"My Marsa John," he continued, filling the cup with the smoking beverage, "never drank nuffin' but tea, eben at de big dinners when all de gemmen had coffee in de little cups--dat's one ob 'em you's drinkin' out ob now; dey ain't mo' dan fo' on 'em left. Old marsa would have his pot ob tea: Henny use' ter make it for him; makes it now for Miss Nancy. "Henny was a young gal den, long 'fo' we was married. Henny b'longed to Colonel Lloyd Barbour, on de next plantation to ourn. "Mo' coffee, Major?" I handed Chad the empty cup. He refilled it, and went straight on without drawing breath. "Wust scrape I eber got into wid old Marsa John was ober Henny. I tell ye she was a harricane in dem days. She come into de kitchen one time where I was helpin' git de dinner ready, an' de cook had gone to de spring house, an' she says: "'Chad, what ye cookin' dat smells so nice?' "'Dat's a goose,' I says, 'cookin' for Marsa John's dinner. We got quality,' says I, pointin' to de dinin'-room do'. "'Quality!' she says. 'Spec' I know what de quality is. Dat's for you an' de cook.' "Wid dat she grabs a caarvin' knife from de table, opens de do' ob de big oven, cuts off a leg ob de goose, an' dis'pears round de kitchen corner wid de leg in her mouf. "'Fo' I knowed whar I was Marsa John come to de kitchen do' an' says, 'Gittin' late, Chad; bring in de dinner.' You see, Major, dey ain't no up an' down stairs in de big house, like it is yer; kitchen an' dinin'-room all on de same flo'. "Well, sah, I was scared to def, but I tuk dat goose an' laid him wid de cut side down on de bottom of de pan 'fo' de cook got back, put some dressin' an' stuffin' ober him, an' shet de stove do'. Den I tuk de sweet potatoes an' de hominy an' put 'em on de table, an' den I went back in de kitchen to git de baked ham. I put on de ham an' some mo' dishes, an' marsa says, lookin' up: "'I t'ought dere was a roast goose, Chad.' "'I ain't yerd nothin' 'bout no goose,' I says, 'I'll ask de cook.' "Next minute I yerd old marsa a-hollerin': "'Mammy Jane, ain't we got a goose?' "'Lord-a-massy! yes, marsa. Chad, you wu'thless nigger, ain't you tuk dat goose out yit?' "'Is we got a goose?' said I. "'_Is we got a goose?_ Didn't you help pick it?' "I see whar my hair was short, an' I snatched up a hot dish from de hearth, opened de oven do', an' slide de goose in jes as he was, an' lay him down befo' Marsa John. "'Now see what de ladies'll have for dinner,' says old marsa, pickin' up his caarvin' knife. "'What'll you take for dinner, miss?' says I. 'Baked ham?' "'No,' she says, lookin' up to whar Marsa John sat; 'I think I'll take a leg ob dat goose'--jes so. "Well, marsa, cut off de leg an' put a little stuffin' an' gravy on wid a spoon, an' says to me, 'Chad, see what dat gemman'll have.' "'What'll you take for dinner, sah?' says I. 'Nice breast o' goose, or slice o' ham?' "'No; I think I'll take a leg of dat goose,' he says.