"HAVE some dinner,
Uncle Julius?" said my wife.
It was a Sunday
afternoon in early autumn. Our two women- servants had gone to a camp-meeting
some miles away, and would not return until evening. My wife had served the
dinner, and we were just rising from the table, when Julius came up the lane,
and, taking off his hat, seated himself on the piazza.
The old man glanced
through the open door at the dinner-table, and his eyes rested lovingly upon a
large sugar-cured ham, from which several slices had been cut, exposing a rich
pink expanse that would have appealed strongly to the appetite of any hungry
Christian.
"Thanky, Miss
Annie," he said, after a momentary hesitation, "I dunno ez I keers ef
I does tas'e a piece er dat ham, ef yer'll cut me off a slice un it."
"No," said
Annie, "I won't. Just sit down to the table and help yourself; eat all you
want, and don't be bashful."
Julius drew a chair up
to the table, while my wife and I went out on the piazza. Julius was in my
employment; he took his meals with his own family, but when he happened to be
about our house at meal-times, my wife never let him go away hungry.
I threw myself into a
hammock, from which I could see Julius through an open window. He ate with
evident relish, devoting his attention chiefly to the ham, slice after slice of
which disappeared in the spacious cavity of his mouth. At first the old man ate
rapidly, but after the edge of his appetite had been taken off he proceeded in
a more leisurely manner. When he had cut the sixth slice of ham (I kept count
of them from a lazy curiosity to see how much he could eat) I saw him lay it on
his plate; as he adjusted the knife and fork to cut it into smaller pieces, he
paused, as if struck by a sudden thought, and a tear rolled down his rugged
cheek and fell upon the slice of ham before him. But the emotion, whatever the
thought that caused it, was transitory, and in a moment he continued his
dinner. When he was through eating, he came out on the porch, and resumed his
seat with the satisfied expression of countenance that usually follows a good
dinner.
"Julius," I
said, "you seemed to be affected by something, a moment ago. Was the
mustard so strong that it moved you to tears?"
"No, suh, it
wa'n't de mustard; I wuz studyin' 'bout Dave."
"Who was Dave, and
what about him?" I asked.
The conditions were all
favorable to story-telling. There was an autumnal languor in the air, and a
dreamy haze softened the dark green of the distant pines and the deep blue of
the Southern sky. The generous meal he had made had put the old man in a very
good humor. He was not always so, for his curiously undeveloped nature was
subject to moods which were almost childish in their variableness. It was only
now and then that we were able to study, through the medium of his
recollection, the simple but intensely human inner life of slavery. His way of
looking at the past seemed very strange to us; his view of certain sides of
life was essentially different from ours. He never indulged in any regrets for
the Arcadian joyousness and irresponsibility which was a somewhat popular
conception of slavery; his had not been the lot of the petted house-servant,
but that of the toiling field-hand. While he mentioned with a warm appreciation
the acts of kindness which those in authority had shown to him and his people,
he would speak of a cruel deed, not with the indignation of one accustomed to
quick feeling and spontaneous expression, but with a furtive disapproval which
suggested to us a doubt in his own mind as to whether he had a right to think
or to feel, and presented to us the curious psychological spectacle of a mind
enslaved long after the shackles had been struck off from the limbs of its
possessor. Whether the sacred name of liberty ever set his soul aglow with a
generous fire; whether he had more than the most elementary ideas of love,
friendship, patriotism, religion, -- things which are half, and the better
half, of life to us; whether he even realized, except in a vague, uncertain
way, his own degradation, I do not know. I fear not; and if not, then centuries
of repression had borne their legitimate fruit. But in the simple human
feeling, and still more in the undertone of sadness, which pervaded his
stories, I thought I could see a spark which, fanned by favoring breezes and
fed by the memories of the past, might become in his children's children a
glowing flame of sensibility, alive to every thrill of human happiness or human
woe.
