; dat nobody 
 ain't gwine drap no tears on de green 
 sob dat kibers his po' wufless kyarkis. 
 My daddy never say how hit come 
 'bout, but Marse John pas'fy all de re- 
 jecshuns er de two seckonses, en dey 
 bofe 'greed dat dey'd g'long wid 'im 
 howsomebber hit wuz, en let 'im hab 
 his way. 
 
 "Well, w'en de 'p'inted time come 
 'long, 'peared lak dey mus' a knowed 
 all 'bout de trouble ober yonder in de 
 promis' Ian', fer de sun wuz a settin' 
 lak a big ball er fiah in a burnin', 
 blazin' sky. De whole heabens wuz 
 dat yaller dat fum w'at dey all said hit
 
 144 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 mus' a look lak de Tredegar I' on 
 Wuks dar in Richmun'. Marse John 
 he got ter de place 'bout a minit 
 a-haid er de 'p'inted time. He had on 
 a swaller-tail coat wid a big collar, en 
 de buttons on hit wuz jamby tetchin' 
 wunner-nudder, dough de onlyes' but- 
 ton dat wuz buttoned up wuz de one 
 at de wais'. Marse Henry, dough, he, 
 mun ! wuz all dressed in de topknob 
 er de fashion, wid a fan-tail coat on, 
 wid de buttons on hit sot way fur 
 apart. 
 
 "Gre't Gord in Heaben ! Gre't 
 Cord in Heaben ! dar dem two gre't 
 mens stood a lookin' at wuuner-nud- 
 der. Wat on de face or de ye'th does 
 you reckon dey wuz study in' 'bout, 
 anyhow ? Hit suttinly wuz turerble, 
 fer de good Lawd don' mek a pyar er
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 145 
 
 mens lak dem two ebby day, en dey wuz 
 bofe brung up in de paff dey should 
 go, en knowed a heap better dan ter 
 ack lak dey wuz gwine ter ack. 
 
 "Pies' n'y Marse John's eyes hap- 
 pened ter drap 'pon his trigger, en he 
 called Marse Gin'ul Hamilton en tole 
 'im he didn' lak a hyar- trigger fer nut- 
 tin' . Dat a hyar- trigger wuz lierbul ter 
 fly off, 'fo' you knowed hit; en a nudder 
 t'ing, he could skasely feel de totch 
 er a hyar-trigger thoo his buckskin 
 glubs. Wid dat Marse Kun'el Tat- 
 nell ter 'bleege 'im went for'ard en 
 hyard de trigger fer Marse John, w'en 
 piff-piff-pow ! ker-blim-m-m ! ! jes' 
 lak Marse John say 'twould, de gun 
 went off wid de muzzle een' a p'intin' 
 to'ds de groun'. Dat meked Marse 
 Gin'ul Jessup t'arin' down mad, en he
 
 146 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 hop 'roun' skrumpshus jes' laka tuckey 
 gobbler wid a fresh tater-bug, en w'ile 
 he wuz r'arin' en shtickin' his han's en 
 sw'arin' 'bout w'at he wuz gwine ter 
 do, lak he wuz jes' lineded thoo en 
 thoo wid emportance, Marse Henry 
 Clay bow his haid, en spuckup firm 
 en strong. His woice soun' ez cl'ar ez 
 a bell. He look ez proud ez a king, 
 en he said: 'Geminen, hit's a ax' dent; 
 let de 'rangements perceed, ef you 
 please.' Wid dat, dey all er 'em bow 
 solumcholly. Marse Gin'ul Jessup (he 
 wuz Marse Henry's haid man) shet up 
 dat minit. Den de wud wuz gi'n en 
 de ' rangements perceeded. Marse John 
 done jes' lak he said he was gwine ter 
 do. He riz up his gun swiff' en fiah 
 in de a'r. Marse Henry shet up one 
 eye wid 'terminashun en tuck daid
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 147 
 
 aim, but ez good luck would hab hit, fer 
 de ve'y firs' time in his whole endurin' 
 life, Marse Henry missed his mark. 
 
