[begin page 220]

Well,Ⓐhistorical collation when they was all gone, the king he asksⒶemendation Mary Jane how they was off for spare rooms, and she said she hadⒶalteration in the MS one spare room, which would do for uncleⒶhistorical collation Ⓐalteration in the MS William, and she’d give her own room to uncleⒶhistorical collation Harvey, which was a little bigger, and she would turn into the room with her sisters and sleep on a cot; and up garret was a little cubby, with a pallet in it. The king said the cubby would do for his valley—meaning me.

So Mary Jane took us up, and she showed them their rooms, which was plain but nice. She said she’dⒶemendation have her frocksⒶemendation and a lot of other trapsⒶalteration in the MS took out of her room if they was in uncleⒶhistorical collation Harvey’s way, but he said they warn’tⒶemendation. The frocksⒶemendation was hung along the wall, and before them was a curtain made outⒶemendation of calico that hung downⒶemendation to the floor. There was an old hair trunk in one corner, and a guitar boxⒶhistorical collation in another, and all sorts of little knick-knacksⒶhistorical collation and jimcracks around, likeⒶemendation girls brisken up a room with. The king said it was all the more homely and more pleasanter for these fixings, and so don’t disturb them. The duke’s room was pretty small, but plenty good enough, and so was my cubby.Ⓐhistorical collation Ⓐalteration in the MS

That night they had a big supper, and all them men and women was there, and I stood behind the king and the duke’s chairs and waited on them, and the niggers waited on theⒶalteration in the MS rest.Ⓐalteration in the MS Mary Jane she set at the head of the table, with Susan alongsideⒶhistorical collation of her, and said how bad the biscuits was,Ⓐalteration in the MS and how mean the preserves was, and how ornery and tough the fried chickens was,Ⓐhistorical collation—and all that kind of [begin page 221] rotⒶemendation, the way women alwaysⒶalteration in the MS doⒶemendation for to force out compliments; and the people all knowed everything was tip-top, and said so—said “How do you get biscuits to brown so nice?” and “Where, for the land’s sakeⒶhistorical collation did you get theseⒶalteration in the MS amaz’n pickles?” and all that kind of humbugⒶhistorical collation talky-talkⒶemendation, just the way people always does at a supper, you know.

And when it was all done, me and the hare-lipⒶemendation had supper in the kitchen off of the leavings, whilst the others was helping the niggers cleanⒶalteration in the MS up the things. The hare-lipⒶhistorical collation she got to pumping me about England, and blestⒶemendation if I didn’t think the ice was getting mighty thin, sometimes. She says:

“Did you ever see the king?”Ⓐemendation

“Who? William Fourth?Ⓔexplanatory note Well, I bet I have—he goes to our church.” I knowed he was dead years ago, but I never let on. So when I says he goes to our church, she says:Ⓐemendation

“What—regular?”

“Yes—regular. His pew’s right overⒶalteration in the MS opposite ourn—on t’otherⒶemendation side the pulpit.”

[begin page 222] “I thought he lived in London?”

“Well, he does. Where would he live?”

“But I thought you lived in Sheffield?”

I see I was up a stump. I had to let on to get chokedⒶalteration in the MS with a chicken bone, soⒶalteration in the MS as to get time to think how to get down again. Then I says:

“I mean he goes to our church regular when he’s in Sheffield. That’s only in the summer timeⒶhistorical collation, when he comes thereⒶalteration in the MS to take the sea baths.”

“Why, how you talk—ⒶemendationSheffield ain’t on the sea.”

“Well, who said it was?”

“Why, you did.”

“I didn’t, nuther.”

“You did!”

“I didn’t.”

“You did.”Ⓐemendation

“I never said nothing of the kind.”

“Well, what did you say, then?”Ⓐemendation

“SaidⒶemendation he come to take the sea baths—that’s what I said.”

“WellⒶemendation then!—Ⓐhistorical collationhow’s he going to take the sea baths if it ain’t on the sea?”

“Looky here,” I says; “didⒶalteration in the MS you ever see any Congress-waterⒶhistorical collation?”

“Yes.”

“Well, did you have to go to Congress to get it?”

“Why, no.”

“Well, neither does William Fourth have to go to the sea to get a sea bath.”

“How doesⒶemendation he get it, then?”

“Gets it the way people down here gets Congress-water—in barrels. There in the palace at Sheffield they’ve got furnaces, and he wants his water hot. They can’t bile that amount of water away off there at the sea. They haven’t got no conveniences for it.”

“OⒶhistorical collation, I see, now. You might a said that in the first place,Ⓐhistorical collation and saved time.”

