Pausing before a brawny specimen of the yellow species, he said: 'Thar, Kirke, luk o' thar; thar's a boy fur ye--a nig thet kin work--'tend ten thousand boxes (turpentine) easy. He's the sort. Prime stuff _thet_--(feeling of his arms and thighs)--hard--hard as rock--siners like rope. Come o' good stock, he did--the old Devereaux blood--(a highly respectable family in those parts)--they's the raal quality--none on yer shams or mushrooms; but genuwine 'stockracy--blamed if they haint. What d'ye say ter him?' 'Well, he moight do, p'raps--but I rather reckon ye've done him up sum; 'iled his face, greased his wool, and sech like. It's all right, ye know--onything's far in trade; but ye karn't come it over me, ole feller. I'm up ter sech doin's. I _am_, Mr.----,' and I paused for him to finish the sentence. 'Larkin,' he added quickly and good-humoredly; 'Jake Larkin, and yours, by----,' and he gave my hand another shake. 'Yer one on 'em, I swar, and I own up; I _hev_ 'iled em' a trifle--jest a trifle; but ye kin see through thet; we hev ter do it ter fix the green 'uns, ye knows.' 'Yes, I knows--'iled 'em inside and out, haint ye?' 'No, on my soul--only one glass ter day--true as preachin'.' 'Boy,' I said to the yellow man, 'how much whiskey hev ye drunk ter day? Now, tell the truth.' 'Nary drop, massa; hed a moufful o' _sperrets_--a berry little moufful--dat's all.' 'Taint 'nough, Larkin! Come, now, doan't be mean with nigs. Give 'em sum more--sum o' thet tall brandy o' your'n; a good swig. They karn't stand it out har in the cold without a little warmin' up.' 'Well, I'm blamed ef I won't. Har, you, Jim,' speaking to a well-dressed darky standing near. 'Har, go ter thet red-headed woodpecker, thar at the cabin, and tell him I'll smash his peepers if he doan't send me sum glasses ter onst--d'ye har? Go.' The gentlemanly darky went, and soon returned with the glassware; and meanwhile Larkin directed another well-clad negro man to 'bring the jugs.' They were strung across the back of a horse which was tied near, and, uncorking one of them, the trader said: 'I allers carry my own pizen. 'Taint right to give even nigs sech hell-fire as they sell round har; it git's a feller's stumac used ter tophet 'fore the rest on him is 'climated.' 'Well, it does,' I replied; 'it's the devil's own warming pan.' Each negro received a fair quantity of the needed beverage, and seemed the better for it. A little brandy, 'for the stomach's sake,' is enjoyed by those dusky denizens of the low latitudes. When they were all supplied, the trader said to me: 'Now, what d'ye say, Kirke? What'll ye give fur the boy?' 'Well, I reckon I doan't want no boys jest now; and I doan't know as I wants ary 'ooman nother; but if ye've got a right likely gal--one thet'll sew, and nuss good--I moight buy her fur a friend o' mine. His wife's hed twins, and he moight use her ter look arter the young 'uns.' 'Young or old?' 'Young and sprightly.'