at how come I get my money back fo'
her, an' stock my little patch o' groun'. Yes, sah, she got scared an'
settle down when I done sold her back again. Mahs Masterson he got mo'
work out o' her than I could; he knew mo' 'bout managen' them Nawthen
niggahs."

"Wouldn't he be a find for those abolitionists?" asked Evilena,
laughing. "Nelse, you've been very entertaining, and if your Miss
Gertrude needs you to stay about the place we'll steal hours to hear
about old times."

"Thanky, Miss Lena; yo' servant, sah; it sartainly does do me good to
get in heah an' see all these heah faces again--mighty fine they are.
I mind when some o' them was painted. Mahs Duke's was done in Orleans;
so was Miss Bar'bra, it's in the parlah. But Mahs Tom--he had an
artis' painter come down from Wash'nton to do Miss Gertrude's, once
when she just got ovah sick spell--he scared lest she die an' nevah
have no likeness; her ma, she died sudden that-a-way. We all use to
think it bad luck to get likenesses; I nevah had none; Mahs Matt nevah
had none; an' we're a liven' yet. All the rest had 'em took an' wheah
are they?"

"Now, Uncle Nelse, you don't mean to say it shortens people's lives to
have their picture taken?"

"Don't like to say, Miss Lena, but curious things do happen in this
world. That artist man, his name, Mistah Madden, he made Mahs Tom's
likeness, an' Mahs Tom got killed! An' all time Mahs Tom's likeness
was bein' done, an' all time Miss Gertrude's was a doin', that Mistah
Madden he just go 'stracted to paint one o' Retta to take 'way with
him. All the niggahs jest begged her not to let him, but she only
laughed--she laughed most o' the time them days; an' Mahs Tom he sided
with Mistah Madden, so she give consent, an' he painted two--one
monstrous big one to take 'way with him, an' then a teeny one fo' a
breastpin; he give it to Retta 'cause she set still an' let him make
the big one. An' now what happened? Within a yeah Mahs Tom, he was
killed, an' Retta Caris, she about died o' some crazy brain fever, an'
it was yeahs afore she knew her own name again; yes, went 'wildered
like--she did; an' that's what two likenesses done to my sutain
knowledge."

"Then I've hoodooed Dr. Delaven, for I made a pencil picture of him
only this morning."

"And if I should fall down stairs, or into the Salkahatchie, you will
know the primal reason for it."

Old Nelse shook his head at such frivolity.

"Jes' 'cause you all ain't afraid don't t