When she said that, I see I was out of the woods again, and so I was comfortable and glad. Next, she says:

“Do you go to church, too?”

“Yes—regular.”Ⓐalteration in the MS

“Where do you set?”

[begin page 223] “Why, in our pew.”

“Whose pew?”

“Why, ourn—your uncleⒶhistorical collation Harvey’s.”

“His’n? What does he Ⓐalteration in the MS want with a pew?”

“Wants it toⒶalteration in the MS set in. What did you reckon he wanted with it?”

“Why, I thought he’dⒶemendation be in the pulpit.”

RotⒶemendation him, I forgot he was a preacherⒶalteration in the MS. I see I was up a stump again;Ⓐhistorical collation so I played another chicken bone and got another think. Then I saysⒶalteration in the MS:

“Blame it, doⒶalteration in the MS you supposeⒶemendation there ain’t butⒶemendation one preacher to a church?”

“Why, what do they want with more?”

“What!—to preach before a king? I never see such a girl as you. They don’t have no less than seventeen.”

“Seventeen! My land! Why, I wouldn’t set out such a string as that, not if I never got to glory.Ⓐalteration in the MS It must take ’em a week.”

“Shucks, they don’t all of ’em preach the same day—only one of ’em.”

“Well, then, what does the rest of ’em do?”

“OhⒶalteration in the MS, nothing much. Loll around, pass the plate—and one thing or another. But mainly they don’t do nothing.”

“Well, then, what are they for?”

“Why, they’re for style. Don’t you know nothing?”

“Well, I don’t want to know no such foolishness as that. How is servants treated in England? Do they treat ’em better’nⒶhistorical collation we treat our niggers?”

“No! A servant ain’t nobody,Ⓐhistorical collation there. They treat themⒶalteration in the MS worse than dogs.”

“Don’t they give ’emⒶemendation holidays, the way we do, Christmas,Ⓐhistorical collation and New Year’s week, and fourthⒶhistorical collation of July?”

“Oh, just listen! A body could tell you hain’t ever been to England, by that. Why, Hare-lⒶemendation—why, JoannaⒶalteration in the MS, they never see a holiday from year’s end to year’s end; never go to the circus, nor theatreⒶemendation, nor niggerⒶalteration in the MS shows, nor nowheres.”

“Nor churchⒶalteration in the MS?”

“Nor churchⒶalteration in the MS.”

“But you always went to church.”

WellⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation, I was gone up again. I forgot I was the old man’s servant. But next minute I whirled in on a kind of an explanation how a [begin page 224] valley was different from a common servant, and had to go to church whether he wanted to or not, and set with the family, on accountⒶemendation of it’sⒶemendation being the law. But I didn’t do it pretty good, and when I got done I see she warn’t satisfied. She says:

“Honest injunⒺexplanatory note, now, hain’t you been tellingⒶemendation me a lot of lies?”

“Honest injun,” says I.

“None of it at all?”

“None of it at all. Not a lie in it,” says I.

“Lay your hand on this book and say it.”

I see it warn’t nothing but a dictionaryⒺexplanatory note, so I laid my hand on it and said it. So then she looked a little better satisfied, and says:

“Well, then, I’ll believe some of it; but I hope to gracious if I’ll believe the rest.”Ⓐalteration in the MS

“What is it you won’t believe, Joe?Ⓐalteration in the MS” says Mary Jane, stepping in,Ⓐhistorical collation with Susan behind her. “It ain’t right nor kind for you to talk so to him,Ⓐalteration in the MS and him a stranger and so farⒶemendation from his people. How would you like to be treated so?”

[begin page 225] “That’sⒶalteration in the MS always your way, Maim—always sailingⒶemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS in to help somebody before they’re hurt. IⒶemendation hain’t done nothing to him. He’s told some stretchers, I reckon; and I said I wouldn’t swallow it all; and that’s every bit and grain I did Ⓐalteration in the MS say. I reckon he can stand a little thing like that, can’t he?”

“I don’t care whether ’twas little or whether ’twas big, he’s here in our house and a stranger, and it wasn’t good of you to say it. If you was in his place, it would make you feel ashamed; and so you oughtn’t to sayⒶalteration in the MS a thing to another person that will make them feel ashamed.”

“Why, Maim, he said—Ⓐhistorical collation”

“It don’t make no difference what he said—that ain’t the thing. The thing is for you to treat him kind, and not be saying things to make him remember he ain’t in his own country and amongst his own folks.”

I says to myself, This Ⓐhistorical collation is a girl that I’m letting that old reptleⒶemendation rob her of her money!

Then Susan she waltzed in; and if you’ll believe me, she did give Hare-LipⒶemendation hark from the tomb!

