"It should not be in sorrow that we place her here," the preacher continued. "With the simple minded and therefore the virtuous, she accepted the gospel as a reality and not as a theory, and a gleaner in the harvest field of promise, she takes to the Master her old hands full of the wheat of faith, and her soul will enter upon its glorious reward. Let us pray." As they were returning from the grave a negro came up to Jasper and said that he wished for a moment to speak to him. "Doan you reccernize me?" he inquired, and Starbuck replied that he did not. "W'y, sah, I's de generman whut de white man had tied ter de tree." "Oh, yes, and also the gentleman that fell in love with my old rooster." "Yas, sah, de se'f same." "And now what can I do for you--put another chicken in yo' way?" "No, sah, dat ain't whut I want. I wuz er cuttin' some wood dis mawnin' ober at de Peters' place, an' I yere some talk dat don't soun' like er flute. 'Pear like dat white man has got some trouble in his head fur you." "Yes, I know." "An, frum whut I coul' gather he gwine gib it ter you; an' ef you wants me ter I'll he'p you tie him ter er tree an' w'ar him out." "No, that won't do. But do you know whether or not he has got a app'intment from off yander at Nashville? Did you hear?" "I doan think it quite got yere yit, but he keep on er lookin' down de road 'spectin' it to come erlaung at any minit. Ef you want me ter, suh, I'll keep er lookout while I's er workin' roun' de place, an' knock him in de head de minit it do come." "No, you musn't do that. Is he expectin' some help?" "He wuz er talkin' erbout some men, sah. You ain't got no cullud ladies ober at yo' house now, is you?" "No, an' I don't want any mo' for none could take the place of old mammy." "No, sah, I reckons not, but I wuz jest er thinkin' dat ef you had any dar I would drap ober a visitin'. I's allus sorter s'ciety struck atter I goes ter er funul. It's den dat I kin fetch 'em wid my talk. It's easy ter out-talk er lady atter er funul. I's had 'em take down er ole glove an' empty dar money in my han'." "What's your name?" "Da calls me Ham, suh." "Well, Ham, I reckon thar's a good deal of the scoundrel about you." "Ain't it funny suh, dat I's yered dat befo'? Yas, suh; but scounnul or not, I'll keep er sharp lookout on dat man Peters an' come an' tell you ef suthin' happen."