to follow in
the footsteps of his master and be a poet, and was therefore often
heard singing doggerels of his own composition.

But there was one drawback to Sam, and that was his color. He was one
of the blackest of his race. This he evidently regarded as a great
misfortune; but he endeavored to make up for it in dress. Mr. Wilson
kept his house servants well dressed, and as for Sam, he was seldom
seen except in a ruffled shirt. Indeed, the washerwoman feared him more
than any one else in the house.

Agnes had been inaugurated chief of the kitchen department, and had a
general supervision of the household affairs. Alfred, the coachman,
Peter, and Hetty made up the remainder of the house-servants. Besides
these, Mr. Wilson owned eight slaves who were masons. These worked in
the city. Being mechanics, they were let out to greater advantage than
to keep them on the farm.

Every Sunday evening, Mr. Wilson's servants, including the bricklayers,
assembled in the kitchen, where the events of the week were fully
discussed and commented upon. It was on a Sunday evening, in the month
of June, that there was a party at Mr. Wilson's house, and, according
to custom in the Southern States, the ladies had their maidservants
with them. Tea had been served in "the house," and the servants,
including the strangers, had taken their seats at the table in the
kitchen. Sam, being a "single gentleman," was unusually attentive to
the ladies on this occasion. He seldom let a day pass without spending
an hour or two in combing and brushing his "har." He had an idea that
fresh butter was better for his hair than any other kind of grease, and
therefore on churning days half a pound of butter had always to be
taken out before it was salted. When he wished to appear to great
advantage, he would grease his face to make it "shiny." Therefore, on
the evening of the party, when all the servants were at the table, Sam
cut a big figure. There he sat, with his wool well combed and buttered,
face nicely greased, and his ruffles extending five or six inches from
his bosom. The parson in his drawing-room did not make a more imposing
appearance than did his servant on this occasion.

"I is bin had my fortune tole last Sunday night," said Sam, while
helping one of the girls.

"Indeed!" cried half a dozen voices.

"Yes," continued he; "Aunt Winny tole me I's to hab de prettiest yallah
gal in de town, and dat I's to be free!"

All eyes were immediately