"Dave use' ter
b'long ter my ole marster," said Julius; "he wuz raise' on dis yer
plantation, en I kin 'member all erbout 'im, fer I wuz ole 'nuff ter chop
cotton w'en it all happen'. Dave wuz a tall man, en monst'us strong: he could
do mo' wuk in a day dan any yuther two niggers on de plantation. He wuz one er
dese yer solemn kine er men, en nebber run on wid much foolishness, like de yuther
darkies. He use' ter go out in de woods en pray; en w'en he hear de han's on de
plantation cussin' en gwine on wid dere dancin' en foolishness, he use' ter
tell 'em 'bout religion en jedgmen'-day, w'en dey would haf ter gin account fer
eve'y idle word en all dey yuther sinful kyarin's-on.
"Dave had l'arn'
how ter read de Bible. Dey wuz a free nigger boy in de settlement w'at wuz
monst'us smart, en could write en cipher, en wuz alluz readin' books er papers.
En Dave had hi'ed dis free boy fer ter l'arn 'im how ter read. Hit wuz 'g'in de
law, but co'se none er de niggers didn' say nuffin ter de w'ite folks 'bout it.
Howsomedever, one day Mars Walker -- he wuz de oberseah -- foun' out Dave could
read. Mars Walker wa'n't nuffin but a po' bockrah, en folks said he couldn'
read ner write hisse'f, en co'se he didn' lack ter see a nigger w'at knowed mo'
d'n he did; so he went en tole Mars Dugal'. Mars Dugal' sont fer Dave, en ax'
'im 'bout it.
"Dave didn't
hardly knowed w'at ter do; but he couldn' tell no lie, so he 'fessed he could
read de Bible a little by spellin' out de words. Mars Dugal' look' mighty
solemn.
"'Dis yer is a
se'ious matter,' sezee; 'it's 'g'in de law ter l'arn niggers how ter read, er
'low 'em ter hab books. But w'at yer l'arn out'n dat Bible, Dave?'
"Dave wa'n't no
fool, ef he wuz a nigger, en sezee: --
"'Marster, I
l'arns dat it's a sin fer ter steal, er ter lie, er fer ter want w'at doan
b'long ter yer; en I l'arns fer ter love de Lawd en ter 'bey my marster.'
"Mars Dugal' sorter
smile' en laf' ter hisse'f, like he 'uz might'ly tickle' 'bout sump'n, en
sezee: --
"'Doan 'pear ter
me lack readin' de Bible done yer much harm, Dave. Dat's w'at I wants all my
niggers fer ter know. Yer keep right on readin', en tell de yuther han's w'at
yer be'n tellin' me. How would yer lack fer ter preach ter de niggers on
Sunday?'
"Dave say he'd be
glad fer ter do w'at he could. So Mars Dugal' tole de oberseah fer ter let Dave
preach ter de niggers, en tell 'em w'at wuz in de Bible, en it would he'p ter
keep 'em fum stealin' er runnin' erway.
"So Dave 'mence'
ter preach, en done de han's on de plantation a heap er good, en most un 'em
lef' off dey wicked ways, en 'mence' ter love ter hear 'bout God, en religion,
en de Bible; en dey done dey wuk better, en didn' gib de oberseah but mighty
little trouble fer ter manage 'em.
"Dave wuz one er
dese yer men w'at didn' keer much fer de gals, -- leastways he didn' tel Dilsey
come ter de plantation. Dilsey wuz a monst'us peart, good-lookin', gingybread-colored
gal, -- one er dese yer high-steppin' gals w'at hol's dey heads up, en won'
stan' no foolishness fum no man. She had b'long' ter a gemman over on Rockfish,
w'at died, en whose 'state ha' ter be sol' fer ter pay his debts. En Mars
Dugal' had b'en ter de oction, en w'en he seed dis gal a-cryin' en gwine on
'bout bein' sol' erway fum her ole mammy, Aun' Mahaly, Mars Dugal' bid 'em bofe
in, en fotch 'em ober ter our plantation.
