Simon, you's a ol' man, you's ol'."

"Well, sis' Lize, dah was Methusalem."

"I ain' jokin', Brothah Simon, I ain' jokin', I's a talkin' right
straightfo'wa'd. Yo' conduc' don' look right. Hit ain' becomin' to you
as de shepherd of a flock."

"But whut I been doin', sistah, whut I been doin'?"

"You know."

"I reckon I do, but I wan' see whethah you does er not."

"You been gwine ovah to de wes' plantation, dat's whut you been doin'.
You can' 'ny dat, you's been seed!"

"I do' wan' 'ny it. Is dat all?"

"Is dat all!" Lize stood aghast. Then she said slowly and wonderingly,
"Brothah Simon, is you losin' yo' senses er yo' grace?"

"I ain' losin' one ner 'tothah, but I do' see no ha'm in gwine ovah to
de wes' plantation."

"You do' see no ha'm in gwine ovah to de wes' plantation! You stan'
hyeah in sight o' Gawd an' say dat?"

"Don't git so 'cited, sis' Lize, you mus' membah dat dey's souls on de
wes' plantation, jes' same as dey is on de eas'."

"Yes, an' dey's souls in hell, too," the old woman fired back.

"Cose dey is, but dey's already damned; but dey's souls on de wes'
plantation to be saved."

"Oomph, uh, uh, uh!" grunted Lize.

"You done called me de shepherd, ain't you, sistah? Well, sayin' I is,
when dey's little lambs out in de col' an' dey ain' got sense 'nough
to come in, er dey do' know de way, whut do de shepherd do? Why, he go
out, an' he hunt up de po' shiverin', bleatin' lambs and brings 'em
into de fol'. Don't you bothah 'bout de wes' plantation, sis' Lize."
And Uncle Simon hobbled off down the road with surprising alacrity,
leaving his interlocutor standing with mouth and eyes wide open.

"Well, I nevah!" she exclaimed when she could get her lips together,
"I do believe de day of jedgmen' is at han'."

Of course this conversation was duly reported to the master and
mistress, and called forth some strictures from Mrs. Marston on Lize's
attempted interference with the old man's good work.

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Eliza, that you ought. After the
estrangement of all this time if Uncle Simon can effect a
reconciliation between the west and the east plantations, you ought
not to lay a straw in his way. I am sure there is more of a real
Christian spirit in that than in shouting and singing for hours, and
then coming out with your heart full of malice. You need not laugh,
Mr. Marston, you need not laugh at all. I am very much in earnest, and
I do hope that Uncle Simon will