pick more cotton than any other negro on the plantation. He
had amused himself by courting and flirting with all of the negro girls;
but at last he had been caught himself by pretty Candace, one of the
house-maids, and a merry dance she had led him.

She had kept poor Jim six long months on the rack. First she'd say she'd
marry him, and then she'd say she wouldn't (not that she ever really
_meant_ that she wouldn't), for she just wanted to torment him; and she
succeeded so well that Jim became utterly wretched, and went to his
master to know "ef'n he couldn't make dat yaller gal 'have herse'f."

But his master assured him it was a matter that he had nothing on earth
to do with, and even told Jim that it was but fair that he, who had
enjoyed flirting so long, should now be flirted with.

However, one evening his mistress came upon the poor fellow sitting on
the creek bank looking very disconsolate, and overheard him talking to
himself.

"Yes, sar!" he was saying, as if arguing with somebody. "Yes, sar, by
rights dat nigger gal oughter be beat mos' ter deff, she clean bodder de
life out'n me, an' marster, he jes' oughter kill dat nigger. I dunno
w'at makes me kyar so much er bout'n her no way; dar's plenty er
likelier gals 'n her, an' I jes' b'lieve dat's er trick nigger; anyhow
she's tricked me, sho's yer born; an' ef'n I didn't b'long ter nobody,
I'd jump right inter dis creek an' drown myse'f. But I ain't got no
right ter be killin' up marster's niggers dat way; I'm wuff er thousan'
dollars, an' marster ain't got no thousan' dollars ter was'e in dis
creek, long er dat lazy, shif'less, good-fur-nuffin' yaller nigger."

The poor fellow's dejected countenance and evident distress enlisted the
sympathy of his mistress, and thinking that any negro who took such good
care of his master's property would make a good husband, she sought an
interview with Candace, and so pleaded with her in behalf of poor Jim
that the dusky coquette relented, and went down herself to Aunt Sukey's
cabin to tell her lover that she did love him all along, and was "jis'
er projeckin' wid 'im," and that she would surely marry him
Christmas-night.

Their master had had a new cabin built for them, and their mistress had
furnished it neatly for the young folks to begin housekeeping, and in
mamma's wardrobe was a white dress and a veil and wreath that were to be
the bride's Christmas gifts. They were to be married in the parlor at
the house, and da