FOLKS FROM DIXIE [Illustration: MR. RUGGLES.] FOLKS FROM DIXIE BY PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR Author of “Lyrics of Lowly Life” WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY E. W. KEMBLE [Illustration] NEW YORK DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY 1898 _Copyright, 1897_, BY BACHELLER SYNDICATE. _Copyright, 1898_, BY JOHN BRISBEN WALKER. _Copyright, 1898_, BY DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY. University Press: JOHN WILSON AND SON, CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A. To my Friend H. A. TOBEY, M.D. Contents Page ANNER ’LIZER’S STUMBLIN’ BLOCK 3 THE ORDEAL AT MT. HOPE 29 THE COLONEL’S AWAKENING 69 THE TRIAL SERMONS ON BULL-SKIN 83 JIMSELLA 113 MT. PISGAH’S CHRISTMAS ’POSSUM 125 A FAMILY FEUD 137 AUNT MANDY’S INVESTMENT 159 THE INTERVENTION OF PETER 171 NELSE HATTON’S VENGEANCE 185 AT SHAFT 11 205 THE DELIBERATION OF MR. DUNKIN 235 List of Illustrations Page “MR. RUGGLES” _Frontispiece_ “A VISIT FROM UNCLE EBEN” 18 “AUNT CAROLINE WAS FINDING SOLACE IN HER PIPE” 56 “BROTHER HEZEKIAH SNEEDON” 84 “WHYN’T YOU GIT ME SOMEP’N’ TO FIX MYSELF UP IN?” 114 “I SEE ’POSSUM GREASE ON YO’ MOUF” 131 “OLD AUNT DOSHY” 137 “WHA’ ’D YOU KETCH?” 186 Folks from Dixie [Illustration] ANNER ’LIZER’S STUMBLIN’ BLOCK ANNER ’LIZER’S STUMBLIN’ BLOCK It was winter. The gray old mansion of Mr. Robert Selfridge, of Fayette County, Ky., was wrapped in its usual mantle of winter sombreness, and the ample plantation stretching in every direction thereabout was one level plain of unflecked whiteness. At a distance from the house the cabins of the negroes stretched away in a long, broken black line that stood out in bold relief against the extreme whiteness of their surroundings.