t spile it_, nur _too much fire can't
scorch it_, nur _too much fore-sight_ (ur whatever dis heah is de
P'esberteriums mixes in dey bread) _can't set it so stiff it can't
rise_, 'caze hit's got de strong leaven o' de spirit in it, an' hit's
_boun' ter come up_!

"I see de sun's gitt'n low, an' hit's time ter let down de bars an'
turn de sheeps loose, an' de goats too--not sayin' deys any goats in
dis flock, an' not sayin' dey ain't--but 'fo' we goes out, I wants
ter say one mo' word ter Brer Dolittle."

His whole face was atwinkle with merriment now.

"Dey does say, Brer Dolittle, dat riches is mighty 'ceitful an'
mighty ap' ter turn a man's head, an' I tookin' notice dat arter you
fetched up Brer Chesterfiel' Jones's five dollars to-day you nuver
corndescended ter meck no secon' trip to de hat on Brer Dolittle's
'count.

"I did think I'd turn a searchin' glance on yer fur a minute an'
shame yer up heah, but you looked so happy an' so full o' biggoty I
spared yer, but yer done had time ter cool off now, an' I 'bleeged
ter bring yer ter de scratch.

"Now, ef you done teched de five-dollar notch an' can't git down,
we'll git somebody ter loan'd yer a greenback bill ter fetch up, an'
whils' de congergation is meditatin' on dey sins I'll gi'e you back
fo' dollars an' ninety-five cents."

Amid screams of laughter poor little Dolittle, a comical, wizen-faced
old man, nervously secured a nickel from the corner of his handkerchief,
and, grinning broadly, walked up with it.

"De ve'y leastest a man _kin_ do," Jordan continued, as leaning forward
he presented the hat--"de ve'y _leastest_ he kin do is ter _live up ter
'is name_, an' ef my name was _Dolittle_ I sho' would try ter _live up
ter dat, ef I didn't pass beyond it_!"

And as he restored the hat to the table beside him, he added, with a
quizzical lift of his brow:

"I does try ter live up ter _my_ name even, an' yer know, my
feller-sinners, hit does look like a hard case fur a man o' my color
ter live up ter de name o' White."

He waited again for laughter to subside.

"At leas'," he resumed, seriously, "hit did look like a hard case _at
fust_, but by de grace o' Gord I done 'skivered de way ter do it!

"Ef we all had ter live up ter our skins, hit'd be purty hard on a heap
of us; but, bless de Lord! he don't look at de skins; he looks at de
_heart_!

"I tries ter keep my _heart_ white, an' my _soul_ white, an' my
_sperit_ white! Dat's how I tries ter liv