upon de bery topes' branches, an' dey sung like dey'd split der
troats,

"'I wush I had,' 'I wush I wuz.'

"But de little gal neber min' 'em. She was rested, an' hobbled on all
by herse'f; but now, sence she done wush fur blessin' fur tudder
folks, de spell was loosenin' an' de stone all drawerd up ter a little
bit er stone, den sunk away in de groun' clar out o' sight. An' dat
wuz de last ob de wushin'-stone."

"Dar now!" exclaimed Aunt Milly.

"De truff, sho'! jes like I ben tellin' yer," said Mammy.

"But, Mammy, what about the little girl? did she ever get well an'
strong, an' not be lame any more?" asked Dumps.

"Well, honey, yer see de Lord, he fixes all dat. He sont fur her one
night, an' she jes smiled, bright an' happy like, an' laid right back
in de angel's arms; an' he tuck her right along up thu de hebenly
gates, an' soon as eber he sot her down, an' her foot totch dem golden
streets, de lameness, an' sickness, an' po'ness all come right; an'
her fader, an' her mudder, an' her niggers wuz all dar, an' she wuz
well an' strong, an' good an' happy. Jes like she wush fur de po'
folks, an' de sick folks, de Lord he fixed it jes dat way fur her. He
fixed all dat hisse'f."

CHAPTER IV