"Strate is de rode an narrer is de paff which leadeff to
glory."--"Brederen believers!--You semble dis nite to har de word, and
hab it splained and monstrated to you; yes, an I ten for splain it clear
as de lite ob de libin day. We're all wicked sinners har below--it's
fac, my brederen, and I tell you how it cum. You see, my frens,

"Adam was de fus man,
Ebe was de todder,
Cane was a wicked man,
Kase he kill he brodder.


"Adam and Ebe were bofe black men, and so was Cane and Able. Now I spose
it seem to strike you a understandin how de fus wite man cum. Why I let
you no. Den you see when Cane kill de brodder de Massa cum, and he say,
'Cane whar you a brodder Able?' Cane say, 'I don't know, Massa.' He cum
gin an say, 'Cane whar you a brodder Able?' Cane say, 'I don't know,
Massa;' but de nigger noe'd all de time. Massa now git mad--cum
gin--peak mity sharp dis time,--'Cane whar your brodder Able, you
nigger?' Cane now git friten, and he turn _wite_: and dis is de way
de fus wite man cum pon dis arth! an if it had not been for dat dare
nigger, Cane, we'd neba been troubled wid dese sassy wites pon de face
ob dis circumlar globe. Now sing de forty lebenth hym, ticular meter."

* * * * *


EPIGRAM (FROM THE ITALIAN)