“Miss Betsy is an ole maid, Muhtilda. De reason she’s wa’kin’ fum us so slow is kase she’s meddowtatin’. Dey tell me dat one time Cap’n Stitchberry wuz in lub wid huh, but he gib huh up kase she tu fon’ ub vusses; an’ he tell Mars Pinckney dat she lubbed him tu much. She’s ve’y fon’ ub Mars Pinckney, an’ don’ mine his teasin’, so de udder day he tole huh— “Da nebber wuz uh goose so gray but soon er late Wud fine some wan’rin’ gander fuh uh mate.” “Now, wan’ dat sassy? “Saul wuz pow’ful fon’ ub cracklin’-pone wid mullasses, an’ I gwine dis minit futto meck uh pone fuh dat po’ boy. I’s bin watchin’ de ribber all de mawnin’. It wudn’ s’prise me ef’n de Margaret Jane cum in de ribber befo’ de sun sot; so don’ you go home, Muhtilda. Den I will sen’ fuh Little Billy futto tell us some stories; Susan fum Mars Carroll’s is cummin ober—ub cose Ezra Viney will keep comp’ny wid huh; an’ lars’, but not leas’, Stephen got three dozen sorf crabs, six watahmillions an’ two ole hens I kilt yistiddy dat had stopped layin’. So we will hab uh happy time eben ef’n Saul don’ cum ter night. “Dar’s Billy now, talkin’ ter Juba Viney; got his banjo hung ’roun’ his neck. Dem’s mus’rat hides he’s got tied ’roun’ his wais’; gwine ter Mage Rudd’s sto’, I ’specks. O—h, Billy; we are ’speckin’ Saul dis eb’nin’. Kyant you cum ober, sing us some songs an’ play us some chunes arfter Stephen goes ter set his net? He rejects ter you bein’ so pus-nal wid de witches;[11] ain’ fogib you yit fuh gittin’ up’n dat ’simmon tree an’ sassin’ Uncle Caesar Butler.”[12] Billy knew Aunt Sookey would have something good for supper, and knew that she doted on Saul, so he soon turned up at her quarters, and quickly asked for Uncle Stephen, whom he knew would not welcome him. “Da he is, jes’ paddlin’ his boat fum de sho;” responded Aunt Sookey. “Gwine ter set his net.” Billy smelt the frying crabs, and asked in apparent ignorance: “Is you had supper, Aunt Sookey?” “No indeed, honey; de lard jes’ cummenc’ ter bile.” “Well, den, I will sing uh new chune I jes’ larnt, while de table gittin’ sot: “On Tom-big-bee ribber so fair I wuz bawn, In uh hut made ub leabes ub de tall yaller cawn; An’ dar I fus’ met wid meh Ju-la so true, An’ I row’d huh erbout in meh gum-tree canoe, Singin’ row away row, o’er de watahs so blue, Like uh feather we’ll float, in meh gum-tree canoe. “Wid meh hands on de banjo an’ toe on de oar, I sing ter de soun’ ub de ribber’s sorf roar; While de stars dey look down at meh Ju-la so true, An’ dance in huh eye in meh gum-tree canoe. Singin’ row away row, o’er de watahs so blue, Like uh feather we’ll float, in my gum-tree canoe.” “Billy, dat’s lubly; kyant you sing jes’ one mo’ song befo’ I puts de butter on dese sorf crabs?” “Yes’m!”