"Solomon wuz wise, for he hed uv konkebines a suffishensy, but we wuz
wiser in our day than him.

"For he hed to feed his children, and it kost him shekels uv gold and
shekels uv silver, and much corn and oil.

"We hed our konkebines with ez great a muchness ez Solomon, but we sold
their children for silver, and gold, and red-dog paper."

And all nite long the bereaved old patriarch, who hed alluz bin a father
to his servants (and a grandfather to menny uv em) poured out his
lamentations.

In the mornin the niggers wuz called up, and ez they all hed their koats
on, and hed bundles, I spect they must hev heard the news. The old
gentleman explained the situation to em.

"Yoo will," sed he, "stay in yoor happy homes--you will alluz continue
to live here, and work here, ez yoo hev alluz dun!"

The niggers all in korious, with a remarkable unanimity, remarkt that ef
they hed ever bin introdoost to theirselves, they thought they woodent.
In fact, they hed congregated at that time for the purpose uv startin
life on their own hook.

[Illustration: EFFECT OF THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION IN KENTUCKY.]

A paroxysm uv pain and anguish shot over the old man's face. Nearest to
him stood a octoroon, who, hed she not bin tainted with the accurst
blood uv Ham, wood hev bin considered beautiful. Fallin on her neck, the