in dis creek, long er dat lazy, shif'less, good-fur-nuffin' yaller
nigger."

The poor fellow's dejected countenance and evident distress enlisted
the sympathy of his mistress, and thinking that any negro who took
such good care of his master's property would make a good husband, she
sought an interview with Candace, and so pleaded with her in behalf of
poor Jim that the dusky coquette relented, and went down herself to
Aunt Sukey's cabin to tell her lover that she did love him all along,
and was "jis' er projeckin' wid 'im," and that she would surely marry
him Christmas-night.

Their master had had a new cabin built for them, and their mistress
had furnished it neatly for the young folks to begin housekeeping, and
in mamma's wardrobe was a white dress and a veil and wreath that were
to be the bride's Christmas gifts. They were to be married in the
parlor at the house, and dance afterwards in the barn, and the wedding
supper was to be set in the laundry.

So you see it was a busy day, with so much of cake-baking and icing
and trimming to be done; and then the girls had to see about their
dresses for the evening, and the young men had their shoes to black,
and their best clothes to brush, and their hair to unwrap; but
notwithstanding all this, when Major Waldron and his family entered
the chapel they found a large congregation assembled; indeed, all were
there except the sick; and master and slaves, the white children and
black, united their hearts and voices to

"Laurel and magnify His holy name,"