Gord! 't is him!
'T is de very voice an' eyes an' hyah,
An' mouf an' smile, on'y yo' ain' so slim--
I wonder whah--whah is de ole 'ooman?
Now let my soul
Depart in peace
For I behol'
Dy glory, Lord!--I knowed you, chile--
I knowed you soon 's I see 'd your face!
Whar has you been dis blessed while?
Yo' 's "done come back an' buy de place?
Oh, bless de Lord for all his grace!
De ravins shell hunger, an' shell not lack
De Marster, de young Marster is done come back!

LITTLE JACK[1]

[1] In memory of John Dalmey, of Richmond, Virginia: a man faithful to
all trusts.

Yes, suh. 'T was jes' 'bout sundown
Dad went--two months ago;
I always used ter run down
Dat time, bec'us', you know,
I wudden like ter had him die,
An' no one nigh.

You see, we cudden git him
Ter come 'way off dat lan'--
'E said New House did n' fit him,
No mo' 'n new shoes did; an'
Gord mout miss him at Jedgment day,
Ef he moved 'way.

"How ole?" Ef we all wondered
How ole he was, he 'd frown
An' say he was "a hundred an--
Ole Miss done sot it down,
An' she could tell--'t was fo' or five--
Ef she was live."

Well, when, as I was sayin',
Dat night I come on down,
I see he bench was layin'
Flat-sided on de groun';
An' I kinder hurried to'ds de do'--
Quick-like, you know.

Inside I see him layin'
Back, quiet, on de bed;
An' I heahed him kep on sayin':
"Dat 's what ole Marster said;
An' Marster warn' gwine tell me lie,
He 'll come by-m'-by."

I axed how he was gettin'.
"Nigh ter de furrow's een',"
He said; "dis ebenin', settin'
Outside de do', I seen
De thirteen curlews come in line,
An' knowed de sign.

"You know, ole Marster tole me
He 'd come for me 'fo' long;
'Fo' you was born, he sole me--
But den he pined so strong
He come right arter Little Jack,
An' buyed him back.

"I went back ter de kerrige
An' tuk dem reins ag'in.
I druv him ter his marriage;
An', nigger, 't was a sin
Ter see de high an' mighty way
I looked dat day!

"Dat coat had nary button
'Skusin' it was ob gole;
My hat--but dat warn't nuttin'!
'T was noble ter behole
De way dem hosses pawed de yar,
Wid me up dyar.

"Now all 's w'ared out befo' me!--
Marster, an' coat, an' all;
Me only lef--you know me!--
Cheat wheat 's de lars'