"De young nigger
men on de plantation wuz des wil' atter Dilsey, but it didn' do no good, en
none un 'em couldn' git Dilsey fer dey junesey, Sweetheart. 'tel Dave 'mence'
fer ter go roun' Aun' Mahaly's cabin. Dey wuz a fine-lookin' couple, Dave en
Dilsey wuz, bofe tall, en well-shape', en soopl'. En dey sot a heap by one
ernudder. Mars Dugal' seed 'em tergedder one Sunday, en de nex' time he seed
Dave atter dat, sezee: --
"Dave, w'en yer en
Dilsey gits ready fer ter git married, I ain' got no rejections. Dey's a poun'
er so er chawin'- terbacker up at de house, en I reckon yo' mist'iss kin fine a
frock en a ribbin er two fer Dilsey. Youer bofe good niggers, en yer neenter be
feared er bein' sol' 'way fum one ernudder long ez I owns dis plantation; en I
'spec's ter own it fer a long time yit.'
"But dere wuz one
man on de plantation w'at didn' lack ter see Dave en Dilsey tergedder ez much
ez ole marster did. W'en Mars Dugal' went ter de sale whar he got Dilsey en
Mahaly, he bought ernudder han', by de name er Wiley. Wiley wuz one er dese yer
shiny-eyed, double-headed little niggers, sha'p ez a steel trap, en sly ez de
fox w'at keep out'n it. Dis yer Wiley had be'n pesterin' Dilsey 'fo' she come
ter our plantation, en had nigh 'bout worried de life out'n her. She didn' keer
nuffin fer 'im, but he pestered her so she ha' ter th'eaten ter tell her
marster fer ter make Wiley let her 'lone. W'en he come ober to our place it wuz
des ez bad, 'tel bimeby Wiley seed dat Dilsey had got ter thinkin' a heap 'bout
Dave, en den he sorter hilt off aw'ile, en purten' lack he gin Dilsey up. But he
wuz one er dese yer 'ceitful niggers, en w'ile he wuz laffin' en jokin' wid de
yuther han's 'bout Dave en Dilsey, he wuz settin' a trap fer ter ketch Dave en
git Dilsey back fer hisse'f.
"Dave en Dilsey
made up dere min's fer ter git married long 'bout Christmas time, w'en dey'd
hab mo' time fer a weddin'. But 'long 'bout two weeks befo' dat time ole mars
'mence' ter lose a heap er bacon. Eve'y night er so somebody 'ud steal a side
er bacon, er a ham, er a shoulder, er sump'n, fum one er de smoke- 'ouses. De
smoke-'ouses wuz lock', but somebody had a key, en manage' ter git in some way
er 'nudder. Dey's mo' ways 'n one ter skin a cat, en dey's mo' d'n one way ter
git in a smoke-'ouse, -- leastways dat's w'at I hearn say. Folks w'at had bacon
fer ter sell didn' hab no trouble 'bout gittin' rid un it. Hit wuz 'g'in' de
law fer ter buy things fum slabes; but Lawd! dat law didn' 'mount ter a hill er
peas. Eve'y week er so one er dese yer big covered waggins would come 'long de
road, peddlin' terbacker en w'iskey. Dey wuz a sight er room in one er dem big
waggins, en it wuz monst'us easy fer ter swop off bacon fer sump'n ter chaw er
ter wa'm yer up in de winter-time. I s'pose de peddlers didn' knowed dey wuz
breakin' de law, caze de niggers alluz went at night, en stayed on de dark side
er de waggin; en it wuz mighty hard fer ter tell w'at kine er folks dey wuz.
"Atter two er
th'ee hund'ed er meat had be'n stole', Mars Walker call all de niggers up one
ebenin', en tol' 'em dat de fus' nigger he cot stealin' bacon on dat plantation
would git sump'n fer ter 'member it by long ez he lib'. En he say he'd gin fi'
dollars ter de nigger w'at 'skiver' de rogue. Mars Walker say he s'picion' one
er two er de niggers, but he couldn' tell fer sho, en co'se dey all 'nied it w'en
he 'cuse em un it.
"Dey wa'n't no
bacon stole' fer a week er so, 'tel one dark night w'en somebody tuk a ham fum
one er de smoke-'ouses. Mars Walker des cusst awful w'en he foun' out de ham
wuz gone, en say he gwine ter sarch all de niggers' cabins; w'en dis yer Wiley
I wuz tellin' yer 'bout up'n say he s'picion' who tuk de ham, fer he seed Dave
comin' 'cross de plantation fum to'ds de smoke-'ouse de night befo'. W'en Mars
Walker hearn dis fum Wiley, he went en sarch' Dave's cabin, en foun' de ham hid
under de flo'.
