“De debil hatter borry er body, ’case he cain’t mek one, an’ hit b’long ter some low-down man dat wand’rin’ roun’ outen he skin; an’ de debil he hatter gib hit back, an’ he kinder in er herry too, ’case dat man gotter go ter work in de mornin’. “Well, de debil he spit an’ he spit, an’ ’cross de branch Unc’ ’Jah he work an’ he work—he tryin’ fur ter dry up de water so’s his charm kin work on de debil. “Hit ’pear lack de debil gwine win, ’case he done spit hese’f ’mos’ half inter de body; an’ de body lif’ he arm an’ chuckle an’ laugh—course hit were de debil chucklin’ an’ laughin’ in him; but dat branch were er dryin’ up too, mighty fas’, an’ dey bofe uv ’em herry, fur hit done ’most day. “De body lif’ t’other arm; but de branch done plum dry now; an’ Unc’ ’Jah he riz wid he charm an’ jump ’cross an’ lay he han’s on de body; an’ de debil he pull, an’ Unc’ ’Jah he pull; but de debil cain’t work ’gin’ Unc’ ’Jah’s charm; an’ he howls lack er dog fur ter skeer Unc’ ’Jah off, but Unc’ ’Jah ain’t skeered; an’ he bark lack er wolf, but Unc’ ’Jah know him; an’ he roar lack er lion an’ holler lack er mad bull, but Unc’ ’Jah keep he han’ wid de charm in hit on de body. “Den de debil shine he eyes at Unc’ ’Jah lack er tiger-cat, an’ r’ar an’ t’ar an’ chaw de ole coat plum offen Unc’ ’Jah, but Unc’ ’Jah got holt er de body yit. Den de debil he gin hit up, ’case he cain’t work ’gin sech er powerful hoodoo, an’ draw de res’ uv he sperit outen de body, an’ gib one las’ awful howl, ’case de day was bre’kin’ now, an’ go des er-limpin’ an’ er-yellin’ inter de wood in de shape uv er lame yaller dorg dat was er-sniffin’ close by. “Den Unc’ ’Jah go up ter de house an’ git some salt, fur salt hit mek de debil plum miserbul, an’ he fill up dat ole body wid hit lack er sack, an’ tie hit up, an’ fling hit inter de bayou. * * * * * “De debil he go erbout er-seekin’ fresh parsturs an’ er-feedin’ on new grass, fur he ain’ nebber kim on dat place no mo’; an’ he ain’ pester de gal no mo’ arter Rube done marry her; fur dat de way Unc’ ’Jah git shet uv him, an’ dat de way ter git even wid him when he pesters yo’, if yo’ does hit lack Unc’ ’Jah do, in de dark er de moon.” THE OTHER MAUMER The great bell was sounding the dinner hour, for it was twelve o’clock, and the long line of negroes threw aside the gunny-sacks as they came from the field and wiped their perspiring faces, for it was yet warm, even though October had already touched the trees upon the hill. The ringing of the bell was a welcome sound to Cely, one that she had been longing to hear for a whole hour, as her fingers fluttered restlessly over the bolls. She had not been working well; Susan and Rachel, reckoned with Cely the fastest pickers on the place, were many pounds ahead; but Cely did not care; her heart was not in her work to-day.