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'Course I could smoke 'em out but somehow I hates ter make the po' things homeless an' I reckon they's got a notion that the hollow place in the back er this here ca'ige b'longs ter them an' the knot hole they done bored is the front do'. When me'n Miss Ann has ter drive on I jes' sticks a cawn cob in the hole an' the bees trabels with us. Sometimes their buzzin' air kinder comp'ny ter me.
Our ca'ige ain't good fer that trip. That lane would be the endin' er us-all. Don't you reckon we'd better rise an' shine to-morrow?" "Yes, Billy, but where? There's Cousin Little Josh and Cousin Sue and Cousin Tom and Philip Throckmorton and Cousin David's oldest daughter, whose married name has escaped me, but she is living in Jefferson County. Could the horses go so far?"
"I shill be honored, ma'am," assented Sandy, with a bow even deeper than his master's, "only I'm 'feared I ain't rightly dressed fer ter wait on table. I wuz only goin' ter pra'r-meetin', an' so I didn' put on my bes' clo's. Ef Mis' Ochiltree ain' gwine ter need me fer de nex' fifteen minutes, I kin ride back home in de ca'ige an' dress myse'f suitable fer de occasion, suh."
I wa' 'lowin' ter sew up this here cushion so's it would las' 'til me'n Miss Ann gits time ter have this here ca'ige reumholzered. We're thinkin' a nice sof' pearl gray welwit will be purty. What do you think, Mr. Jeff?"
I think she'll git her back up an' that ol' Billy'll be shootin' off his mouf, but we-all done entertained Miss Ann an' ol' Billy an' them ca'ige hosses goin' onter three months already this year an' it's high time some er the res' of the fambly step up. What's the matter with Marse Big Josh? An' if he air onable what's the matter with Marse Lil Josh?
Sometimes when I is fo'ced ter sleep in the ca'ige, when Miss Ann an' me air a visitin' wha' things air kinder crowded like, I digs me up a little flower an' plants it in a ol' can an' kinder makes out my coachman's box air a po'ch. Miss Judy, it air a sad thing ter git ter be ol' an' wo' out 'thout ever gittin' what you wanted when you wa' young an' spry."
"If I had it ter do over I'd never 'a' let him git so free with his feet in the oven. The truf er the matter is, Miss Milly, that you an' Marse Bob Bucknor an' all yo' chilluns as well, long with all the res' of the fambly includin' of Marse Big Josh an' Marse Lil Josh, done accepted of Miss Ann Peyton an' ol' Billy an' the ca'ige hosses like they wa' the will of the Almighty.
"Miss Ann, I ain't so sho' 'bout the ca'ige, but I reckon if you don't hurry Cupid an' Puck none they's got a lot er go in them yet. I hear tell Miss Milly an' the two young ladies air a' contemplatin' a trip in ter Lou'ville in the mawnin' an' I done hear Marse Bob say he wa' a' gonter spen' the day in Ryeville with some er the kin folks, eatin' at the hotel.
The portulac air comin' up so pretty in my box an' my jewraniums air a bloomin', an' I done made Mandy one willin' husband, an' Miss Ann air so brisk an' happy it would go hard on us all ter have ter be movin'. A ol' hen air took ter settin' in the ca'ige which makes it seem moughty homified.
The tea and toast did put heart in the weary travelers. Miss Ann left half the simple feast for Billy, commanding him to go sit in the corner of the room and devour his share. "Now I'm gonter rub down my hosses an' wash the ca'ige, and if you's got any little odd jobs fer me ter do I'll mosey back this way arter dinner.