"Eve'ybody wuz
'stonish'; but dere wuz de ham. Co'se Dave 'nied it ter de las', but dere wuz
de ham. Mars Walker say it wuz des ez he 'spected: he didn' b'lieve in dese yer
readin' en prayin' niggers; it wuz all 'pocrisy, en sarve' Mars Dugal' right
fer 'lowin' Dave ter be readin' books w'en it wuz 'g'in de law.
"W'en Mars Dugal'
hearn 'bout de ham, he say he wuz might'ly 'ceived en disapp'inted in Dave. He
say he wouldn' nebber hab no mo' conferdence in no nigger, en Mars Walker could
do des ez he wuz a mineter wid Dave er any er de res' er de niggers. So Mars
Walker tuk'n tied Dave up en gin 'im forty; en den he got some er dis yer wire
clof w'at dey uses fer ter make sifters out'n, en tuk'n wrap' it roun' de ham
en fasten it tergedder at de little een'. Den he tuk Dave down ter de
blacksmif-shop, en had Unker Silas, de plantation black-smif, fasten a chain
ter de ham, en den fasten de yuther een' er de chain roun' Dave's neck. En den
he says ter Dave, sezee: --
"'Now, suh, yer'll
wear dat neckliss fer de nex' six mont's; en I 'spec's yer ner none er de
yuther niggers on dis plantation won' steal no mo' bacon dyoin' er dat time.'
"Well, it des
'peared ez if fum dat time Dave didn' hab nuffin but trouble. De niggers all
turnt ag'in' 'im, caze he be'n de 'casion er Mars Dugal' turnin' 'em all ober
ter Mars Walker. Mars Dugal' wa'n't a bad marster hisse'f, but Mars Walker wuz
hard ez a rock. Dave kep' on sayin' he didn' take de ham, but none un 'em didn'
b'lieve 'im.
"Dilsey wa'n't on
de plantation w'en Dave wuz 'cused er stealin' de bacon. Ole mist'iss had sont
her ter town fer a week er so fer ter wait on one er her darters w'at had a
young baby, en she didn' fine out nuffin 'bout Dave's trouble 'tel she got back
ter de plantation. Dave had patien'ly endyoed de finger er scawn, en all de
hard words w'at de niggers pile' on 'im, caze he wuz sho' Dilsey would stan' by
'im, en wouldn' b'lieve he wuz a rogue, ner none er de yuther tales de darkies
wuz tellin' 'bout 'im.
"W'en Dilsey come
back fum town, en got down fum behine de buggy whar she be'n ridin' wid ole
mars, de fus' nigger 'ooman she met says ter her, --
"'Is yer seed
Dave, Dilsey?'
"No, I ain' seed
Dave,' says Dilsey.
"'Yer des oughter
look at dat nigger; reckon yer wouldn' want 'im fer yo' junesey no mo'. Mars
Walker cotch 'im stealin' bacon, en gone en fasten' a ham roun' his neck, so he
can't git it off'n hisse'f. He sut'nly do look quare.' En den de 'ooman bus'
out laffin' fit ter kill herse'f. W'en she got thoo laffin' she up'n tole
Dilsey all 'bout de ham, en all de yuther lies w'at de niggers be'n tellin' on
Dave.
"W'en Dilsey
started down ter de quarters, who should she meet but Dave, comin' in fum de
cotton-fiel'. She turnt her head ter one side, en purten' lack she didn' seed
Dave.
"'Dilsey!' sezee.
"Dilsey walk'
right on, en didn' notice 'im.
"'Oh, Dilsey!'
"Dilsey didn' paid
no 'tention ter 'im, en den Dave knowed some er de niggers be'n tellin' her
'bout de ham. He felt monst'us bad, but he 'lowed ef he could des git Dilsey
fer ter listen ter 'im fer a minute er so, he could make her b'lieve he didn'
stole de bacon. It wuz a week er two befo' he could git a chance ter speak ter
her ag'in; but fine'ly he cotch her down by de spring one day, en sezee: --
"'Dilsey, w'at fer
yer won' speak ter me, en purten' lack yer doan see me? Dilsey, yer knows me
too well fer ter b'lieve I'd steal, er do dis yuther wick'ness de niggers is
all layin' ter me, -- yer knows I wouldn' do dat, Dilsey. Yer ain' gwine back
on yo' Dave, is yer?'
