"Yass'm, dawgs. Notinstandin' de dawgs come pass me roun' about, in de
name o' de Lawd will I lif up my han' an' will perwail."

"Have you only your hands?"

"Da's all David had, ag'in lion an' bah."

"True. Euonymus, I need a man's clothes."

"Yass'm, on a pinch dey mowt come handy."




XII

Here Robelia came again, conducting "Luke" and "Rebecca." Luke's
garments were amusingly, heroically patched, yet both seniors were
thoroughly attractive; not handsome, but reflecting the highest,
gentlest rectitude. One of their children had inherited all that was
best from both parents, beautifully exalting it; the other all that was
poorest in earlier ancestors. They were evolution and reversion
personified.

The father was frank yet deferential. Our parley was brief. His only
pomp lay in his manner of calling me madam. I felt myself a queen.
Handing him a note to the stable-keeper, "You can read," I said, "can't
you? Or your son can?"

"No, madam, I regrets to say we's minus dat."