t feelin'
sorry hain' gwine ter holp much when yo' git yo'se'f tied up in sech a
box. He fed dem hawgs, he et what dem hawgs et, he slep' close to dem
hawgs, he wuz suttenly _on de hawg_, but dey wuz better company en dem
gamblers en some dem wimmen in de city--yes, dey wuz.

"Byme-bye, one night, ez he see de moon comin' over de hill, en de stars
winkin en blinkin' in de sky, he got ter thinkin' uv de ole home, uv de
chitlins en de spare ribs, de fat biskits en de sweet milk, de persarves
en de yaller butter--he jes' cudden' stand hit. He walk down to de
hawg-pen en throw over some cawn en say, 'Far'well, my frens, I'se done
de bes' I kin fer yo', but I'm gwine home!'

"He struck out, fust in a kine er foxtrot, but de mo' he thought er
home, de faster he got. Erlong time hit seem, over dat lonesome road. De
little chillun cum out ter look at him, but fly back inter de house, he
look so awdashus, en ef he meet a hawg in de road, he cudden' look him
in de face. He could smell de ham and hominy fryin' in de skillet at de
houses whar he pass, en' hit meck hi' mouf water lack a hoss wid de
slobbers.

"Fine'ly he see erway down yondah, de ole place frum de top uv de
hill--de ole house sottin' back in de cool shade. He tuck a hitch on
his rotten britches an' hit de grit.

"Ez he cum up to de yahd gate, his dawg bark at him, an' his daddy cum
down de yahd wid his big gold-headed cane, en he never knowed hi' son
whatsomever, tell de boy kiner drag up en say, 'Pap, fo' Gawd sake,
gimme sunthin' ter eat!'

"Ole Miss, his mammy, sot by de big winder, lookin' kinder sad-like,
doin' fancy wuk wid her needle, en singin' sorter sof 'In De Sweet Bye
en' Bye,' en' presen'ly she hear her boy's voice--a mammy kin hear de
voice uv her boy a long way--en' she jump up en' thode her sewin' erway
en' cried out ez de tears stream down her cheek, 'Praise Gawd, my boy
done cum back!'

"De ole genermun knowed de black sheep dun cum home, en he holler out en
say, 'Bring de bes' robe en put hit on him, but wash him in de pon'
fust!' Den he say, 'Bring de fattes' calf, de one fed on de bran' mash!'
Dey wuz merry, en his mammy wep' on his neck, arfter hit wuz washed, en
when he sot down to de table, en she give him de veal cutlets en de
light rolls, he des hook his laig 'roun' a cheer 'roun' an' lay to, en
he des kin er roll frum side ter side, layin' in de grub, en licken' his
fingers, en passin' up hi' plate--en dey think he's thru, en gwine