Says IⒶalteration in the MS to myself, And this is another one that I’m letting him rob her of her moneyⒶemendation!

Then Mary Jane she took another inning, and went in sweet and lovely againⒶalteration in the MS—which was her way—but when she got done there warn’t hardlyⒶalteration in the MS anything left o’Ⓐemendation poor Hare-LipⒶemendation. So she hollered.

“All right, then,” says the other girls, “youⒶemendation just ask his pardon.”

She done it, too. And she done it beautiful. She done it so beautiful it was good to hear; and I wished I could tell her a thousand lies, so she could do it again.

I says to myself, ThisⒶhistorical collation is another one that I’m letting him rob her of her moneyⒶemendation. And when she got through, theyⒶemendation all justⒶhistorical collation laid theirselves out to make me feel at home and know I was amongst friends.Ⓐemendation I felt so ornery and low down and mean, that I says to myself, My mind’s made up:Ⓐhistorical collation I’ll hive that money for them or bust.

So then I lit out—for bed, I said, meaning some time or anotherⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation. WhenⒶhistorical collation I got by myself, I went to thinking the thing overⒶemendation. I says to myself, ShallⒶhistorical collation I go to that doctor, private, and blow on these fraudsⒶemendation? No—that won’t do. He might tell who told him; then the king and the duke would make it warm for me. Shall I go, private, and tell Mary Jane? No—I dasn’t do it. HerⒶalteration in the MS face would give themⒶemendation a hint, [begin page 226] sure; they’veⒶalteration in the MS got the money, and they’d slide rightⒶemendation out and get away with it. If she was to fetch in help, I’d get mixed up in the business,Ⓐhistorical collation before it was done with, I judge. No, there ain’t no good way but one.Ⓐemendation I got to steal that money,Ⓐhistorical collation some how; and I got to steal it someⒶemendation way that they won’t suspicion that I done it. They’ve got a good thing, here; and they ain’t agoing to leave till they’ve played this family and this town for all they’re worth, so I’ll find a chance time enough.Ⓐemendation I’llⒶalteration in the MS steal it, and hide it; and by and byⒶhistorical collation, when I’m away down the river, I’ll write a letter and tell Mary Jane where it’s hid. But I betterⒶalteration in the MS hive it tonightⒶhistorical collation, if I can, because theⒶemendation doctor maybeⒶhistorical collation hasn’t let up as much as he lets on he has; he might scare them out of here,Ⓐemendation yet.

So, thinks I, I’ll go and search them rooms. Up stairsⒶhistorical collation the hall was dark, but I found the duke’s room, and started to paw around it with my hands; but I recollected it wouldn’t be much like the king to let anybody else take care of that money but his own selfⒶemendation; so then I went to his room and begun to paw around there. But I see I couldn’t do nothing without a candle, and I dasn’t light one, of course. So I judged I’d got to do the other thing—lay for them, and eavesdrop. About that time,Ⓐhistorical collation IⒶalteration in the MS hearsⒶemendation their footstepsⒶalteration in the MS comingⒶemendation, and was going to skip under the bed; I reachedⒶalteration in the MS for it, but it wasn’t where I thought it would be; but I touched the curtain that hid Mary Jane’s frocksⒶemendation, so I jumped in behind that and snuggledⒶemendation in amongst the gowns, and stood there perfectly still.Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation

They come in and shut the door; and the firstⒶemendation thing the duke done was to get down and look under the bed. Then I was gladⒶemendation I hadn’t found theⒶemendation bed when I wanted it. And yet you knowⒶhistorical collation it’s kind ofⒶemendation natural to hide under theⒶemendation bed when you are up to anything private.Ⓐhistorical collation They sets down,Ⓐhistorical collation then, and the king says:

“Well, what is it? AndⒶhistorical collation cut it middlin’ short, becauseⒶemendation it’s betterⒶalteration in the MS for us to be down there a whoopin’-upⒶhistorical collation the mournin’, than up here givin’ ’emⒶemendation a chance to talk us over.”

“Well, this is it, Capet. I ain’t easyⒶemendation; I ain’t comfortable. That doctorⒶemendation lays on my mind. I wanted to know your plansⒶemendation. I’ve got a notion, and I think it’s a sound one.”

“What is it, duke?”

“That we better glide out of this,Ⓐhistorical collation before three in the morning, and clip it down the river with whatⒶalteration in the MS we’ve got. Specially, seeing we [begin page 227] got it so easy—given back to us, flung at our heads, as you may say, when of course we allowedⒶemendation to have to steal it back. I’m for knocking off and lighting out.”