 " Marse Henry ain't no sooner seed 
 w'at he did see, en got a cl'ar un'er- 
 stan'in' 'boutn w'at Marse John had 
 done, dan he bu'st out cryin' en flung 
 his gun away en say, ' My Gord, Ran- 
 'olf ; my Gord, ole feller ; I preh ter 
 Heaben I ain't totcht you.' Wid dat 
 dey bofe er 'em shuck han's en hug 
 wunner-nudder en meked up. Some 
 says dey kissed ; but I dunno. En 
 dat wuz de een' er dat moughty 'stor- 
 ikal juel. De way I tole you is de 
 stret way, wud fer wud, jes' lak I 
 yeard hit fum my daddy's own mouf, 
 en he wuz dar ret on de spot, en he 
 knowed, fer he yeard hit all en he 
 seed hit all.
 
 148 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 " DE YUDDER juel I yeard my daddy 
 tell 'bout was fought up dar in Lee 
 County, en ebbybody gin hit up, dat 
 dat juel wuz de outnes' juel ebber 
 fought in dem parts er any yudder parts, 
 ez ter dat. Hit wuz fought 'bout de 
 same time ez Marse John's en Marse 
 Henry's juel wuz fought, too. Sep'n 
 de Lee County juel wuz s\\Q-rmfffottght. 
 Anudder diffunce wuz dat de Lee 
 County juel was fought twix' two big 
 niggers. Bofe niggers, too, wuz ez 
 brack ez de pot. One nigger b' longed 
 ter Marse Henry Lee, who wuz de 
 Gubner er Ferginny, en de turer nig- 
 ger b' longed ter de Joneses dat libed 
 at Joneswill. Nigger tradiii' wuz de 
 'kazhun er afojuel bein' fought. En 
 hit all come 'bout lak dis :
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 149 
 
 u De Joneses tuck en trade dar 
 bricklayer off fer a ret bret-skin, lakly- 
 lookin' merlatter gal, en gin two 
 hundud dollars ter boot. De trade 
 wuz wid a fambly libin' at Knoxwill, 
 'bout sixty miles funi whar dey libed. 
 
 "Well, two er de Joneswill niggers 
 got ter broozin' 'roun', en palaverin' 
 wid dis gal, 'twel dey got darse'fs haid 
 ober heels in lub wid her, er got cun- 
 jered, one er de yudder. 'Deed I 
 dunno w'ich 'twuz, cunjer er lub, bofe 
 has de same symp' urns ; any-how-som- 
 ebber, w'edder 'twuz cunjer er w'ed- 
 der 'twuz lub, bofe niggers 'clared 'fo' 
 Gord, dat dey wuz gwine ter hab 
 Marse Henry Lee's gal ef dey kin git 
 her. Mo' dan dat, dey 'lowed dat dey 
 ain't gwine ter ax no odds ner inter- 
 wenshuns fum wunner-nudder, needer.
 
 150 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 " De gal she mought er had a sweet- 
 heart in Knoxwill fer all dem two 
 niggers knowed. Anyhow, she ain't 
 nebber been axt ter choose 'twix' em, 
 so co'se she hadn' gib no qualifyka- 
 shuns ter needer one 'bout w'ich she 
 laked de bes'. She wtiz soshubble jes* 
 de same wid bofe. She rnought er 
 laked one mo' dan de y udder, but ef she 
 did she nebber signerfy w'ich one 
 'twuz. One wuz jes' ez insecatin' ter 
 her ez de yudder, so fur ez anybody 
 seed er knowed. 
 
 "T'ings went 'long lak dis 'twel 
 maple-sugar time, w'en bofe niggers 
 ineked a termnaslmn in dar min's ter 
 put a een' ter dar 'spishuns 'bout 
 wunner-nudder, en a een' ter dar wor- 
 riments 'bout de gal, en ter fin' out 
 who wuz w'ich en w'ich wuz who,
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 151 
 
 wid her. Dougli bofe de mens had 
 been speechless, en onfrien'less, wid 
 wunner-nudder ebber sense dey firs' 
 'skivered de turer one's detenshuns, 
 dey had been 'bleeged ter wuk sides 
 by sides. 
 
