Ezra sank upon an old rustic seat and said again, “Mars Bedford say he wud al’ays teck care ub me. I’m sorry I spent meh money and lef’ de Souf, but I wan’ ter see Mars Matthew an’ Miss Mary once mo’,” and again he took out that bandanna handkerchief. His solitude was broken by old Sam’l, once one of the gardeners, the only servant that stayed when they were emancipated. He had on his arm a basketful of cling peaches. He said, “I s’pose you bin sorf crabbin’ ’long de sho’ an’ cum up heah ter res’ yo’sef dis sweet, lubly day?” Ezra said: “I ain’ bin crabbin’, do’ I lubs crabbin’ an’ lubs crabs futto eat. I’m jes’ fum de wah; fit in mos’ ev’y battle. Mars Bedford Forrest _wuz wid me all de time_. Ub cose you hearn tell ub him.” Sam’l looked at him inquisitively, and said: “Now, hush!” And then Ezra’s face beamed, he recognized old Sam’l, and he said, “Don’ you recommember me, Brer Sam? I’s Ezzy, Leetle Billy’s brudder, dat Mars Matthew sold ter Mars Bedford befo’ de wah.” Whereupon they embraced. [Illustration: So by and by “Ezra” was bowing to and greeting Miss Mary. ] Ezra was very hungry, and soon commenced to eat up the peaches, when a little darkey about three years old whom Sam’l said was his grandchild, looked into the basket and said something that probably meant to ask for peaches. Whereupon Ezra said: “Do de chile talk, Brer Sam?” Brer Sam’l said, “Well, I kyant tell ezactly; he mecks de sounds, but kyant fo’m de wuds yit.” Then with timidity and a trembling voice he asked Sam’l for Mars Matthew and Miss Mary. Sam’l said, “Losin’ he good an’ faithful serbents dat wuz ’swaded ’way, seein’ de lawn kivvered all de time wid twigs an’ leabes, ev’ything goin’ ter wase, young Mars Matthew gittin’ kilt at Petersbu’g, ’stressed him so pow’ful dat he got so he cudn’ recommember anything; fuh instinct, he wud fogit de tex’ befo’ he lef’ de chuch; he almos’ fogot his A B C’s; den ergin, he wuz eighty years ole, an’ den he died. Mistis ’structed Pawson Phil Demby, John Poney, Damon Danridge, Rasmus Jemes an’ mehsef ter meck de toom. She wudn’ hab nobody else, an’ you kyant ’magine how fine it look. “Ezzy, sence you bin ’way we has had uh gre’t preacher at Zion Chuch, an’ we hab all got erligion an’ tu’n Presbyters; de shirks wuz so bad we had ter gib up de Babtis’ erligion. Jes’ let me git annerr barsket ub peaches, Ezzy, an’ den I’ll go up an’ tell Ole Mistis you’r heah, an’ she will sho’ly see you.”