s a direct request for my judgment, I did not have the moral
courage to raise an issue, although my views on the subject of 'coon
meat are well known to my family; so I grunted something which I doubt
not he took for assent, and he proceeded:

"Dee warn' nuttin he didn' lead de row in; he wuz de bes' swimmer I
ever see, an' he handled a skiff same as a fish handle heself. An' I
wuz wid him constant; wharever you see Marse George, dyah Edinburg
sho', jes' like he shadow. So twuz, when he went to de university;
'twarn' nuttin would do but I got to go too. Marster he didn' teck
much to de notion, but Marse George wouldn' have it no urrway, an'
co'se mistis she teck he side. So I went 'long as he body-servant to
teck keer on him an' help meck him a gent'man. An' he wuz, too. From
time he got dyah tell he cum 'way he wuz de head man.

"Dee warn' but one man dyah didn' compliment him, an' dat wuz Mr.
Darker. But he warn' nuttin! not dat he didn' come o' right good
fambly--'cep' dee politics; but he wuz sutney pitted, jes' like
sometimes you see a weevly runty pig in a right good litter. Well, Mr.
Darker he al'ays 'ginst Marse George; he hate me and him bofe, an' he
sutney act mischeevous todes us; 'cause he know he warn' as we all. De
Stauntons dee wuz de popularitiest folks in Virginia; an' dee wuz
high-larnt besides. So when Marse George run for de medal, an' wuz to
meck he gret speech, Mr. Darker he speak 'ginst him. Dat's what Marse
George whip him 'bout. 'Ain' nobody nuver told you 'bout dat?"

I again avowed my misfortune; and although it manifestly aroused new
doubts, he worked it off on the mules, and once more took up his story:

"Well, you know, dee had been speakin' 'ginst one nurr ev'y Sat'dy
night; and ev'ybody knowed Marse George wuz de bes' speaker, but dee
give him one mo' sho', an' dee was bofe gwine spread deeselves, an' dee
wuz two urr gent'mens also gwine speak. An' dat night when Mr. Darker
got up he meck sich a fine speech ev'ybody wuz s'prised; an' some on
'em say Mr. Darker done beat Marse George. But, shuh! I know better'n
dat; an' Marse George face look so curious; but, suh, when he riz I
knowed der wuz somen gwine happen--I wuz leanin' in de winder. He jes
step out in front an' throwed up he head like a horse wid a rank kyurb
on him, and den he begin; an' twuz jes like de river when hit gits out
he bank. He swep' ev'ything. When he fust open he mout I knowed twuz
comin'; he face