 " Well, hit come 'long to'ds de een' 
 er de sugar-bilin', en one Saddy de 
 havrn bio wed fer de han's ter lay off 
 dar wuk 'twel Monday, lak hit in 
 gen' ally does uver Saddy. Dem two 
 gre't big brack nigger lubbers wuz 
 wukin' sides by sides lak I tole you, 
 en w'en de hawn gin de las' toot, dey 
 stopped en ball dar eyes 'roun' at 
 wuuner-nudder fer a minit, en den 
 dey drapped dar wuk en dar eyes bofe, 
 en went 'long down ter de creek en 
 tuck a swim. Atter dey'd washed dar- 
 se'fs dey went ter dar quarters en dressed
 
 152 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 darse'fs up in dar bes' Sunday-go-ter- 
 meetin' close. Den dey tuck de li'P 
 cakes er maple sugar all cut in squar's, 
 en hearts, en diamonds, en rabbits, en 
 mens en hoss shapes dat dey'd bofe 
 been a sabin' up, en dey fixed 'em in de 
 diffunt wilier baskits dat dey had each 
 meked darse'fs uver nights. Den dey 
 kivered de baskits ober wid clean 
 corn shucks, wid de shucks all 
 tasseled out at de een's. Den dey 
 w'isserled ter dar dorgs, en hangt dar 
 baskits on de een's er dar sticks, en 
 hangt de sticks ober dar shoul'ers, en 
 den dey started off down de road bofe 
 tergedder, needer one sayin' nuttin' 
 ter wunner-nudder. 
 
 "Jerushe, dat wuz de name er de 
 gal, wuz jes' thoo wid de week's darn- 
 in' w'en she looked up en seed de two
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 153 
 
 mens, wid dar two dorgs a foil' in on 
 behime 'em, comin' on thoo de road 
 gate. De gal tuck hit all in. She 
 seed de wukkins er dar min's, she 
 seed how dem mens wuz raserlin' fer 
 her wid de ole boy. 'Twa'n't proned 
 inter de gal ter be 'sateful, but she 
 know'd she wus 'bleege ter be so den, 
 fer dough dem two mens wuz ez 
 'umble ez de naix w'en dey wa'n't 
 tarryfied, she knowed dat w'en dar 
 Af'kin blood wuz up dar wa'n't no 
 subjewin' er dar rashfulness. Ez she 
 watched 'em, she got mo' en mo' 
 skeered 'bout de consequenchals, en 
 she 'terinint dat she ain't gwine ter 
 mek no extinshun ter he'p on dar con- 
 fracshuns, so w'en dey offud her de 
 maple sugar she say she much 'bleeged 
 ter 'em bofe, ''deed she wuz, but she
 
 154 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 kyan' 'cept hit. She say she got mo* 
 maple sugar now dan she kin eat, en 
 ag'in she say maple sugar allers meks 
 her teef ake, en dat hit don' 'gree wid 
 her nohow ; dat ez fer her, she'd heap 
 rudder hab 'lasses any day. Wid dat 
 bofe de niggers tu'ned en styared at her 
 lak dey wuz gwine ter eat her up. Den 
 dey tu'ned en ball dar eyes at wunner- 
 nudder, 'twel 'deed dar eyes 'peared lak 
 two big w'ite chana sassers sot in dar 
 haids, but dey ain't say nuttin'. Den 
 dey lit out en tote deyse'fs off, en leP 
 de sugar en de gal, bofe er 'em terged- 
 der, settin' dar on de weabin'-room do' 
 steps. Deyjes' w'isserled ter dar dorgs 
 en went 'long outn de gate. Wen 
 dey got ter dar quarters dey bofe retcht 
 up en tuck dar rifleses down ofFn de 
 j'?ce widout sayin' nuttin' ter wunner-
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 155 
 
 nudder ag'in, eii went 'long to'ds de 
 Cuin'lan' Mount' ins, en didn' stop 
 'twel dey git jes' dis side de Kentuck' 
 line. 
 