ThatⒶalteration in the MS made me feel pretty bad. About anⒶhistorical collation hour or two ago, it would a been a little different, but now it made me feel bad andⒶalteration in the MS disappointed.Ⓐemendation The kingⒶemendation ripsⒶalteration in the MS out and says:Ⓐemendation

“What! And not sell out the rest o’Ⓐemendation the property? March off like a passel o’ foolsⒶemendation and leave eight or nineⒶalteration in the MS thous’n’Ⓐemendation dollars’Ⓐemendation worth o’ propertyⒶemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS layin’Ⓐemendation around jest sufferin’ to be scooped in?—and all good saleableⒶhistorical collation stuff, too.”Ⓐalteration in the MS

The duke he grumbled; said the bag of goldⒶalteration in the MS was enough, and he didn’t want to go no deeper—didn’t want to rob a lot of orphans of everything they had.

“Why, how you talk!” says the king. “We shan’tⒶhistorical collation rob ’em of nothingⒶemendation at all but jest thisⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation money. The people that buys the property is the suff’rersⒶemendation; becauseⒶemendation as soon’sⒶemendation it’s found out ’atⒶemendation we didn’t own it—which won’t be long after we’ve slidⒶemendation—the sale won’t be valid, and it’llⒶalteration in the MS all go back to the estate. These-yerⒶemendation orphans ’llⒶhistorical collation gitⒶemendation their house back aginⒶemendation, and that’s enough for them: Ⓐhistorical collation they’reⒶalteration in the MS young,Ⓐhistorical collation and spry, and k’nⒶemendation easy earn a livin’. They ain’t agoingⒶhistorical collation to suffer. Why, jest [begin page 228] thinkⒶalteration in the MS—there’s thous’n’s and thous’n’sⒶemendation that ain’t nighⒶalteration in the MS so well off. Bless you, they ain’t got noth’nⒶalteration in the MS to complain of.”

Well, the king he talked him blind; so at last he give in, and said all right, but said he believed it was blame’Ⓐhistorical collation foolishness to stay, and that doctor hanging over them. But the king saysⒶemendation:

“Cuss the doctor! What do we k’yerⒶemendation for him? Hain’t we got all the fools in town on our side? and ain’t that a big enough majority in any town?”

So they got ready to go down stairsⒶhistorical collation again. The duke says:

“I don’t think we put that money in a good place.”

That cheered me up. I’d begunⒶemendation to think I warn’t going to get a hint of no kind to help me. The king says:

“Why?”

“BecauseⒶemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS Mary Jane’llⒶhistorical collation be in mourningⒶemendation from this out; and first you know the niggerⒶalteration in the MS that does up the rooms willⒶemendation get an order to box these dudsⒶalteration in the MS up and put ’em away; and do you reckon a nigger can run across money and not borrow some of it?Ⓐemendation”

“Your head’s level,Ⓐhistorical collation aginⒶemendation, duke,” says the king; and he come a fumbling under the curtain two or three foot fromⒶalteration in the MS where I was. I stuckⒶalteration in the MS tight to the wall, and kept mighty still, though quivery;Ⓐalteration in the MS and I wondered what them fellows would say to me if they catched me; and I tried to think what I’dⒶemendation better do if they did catch me. But the king heⒶemendation got the bag before I could think more than about a half a thought, and he never suspicionedⒶemendation I was around.Ⓐalteration in the MS They took and shoved the bag through a rip in the strawⒶalteration in the MS tick that was under the feather bed, and crammed it in a foot or two amongst the straw,Ⓐhistorical collation and said it was all right,Ⓐhistorical collation now, because a nigger only makes up the feather bed, and don’t turn over the straw tick only about twiceⒶalteration in the MS a year, and so it warn’t in no danger of getting stole, nowⒶhistorical collation.

But I knowed better. IⒶemendation had it out of there before they was half wayⒶhistorical collation down stairsⒶhistorical collation. I groped alongⒶemendation up to my cubby, and hid it there till I could get a chance to do better. I judged I better hide it outside ofⒶemendation the house somewheres, because if they missed it they would give the house a good ransacking.Ⓐemendation I knowed that veryⒶemendation well. Then I turned in, with my clothes all on; but I couldn’t a goneⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation to sleep, if I’dⒶemendation a wantedⒶhistorical collation to, I was in such a sweatⒶhistorical collation to get through with the business. By and byⒶhistorical collation I heard the king and the duke come up; so I rolled off of my pallet [begin page 229] and laid with my chin at the top of my ladder and waited to see if anything was going to happen. But nothing did.

So I held on till all the late sounds had quitⒶemendation and the early ones hadn’t begun,Ⓐhistorical collation Ⓐalteration in the MS yet; and then I slipped down the ladder.