“Now, how has it turned out? I had hardly got started out thar before one of my niggers--the very one I relied on the most--has played smash with all my plans. You begun by turnin’ up yore nose at Brother Cobb, an’ then by openly disobeyin’ ‘im. Then he tried to punish you--the right that the law gives a overseer--an’ you up an’ dared him to tech you, an’--” “Marse Jasper--” “Hold yore tongue till I’m through.” “All right, Marse Jasper, but--” “You openly defied ‘im, that’s enough; you broke up the order of the whole thing, an’ yore mistress was so upset that she had to send fer me. Now, Henry, I hain’t never laid the lash on you in my life, an’ I’d ruther take it myself than to have to do it, but I hain’t come three hundred miles jest to talk to you. I’m goin’ to whip you, Henry, an’ I’m goin’ to do it right, if thar’s enough strength in my arm. You needn’t shake yore head an’ sulk. No matter what you refused to let Cobb an’ the rest of ’em do, you are a-goin’ to take what I’m goin’ to give you without a word, because you know it’s just an’ right.” Henry’s face was downcast, and his master could not see his eyes, but a strange, rebellious fire had suddenly kindled in them, and he was stubbornly silent. Mr. Pelham could not have dreamed of what was passing in his mind. “Henry, you an’ me are both religious men,” said the planter, after he had waited for a moment. “Let’s kneel right down here by this log an’ commune with the Lord on this matter.” Without a word the negro rose and knelt, his face in his hands, his elbows on the log. There never had been a moment when Uncle Henry was not ready to pray or listen to a prayer. He prided himself on his own powers in that line, and had unbounded respect even for the less skillful efforts of others. Mr. Pelham knelt very deliberately and began to pray: “Our heavenly Father, it is with extreme sadness an’ sorrow that we come to Thee this bright, sunny day. Our sins have been many, an’ we hardly know when our deeds are acceptable in Thy sight; but bless all our efforts, we pray Thee, for the sake of Him that died for us, an’ let us not walk into error in our zeal to do Thy holy will. “Lord, Thou knowest the hearts of Thy humble supplicant an’ this man beside him. Thou, through the existin’ laws of this land, hast put him into my care an’ keepin’ an’ made me responsible to a human law for his good or bad behavior. Lord, on this occasion it seems my duty to punish him for disobedience, an’ we pray Thee to sanction what is about to take place with Thy grace. Let no anger or malice rest in our hearts during the performance of this disagreeable task, an’ let the whole redound to Thy glory, for ever an’ ever, through the mercy of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”