 " Dar in dem lonesome woods 'neaf 
 de big, strong oaks, de bitter-hearted 
 dog- woods, de low-sperited willows, de 
 jack-tar ash trees, de spyin' sweet 
 gumses, de sykermore tu'n-coats, de 
 copybook beeches, de sunshine hick- 
 orys, de grabeyard walnut, de vain- 
 jedgement cherry trees, de wounded- 
 scarry bloody sugar-maples. Dar 
 whar de sun nebber shine 'pon de 
 brack ye'th, wid de win' mekin' no 
 diffunces, but howlin' en w'isserlin' en 
 rus'lin' thoo de crooked en de stret, de 
 low en de tall trees, jes' de same. De 
 Powel Riber jamby at 'em, too, ro'in' 
 en splashin' en a sputterin'. Dar dem
 
 156 'STORICAL JUKLS 
 
 two big brack nigger-mens, widout no 
 seckon's, widout no doctors, widout no 
 nuttin', went ter 'stroy dar own 
 souls en dar w'ite folks' prop'ty. 
 
 "Well, suh.! up ter de ve'y las' de 
 two raens didn' skasely look to'ds 
 wunner-nudder, let 'lone speak. Dey 
 bofe went ter wuk ez hard ez dey could 
 en tuck en cl'ared away de underbresh. 
 Den dey meajered offn de fifteen pas- 
 in's, tuck dar places darse'fs, drapped 
 a w'ite corn shuck, kaze dey didn' hab 
 no hank'cher ter drap, en count studdy 
 en solemn, One Two Th'eel! Den 
 wid all de kurridge in de worl' dey 
 gin out dat li'l' wud at de same time, 
 bofe tergedder NOW ! At de soun' 
 er dat wud bofe niggers fiahed bofe 
 er 'em drapped bofe wuz shot in dar 
 breas'es. One wuz daid. He deceasted
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 157 
 
 hit time he drapped. De yudder one 
 dat wuz shot wuz hit in de ret breas',, 
 en he li'l' mo' en deceasted hit, too, 
 but atter he'd steamed up a li'l' bref 
 he stuft his ole hat in de woun' ter 
 stop de bleedin', en meked out ter 
 crawl ter de roadside, whar he lay suf- 
 f'in' en prehin' fer he'p 'twel de foil' in' 
 Chuzedy 'bout sunrise in de mawnin'. 
 "Dat gal, Jerushe, knowed sump'n 
 turerble wuz gwine ter happen. She 
 sot de sugar dey lef ' behime 'em away 
 in de cubbud; one er de-baskits she sot 
 keerful up 'pon de top she'f en rol' 
 her eyes up sideways at hit, but de 
 turrer one she sot on de flo' en shobed 
 hit in de cornder wid her foots widout 
 eben lookin' to'ds hit. Den she look 
 up at de baskit on de top she'f lubbin',. 
 en breaved hard. Den she locked de
 
 158 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 do' en bu'st out cryin' en tie up her 
 haid wid a cullud leaf, en tell her 
 young Missis dat she feel moughty 
 po'ly ; dat she had a bunch er pains all 
 ober her en a awful miz'ry in her back, 
 en dat she didn' feel well, nohow. 
 
 u Dat night, dough de gal didn' 
 especk ter see needer one er de mens, 
 she kep' a lookin' fer 'em jes' de same 
 ez ef she had knowed dey wuz sho'ly 
 comin', en ebby time de dorgs bark she 
 runned ter de do' ez hard ez she could 
 split, en looked out. De naix mawnin' 
 she was so pestered she wuz sick sho- 
 nuff. Wile she wuz onkomin' her 
 young Missis' hyar she axt her would 
 she en de young Marser (dat wuz gwine 
 ter be) w'en dey driv out tergedder dat 
 mawnin', dribe by de Hom'ny quarters 
 en leab a baskit dar fer her. 'Twuz
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 159 
 
 dat baskit dat she 'poz'ted on de flo'. 
 Her young Missis tole her, ' Yas, sut- 
 tinly she would,' en tole her to g'long 
 en fetch hit en put hit un'neaf de 
 seat. 
 
