"Why, Thomas," said I, "_I_ think it a very good likeness--the
complexion _is_ a little dark to be sure, but do you know I particularly
admire the head. Look at that forehead; any one can see that you are a
man of intellect. I tell you it isn't every one who can boast of such a
forehead."

"The--the 'mahk you make 'bout me, has been made 'fo'; I may say, has
been made quite frequent--quite frequent; on'y lass Tuesd'y fohtni't,
Sistah Ma'y Ann Jinkins--a promnunt membeh of ouh class (that is, Asba'y
class, meets on Gay Street), Sistah Ma'y Ann Jinkins, she ups an' sez,
befo' de whole class, dat she'd puppose de motion, dat Bro' Thomas
Wheatley wuz 'p'inted fus' speakah in de nex' 'Jug-breakin' an'
Jaymiah's Hamma,' by de i-nanemous vote of de class. I'm clah to say I
wuz 'stonished; but ahta class wuz ovvva, Bro' Moss tole me de
'p'intment wuz made jes' f'on de 'peahunce of my hade, ''Cause,' he sez,
'no man cain't be a po' speakah with sich a fine intellec' which we see
expressed in de hade of Bro' Thomas Wheatley--but, same time, I knowed
all time de fus' motion come f'om Sistah Ma'y Ann Jinkins--she's a ve'y
good friend o' mine, Sistah Ma'y Ann Jinkins--thinks a sight o' me; I
'scohts heh to class ev'y Tuesd'y--ev'y Tuesd'y, sine die."

"You do? What does your wife have to say to that?" I asked,
maliciously.

He stared at me an instant, then replied:

"My wife!--oh--oh, Law bless yoh soul, seh, _she_ do' keeh. Bro'
'Dolphus Beam, _he_ sees ahta heh: you see, seh, she's I-o-n-g way
'moved f'om Asba'y class; 'twont admit none but fus'-class
'speience-givvahs in Asba'y, an' my wife she wa'n't nevvah no han' to