hung a little loose an' de tails o' de coat hung a little long. Me bein'
de house boy, I used to look mighty sprucy when I put on my frock tail.

"De mistis used to teach us de Bible on Sund'ys an' us always had Sund'y
school. Us what lived in de Big House an' even some o' de fiel' han's
was taught to read an' write by de white folks.

"De fiel' han's sho' had a time wid dat man, Duncan. He was de overseer
man out at de plantation. Why, he'd have dem poor Niggers so dey didn'
know if dey was gwine in circles or what.

"One day I was out in de quarters when he brung back old man Joe from
runnin' away. Old Joe was always a-runnin' away an' dat man Duncan put
his houn' dogs on 'im an' brung 'im back. Dis time I's speakin' 'bout
Marster Duncan put his han' on old Joe's shoulder an' look him in de eye
sorrowful-lak. 'Joe', he say, 'I's sho' pow'ful tired o' huntin' you.
I'spect I's gwina have to git de marster to sell you some'r's else.
Another marster gwina whup you in de groun' if he ketch you runnin' 'way
lak dis. I's sho sad for you if you gits sol' away. Us gwina miss you
'roun' dis plantation.' After dat old Joe stayed close in an' dey warnt
no more trouble out o' him.

"Dat big white man called Duncan, he seen dat de Niggers b'have
deyse'ves right. Dey called him de 'Boss Man.' He always carried a big
whup an' when dem Niggers got sassy, dey got de whup 'crost dey hides.

"Lawsy! I's recallin' de time when de big old houn' dog what fin' de
run-away Niggers done die wid fits. Dat man Duncan, he say us gwina hol'
fun'al rites over dat dog. He say us Niggers might better be's pow'ful
sad when us come to dat fun'al. An' dem Niggers was sad over de death o'