 4 "Feared lak ter Jerushe dat her 
 young Missis en de young Marser (dat 
 wuz gwine ter be) wuz gwine ter tek 
 all day ter go en come. She gun ter 
 watch fer 'em time dey lef de house 
 'twel she seed 'em comin' back ag'in. 
 Po' gal ! she couldn' ten' ter her wuk 
 fer lookin' up de lane, en time dey bofe 
 driv in sight, dar she wuz, waitin' in 
 de road ter open de gate fer 'em. Wen 
 she seed dey had brung de baskit 
 back wid 'em, she trembled en got 
 queachy all ober; en w'en her young 
 Missis tole her dat de two mens 
 wa'n't at de quarters, en wa'n't eben
 
 160 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 on de premusses, en dat dar hogs en 
 kattles hadn' been fed, ner nuttin' 
 hadn' been 'tended ter, iier a lick er 
 wuk hadn' been struck sence Saddy 
 eb'nin', she reelt en skeerted 'roun' so 
 she jamby fell un'neaf de gig w'eels 
 (in dem days dey rid in gigs en rocker- 
 ways sep'n w'en dar wuz mo' ter ride 
 dan de gigs en rockerways hilt ; den 
 dey hitched up de carriages). W'en 
 Jerushe come to she tole her young 
 Missis all 'bout de sugar, en 'bout de 
 two niggers ballin' dar eyes at wunner- 
 nudder, en 'bout de s'pishuns dat had 
 been 'sturbin' her inin' ebber sence 
 she stood en watched 'em gwine up de 
 lane tergedder, en she say she b'leebed 
 dat dey had bofe kilt wunner-nudder. 
 D'reckly de gal tole her young Missis 
 'bout her s'pishuns de ve'y same
 
 'STORICAL JUELS l6l 
 
 s'pishuns kotch holt er her, too, eu 
 'pear lak ebbybody else tuck up de same 
 notion, so dat 'fo' sunset dat same night 
 de whole nayberhood, paterrollers en 
 all, had tu'nt out ter he'p fin' de 
 two missin' niggers. Dey s'arched 
 ebby place in de rackerlackshun er de 
 oldes' pusson, en atter de folks had all 
 'zorsted dar min's dey sont en got de 
 paterroller's bloodhoun's (de blood- 
 houn's min's, you know, is up dar 
 noses) ; en deze houn's scented de two 
 mens, en tracked 'em ter de place 
 whar I tole you 'bout up dar in de 
 Cum' Ian' Mount' ins. 
 
 " De strenkf er lub suttinly is pow- 
 'ful. Sometimes hit gibs folks fo'- 
 sights dat's jes' ebby grain ez true 
 ez dar hin'- sights ; en dat gal Jem- 
 she's fo'- sights led her ter dem unbe-
 
 l62 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 knownst, dark, lonesome woods 'fo' 
 ebeu de bloodhoun's had scented de 
 place out. Yes, lub sho'ly mus' er 
 led dat gal dar, widout co'se, ez I said 
 'fo', 'twuz cunjer. 
 
 "Gals en women folks suttinly is 
 cur'ous, anyhow. Dey say dis yer 
 gal nebber tuck no notus er de 'seech- 
 in' look er de firs' one dat wuz layin' on 
 de aidge er de woods-paff, but dat she 
 run pas' 'im, mos' 'st' acted, en flung 
 herse'fon de turrer one's breas', de 
 one dat was kilt, en w'en she seed dat 
 he wuz daid, Lawd ! Lawd ! her re- 
 stress was turerble. 
 
 "Dar wuz de daid man's po' li'l' fice 
 dorg settin' by 'im on his behime laigs, 
 ha'f starbed. En dat dorg had dat 
 much insticks dat nar' nudder pusson 
 dar' sen' t tetch his Marser's lich (a nig-
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 163 
 
 ger kin be a dorg's Marser, you know} 
 sep'u dat gal Jerushe widout de dorg's 
 r'arin' up at 'em lak he wuz gwine tei 
 t'ar 'em all ter flinders. Enhitsuttinly 
 waspiterful ter see dat po' gal's restress. 
 "Wen all de yudders git dar wid de 
 bloodhoun's, en seed de sight er po' 
 Jerushe' s 'flickshun hit werryd 'em all 
 mought'ly, en bimeby-pres'n'y, w'en 
 she wuz greebiu' lak her heart would 
 bu'st wide open, en dey wuz all er 'em 
 tryin' ter comfort her, en wuz a sayin' 
 ' Po' gal ! Po' gal !' ter her, en 'seech- 
 in' her ter supjew her greebin', de 
 li'l' yaller fice-dorg, wid tears in his 
 eyes fer dorgs kin cry tu'nt 'roun' 
 en 'gun ter lick de gal's han's, en hit 
 'peared lak dat de lickin' er her lub- 
 ber's dorg swaged her restress mo' dan 
 any t' ing dat de real folks had said, fer
 
