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"Rebecca, did you ever think what you'd do if both your children were in equal danger?" "Why, yass'm, I is studie' dat, dis ve'y day, ef de trufe got to be tol'." Thought I: "If anything else has to be told, Robelia'll be my only helper." I asked Rebecca which one she would try to save first. "Why, mist'ess, I could tell dat a heap sight betteh when de time come.
"Good morning, boy," I said to the other, who had gulped with consternation, yet stood still. "Good mawnin', mist'ess." The feminine title came luckily. I had forgotten my disguise, so disarmed was I by the refined dignity of the dark speaker's mellow voice and graceful modesty. After all, my prejudices were Southern.
"Mis' Polly 'lowed he wuz sighin' fer my po' dead mist'ess, fer she didn' have no idee er his feelin's to'ds her, she alluz did 'low dat all de gent'emen wuz in love wid 'er. "'You won' fin' much ter do, Mars Sam went on, 'fer Julia is a good housekeeper, an' kin ten' ter mos' eve'ything, under yo' d'rections. "Mis' Polly stiffen' up like a ramrod.
"Lor' bress yer, young mist'ess, how I do tank yer wid all my heart! I nebber had so much money at one time in all my life!" exclaimed the overjoyed old ferryman. Along the north road, between the thickly wooded east ridge and the swiftly running river, Corona drove on her last journey through that valley.
"''Deed, Mammy Jane, says she, 'dere ain' nobody e'se I'd have but you. You kin come ez soon ez you wanter an' stay ez long ez you mineter. "An hyuh I is, an' hyuh I'm gwine ter stay. Fer Mis' 'Livy is my ole mist'ess's daughter, an' my ole mist'ess wuz good ter me, an' dey ain' none er her folks gwine ter suffer ef ole Jane kin he'p it."
"Wen my ole mist'ess, Mis' 'Liz'beth Merkell, an' a good mist'ess she wuz, tuck sick fer de las' time, her sister Polly ole Mis' Polly Ochiltree w'at is now come ter de house ter he'p nuss her.
"No, suh, de hoss didn' git skeered at nothin', but Mis' 'Livy did see somethin', er somebody; an' it wa'n't no fault er mine ner her'n neither, it goes fu'ther back, suh, fu'ther dan dis day er dis year. Does you 'member de time w'en my ole mist'ess, Mis' 'Livy upstairs's mammy, died? No? Well, you wuz prob'ly 'way ter school den, studyin' ter be a doctuh. But I'll tell you all erbout it.
"Yes, Uncle Moses, I am going to Washington first," replied Corona. "Lors! I hear tell how so many folkses do go to Washintub! Wunner wot dey go for? in de winter, too! Lors! Well, honey, I wish yer a mighty fine time and a handsome husban' afore yer comes home. Lor' bress yer, young mist'ess!" "Thank you, Uncle Moses. Here is a trifle for you," said Cora, putting a half eagle in his hand.
Mars Sam paid her bo'd an' 'lowed Mis' Polly somethin' fer takin' keer er her." "And Julia stayed?" "Julia stayed, suh, an' a couple er years later her chile wuz bawn, right here in dis house." "But you said," observed the doctor, "that Mrs. Ochiltree was in error about Julia." "Yas, suh, so she wuz, w'en my ole mist'ess died. But dis wuz two years after, an' w'at has ter be has ter be.
"A gentleman, Sally? Impossible. No gentleman would endure such an affront. Look again." "Yessum. It's dat po' white trash dey call Plooie. Mainded yo' umbrella oncet." "My umbrella-mender!" Apologetically but shrewdly Sally opined that the neighborhood of the advancing mob was "no place foh a niggah." With perfect faith in the powers of her superior she added: "You desist 'em, mist'ess."
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