“‘Bout dat time Unc’ ’Jah’s boy Rube he go co’tin’ de putties’ nigger gal dat ebber were borned; but she were unner conviction at de Big Meetin’, an’ don’ ’pear ter take no notice er Rube, but she like him powerful, unbeknownst. “Oh, but she were putty! an’ she were er house-nigger, an’ w’ar finer close dan t’others, an’ sot an’ sew right by her Ole Miss. “Well, Rube he savin’ uv he wedges, an’ he think he ax Ole Marse mought he buy her, arter dey marries, fur hit ’pear lack dey gwine ter marry arter de Big Meetin’, ’case Rube he were mighty lack he Mammy, an’ all de gals was plum sot on him. Well, Unc’ ’Jah don’ ’pear ter take no notice, ’case he were er-workin’ on he Mammy, who were mighty po’ly, des er-draggin’ one foot an’ totin’ t’other, twel sumpen ’pear ter happen ter Rube’s gal, an’ den Unc’ ’Jah he ’pear ter des wake up. “Hit happin dis way: ’Bout de time de Big Meetin’ ober dar kim er stranger in de Quarters dat taken er powerful shine ter de gal, an’ he allus kim in de night, an’ walk an’ talk wid de gal er little erway fum t’others. “Well, dat gal she show him her putty teef, an’ laugh an’ jeck her putty head erbout, but she thinkin’ ’bout Rube. “Den he fotch some big gole year-rings an’ er brooch—powerful fine fur er nigger, ’case dey mos’ es fine es her Ole Miss wear ever’ day; an’ dat nigger w’ar broadclof lack er gemmen; an’ Rube he were powerful low in he min’, ’case de stranger talk mighty putty, an’ he ’low dat ’omens lub putty talkin’; but dat stranger ain’ say whar he fum, an’ he ain’t call he name ter any er de niggers, not eben ter de gal. [Illustration: “‘I GWINE WARM YO’ BIMEBY’”] “An’ sing! Lord, how dat stray nigger sing, an’ pick de banjo, an’ mek de fiddle fa’rly dance! Eben de ’zorters, hearin’ uv hit ’way off, couldn’ keep dey foots fum shufflin’ an’ dey han’s fum pattin’ when dey hears dat nigger play de fiddle. But es fine es he were, wid he mustache an’ de b’ar’s grease on he hair, he allus wanter set down; an’ Unc’ ’Jah, ’case Rube were so po’ly, he pull he eye, lack er lizard, down on him, an’ he see dat he got sumpen de matter wid de right foot, an’ he try ter hide hit all he kin. “But Unc’ ’Jah don’ say nuffin; he des er-workin’. An’ de stray nigger he promus de gal fine close an’ fine house lack her Ole Miss got; an’ de gal she show him her teef ergin, but she still er-thinkin’ ’bout Rube. “Den de stranger he chink de gole money in he pocket an’ show hit ter de gal; she ’ain’t nebber see er nigger tote gole money erfore, an’ she op’n ’er eyes wide, an’ ain’ think ’bout Rube no more. “Dat Rube he were er cuissome nigger, an’ he git ter be mighty painful, an’ he ain’ wanter eat ’count er de gal, an’ ain’ look at t’others des er-rinnin’ arter him; an’ Unc’ ’Jah he ain’ say nuffin, but he sot er charm fur de gal dat done promus ter marry de stray nigger an’ shakes her big gole hoops in de face er Rube. Dat gal mout er-knowed de stray nigger ’ain’ git ’em hones’.