 1 64 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 she uebber cleped a nudder soun' alter 
 dat, but got quiet all ter a suddent 
 Den de folks went up ter her en try ter 
 perswage her ter g'long back home 
 wid 'ein ter her young Missis, en tole 
 her how dat Ung Tim en Ung Sam 
 wuz gwine ter stay dar wid her beau 
 'twel de umbertekers come wid de 
 coffin ter put 'im in. 
 
 " But Jerushe nebber 'spon ter nut- 
 tin', dey said. She nebber budge, ner 
 nebber tuck no notus er none er dar 
 arguefyments. Some er de mens thunk 
 de gal's worryments inus' er stunted 
 her ter mek her lay so still all uver 
 suddent. De maj'stret, dough, thunk 
 diffunt fum de yudders, en he spuck 
 up en say, he don' bleebe she wuz 
 stunted ; he bleebed she wuz play in' 
 'possum. Anyhow, he say, w'edder
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 165 
 
 she is er w'edder she ain't, he ain't 
 got no time ter fool wid a good-fer- 
 nuttin', lazy, stubbo'n nigger. Wid 
 dat he kotch holt er bofe er de gal's 
 arms en drug her ret up offn de corpse. 
 Hit suttinly wuz skan'lus in de maj's- 
 tret ter do po' Jerushe dat away! fer 
 she wa'n't stunted ; needer wuz she 
 play in' 'possum Jerushe wuz daid ! 
 
 "Wen de maj'stret seed dat de 
 po' gal wuz sho'-nuff daid, he look 
 moughty shame-face en hang-dorg 
 'bout de way he had ack ; but I'll say 
 dis much fer 'im ; he suttinly spuck 
 out honerble lak a gemman en say 
 'fo' all han's er de mens 'My Gord! 
 my Gord ! ! I nebber would hab 
 bleebed dat a nigger could a died 
 fum grief lak dis, ef I hadn' a seed 
 hit wid my own eyes.'
 
 1 66 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 "Den de maj'stret tuck de gal up 
 jes' ez sof en gentle ez ef she'd been a 
 w'ite lady en lay her back 'longside er 
 her po' daid lubber. 
 
 "Wen de maj'stret had fixed 'em 
 tergedder sides by sides he looked 
 down at 'em bofe fer a minit in a deep 
 studdy; den he retched ober de gal- 
 corpse en onlinkt a piece er de man- 
 corpse's brass watch-chain en meajered 
 hit 'roun' de size er de gal-corpse's fin- 
 ger; den he tuck his jack-knife en en- 
 j'ined de chain-links tergedder, en 
 meked a ring outn hit. Den he put 
 de ring dat he meked in de man- 
 corpse's han'. Wen he had done dat, 
 he tuckoffhis own hat en looked 'roun' 
 solemn at de yudders en say 'Gem- 
 men, bemobe yo' hats, ef you please/ 
 En de gemmen all bemobed dar hats.
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 167 
 
 Den he rollt his eyes up ter Heaben 
 ter call de good Lawd's detenshun 
 down ter 'em. Den he opened his 
 motif en spuck de wtids. En dar 'pon 
 de hill-top, un'neaf de moughty trees, 
 way up in de Cum' Ian' Mount' ins, 
 whar dis 'storical juel wuz sho-'nuff 
 fought (no p'intin' in dea'r nomissin' 
 er de mark, en huggin' er wunner- 
 nudder atterwuds) de maj'stret spuck 
 de wuds er de Law en de Gorspel en 
 mar'ed de two corpses ter wunner- 
 nudder in one flesh, dat is, ef a maj's- 
 tret er de law en de wuds er de chutch 
 en a weddin' ring kin mek a mar'i'ge. 
 De maj'stret hilt de husband corpse's 
 brack stiff han' en meked hit wiggle 
 de weddin' ring on de wife-corpse's 
 liT yaller limber finger. 
 
 "Wen de maj'stret wuz thoo wid
 
 168 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 de sumery en had denounct 'em bofe 
 ez man en wife, he said : 'Gemmen, 
 let us all kneel in praher.' En dar on 
 de brack ye'th, wid de blood marks 
 bespattered all 'roun' 'em, wid dar 
 haids byar, de gemmens all kneelt en 
 said de Lawd's Praher dat is, dem 
 dat knowed de Lawd's Praher, said hit; 
 en dem dat didn' know hit follered de 
 yudders de bes' dey could. De po' 
 dorg sot en watcht 'em, but needer 
 did he bark, ner needer did he w'ine, 
 but he trembled all ober, dough, jes' 
 lak he had a hard, shekin' ager. De 
 hosses en de mules whar de mens had 
 rid up dar on, en whar wuz tied ter de 
 trees, stomped en stomped dar hoofs 
 en whickered en whinnied w'ile dey 
 wuz all aprayin', 'twel you'd a thunk 
 de witches wuz a ridin' 'em. De
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 169 
 
 yolps en de cries er de blue-mottled en 
 brack-en-tan, lank-shin houn' dorgs, 
 ezde fox doubled on 'em, echoed en 
 echoed thoo de trees wid de wuds 
 ' Dy Kingdom come, Dy will be done. ' 
 Hit suttinly wuz a solemn, skeerish 
 time. But I gwine ter tell you all 
 one t'ing, jes' ez sho' ez you en me is 
 bawn, en dat is dis : dar's gwine ter be 
 one 'sprized nigger ober yonder w'en 
 he gits 'cross de ribber Jorden, en 
 clumbs up de golden styars en gits safe 
 inside de promis' Ian', en fin's out 
 whose been layin' 'long side er 'im 
 down dar in de Cum' Ian' Mount' ins. 
 
 " De mens tried ter perswage de daid 
 nigger's po' HT ha'f-starbed dorg, wid 
 wittles en w'istles bofe, ter g'long 
 back home wid 'em. Den dey start 
 ter tek 'im en kyar him 'long any
 
 170 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 how, but de po' li'l' feller howled so 
 piterbul dat dey all went 'long back 
 widout 'im, en lef im' dar keepin' 
 comp'ny wid de bride en groom 'twel 
 Ung Sam en de yudders could git 
 dar wid de coffin. 
 
 " Ez dey wuz all ridin' long by dat 
 yudder Joneswille nigger de maj'stret 
 got offn his horse en tuck out his 
 tickler, en gib de po' man a dram, den 
 he gib de tickler ter one er de mens en 
 tole 'im ter stay dar wid de po' suff'rer 
 en do all he kin fer 'im 'twel de doctor 
 en de steer kyart could git dar. 
 
 ' ' W ile de maj ' stret wuz giben de man 
 deze yer orders, a nudder one er de 
 mens wuz tellin' de Joneswille nigger 
 'boutn de mar' in'. Well, suh, ef you 
 b'leebe me, dat dyin' nigger's eyes 'jes 
 blar'd en glar'd en wall'd up lak a wil'
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 171 
 
 tagger's, en fo' dey all knowed w'at he 
 wuz gwine ter do, he jukt up his gun, 
 he did, en p'inted hit stret to'ds de 
 maj'stret. P'intin' wuz all de po' nig- 
 ger's strenkf hilt out tu do, fer his 
 finger trombled ez hit tetched 'g'iust 
 de trigger, en his gun en his jaw bofe 
 drapped suddent. His eyes rollt back- 
 'ards lak a caged lion's dat kyan' he'p 
 hitse'f, en his sperit lipped outn his 
 brack body wid a roar. 
 
 " Bofe de Joneswille niggers wuz 
 corpses. One baskit er sugar on de 
 she'f en de y udder one on de flo'. 
 
 "Way up dar on de top er de hill 
 ter dis day is two grabes layin' sides 
 by sides. De bride en de groom sleeps 
 tergedderpeacerbulinwunner-nudder's 
 arms in one er de grabes. En in de 
 turrer grabe dat yudder po' fersooken,
 
 172 'STORICAL JUELS 
 
 lonesome Joneswille nigger twisses en 
 tosses en tu'ns 'bout uver day all by 
 his po' lonesome se'f, wid murder in 
 his heart, en his sugar on de flo', en 
 uver nights his cures' less sperit ha'nts 
 de woods en prowls 'roun' 'boutn de 
 whole place whar dat turrerble juel wuz 
 fought eu whar de soun' er dar guns 
 wuz echoed. 
 
 " All th'ee er de corpses wuz bur'ed 
 de same day, but de niggers ain't 
 neber got thoo habin' fune'als ober 'em 
 all yit. En de consequenshals er dis 
 juel is gwine ter las' plum 'twel de 
 goats en de sheeps is 'wided up on 
 Jedgeinent Day en one er de y udder is 
 put out ter pastur'. Fer dat giner- 
 ashun er niggers en ebby ginerashuii 
 er niggers dat's been sence den, is had 
 foughts en quar'ls, en 'sputes, en fusses
 
 'STORICAL JUELS 173 
 
 'bout 'who 'gun de qua'rl ' en 
 ' whose fault hit all wuz ' ; but de 
 mos' er 'em dough, I mus' say, in 
 gen'ally puts all de blame on de pd 1 gal. 
 " Aun' Judy say she wuz out at de 
 wood-pile choppin' up her light' ood 
 fer inawnin' w'en de two Joneswille 
 niggers come long by her wid dar 
 guns, but she say she 'low ter herse'f 
 dat dey wuz bofe runnin' way fum dar 
 owners, en wuz gwine on thoo de lines 
 whar all de niggers you know is free 
 niggers. She say dat dat wuz de 
 reason she didn' say nuttin' 'tall ter 
 her w'ite folks ner ter nobody else 
 'bout seein' 'em. She say dat de nig- 
 ger dat got kilt firs' tu'nt roun' atter 
 he had passed by her, lak he had a re- 
 sentment dat sump'n wuz gwine ter 
 happen, en say ter her, ' Ger-by, Aun'
 
 174 'STORICAL JUEI<S 
 
 Judy; tek keer er vo'se'f, en gib iny 
 lub ter mammy, en 'member me ter 
 Sis Abby. ' Den she say de yudder one 
 he come 'long en looked back ober his 
 shouPer en say, 'Ger-by, Ann' Judy, 
 tell all our folks, Howdy.' Aun' 
 Judy say she say ter herse'f, 'twa'n't 
 none er her bizness ter be tellin' w'at 
 she seed, en so atter dat she nebber 
 thunk no mo' 'bout hit, she jes' kep' 
 on splittin' up her kin'lin' en puttin' 
 up her light' ood en singin' 'Wen 
 I kin read my title cl'ar.' "
 
 ************* 
 
 PICKETT AND HIS MEN 
 
 BY 
 
 LASALLE CORBELL PICKETT 
 
 (Mrs. Gen. George E. Pickett) 
 
 IN THE THIRD THOUSAND 
 
 One of the most fascinating pieces of biographical writing 
 that has recently been published in this country. 
 
 Review of Reviews. 
 
 She writes without bitterness, and her sympathy with 
 the Southern cause and its leaders does not lead her into one- 
 sided estimates of the war as a whole. The Chicago Record. 
 
 Has its peculiar charms. New York Times. 
 
 It contributes materially to our knowledge of Pickett, the 
 man, and strengthens the impression, always cherished in the 
 South, that his magnificent courage was united with a heart 
 of womanly tenderness and a character in every way lovable. 
 New Orleans Picayune. 
 
 Told with a fire and style that carries the reader along 
 despite himself, and makes him imagine that he lived, for the 
 time being, among the famous personages and the great 
 events that are recounted. New York Tribune. 
 
 She makes no timid apologies in deference to changed 
 conditions, but at the same time she writes in such sweet 
 temper that her work throughout breathes the violet aroma 
 of complete reconciliation. Atlanta Constitution. 
 
 Size. 6%x8%; Binding, cloth, stamped in gold; 
 Pmges, 439; Price, $2.00. 
 
 ttbe fteale Co., publishers 
 
 431 Eleventh Street TOUabington, E>. C. 
 
 ************* 4***44*******
 
 
 /9+~ 
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