"But w'at Dave say
didn' hab no 'fec' on Dilsey. Dem lies folks b'en tellin' her had p'isen' her
min' 'g'in' Dave.
"'I doan wanter
talk ter no nigger,' says she, 'w'at be'n whip' fer stealin', en w'at gwine
roun' wid sich a lookin' thing ez dat hung roun' his neck. I's a 'spectable
gal, I is. W'at yer call dat, Dave? Is dat a cha'm fer ter keep off witches, er
is it a noo kine er neckliss yer got?'
"Po' Dave didn'
knowed w'at ter do. De las' one he had 'pended on fer ter stan' by 'im had gone
back on 'im, en dey didn' 'pear ter be nuffin mo' wuf libbin' fer. He couldn'
hol' no mo' pra'r-meetin's, fer Mars Walker wouldn' 'low 'im ter preach, en de
darkies wouldn' 'a' listen' ter 'im ef he had preach'. He didn' eben hab his
Bible fer ter comfort hisse'f wid, fer Mars Walker had tuk it erway fum 'im en
burnt it up, en say ef he ketch any mo' niggers wid Bibles on de plantation
he'd do 'em wuss'n he done Dave.
"En ter make it
still harder fer Dave, Dilsey tuk up wid Wiley. Dave could see him gwine up ter
Aun' Mahaly's cabin, en settin' out on de bench in de moonlight wid Dilsey, en
singin' sinful songs en playin' de banjer. Dave use' ter scrouch down behine de
bushes, en wonder w'at de Lawd sen' 'im all dem tribberlations fer.
"But all er Dave's
yuther troubles wa'n't nuffin side er dat ham. He had wrap' de chain roun' wid
a rag, so it didn' hurt his neck; but w'eneber he went ter wuk, dat ham would
be in his way; he had ter do his task, howsomedever, des de same ez ef he didn'
hab de ham. W'eneber he went ter lay down, dat ham would be in de way. Ef he
turn ober in his sleep, dat ham would be tuggin' at his neck. It wuz de las'
thing he seed at night, en de fus' thing he seed in de mawnin'. W'eneber he met
a stranger, de ham would be de fus' thing de stranger would see. Most un 'em
would 'mence' ter laf, en whareber Dave went he could see folks p'intin' at
him, en year 'em sayin: --
"'W'at kine er
collar dat nigger got roun' his neck?' er, ef dey knowed 'im, 'Is yer stole any
mo' hams lately?' er 'W'at yer take fer yo' neckliss, Dave?' er some joke er
'nuther 'bout dat ham.
"Fus' Dave didn'
mine it so much, caze he knowed he hadn' done nuffin. But bimeby he got so he
couldn' stan' it no longer, en he'd hide hisse'f in de bushes w'eneber he seed
anybody comin', en alluz kep' hisse'f shet up in his cabin atter he come in fum
wuk.
"It wuz monst'us
hard on Dave, en bimeby, w'at wid dat ham eberlastin' en etarnally draggin'
roun' his neck, he 'mence' fer ter do en say quare things, en make de niggers
wonder ef he wa'n't gittin' out'n his mine. He got ter gwine roun' talkin' ter
hisse'f, en singin' corn-shuckin' songs, en laffin' fit ter kill 'bout nuffin.
En one day he tole one er de niggers he had 'skivered a noo way fer ter raise
hams, -- gwine ter pick 'em off'n trees, en save de expense er smoke-'ouses by
kyoin' 'em in de sun. En one day he up'n tole Mars Walker he got sump'n
pertickler fer ter say ter 'im; en he tuk Mars Walker off ter one side, en tole
'im he wuz gwine ter show 'im a place in de swamp whar dey wuz a whole trac' er
lan' covered wid ham-trees.
"W'en Mars Walker
hearn Dave talkin' dis kine er fool-talk, en w'en he seed how Dave wuz 'mencin'
ter git behine in his wuk, en w'en he ax' de niggers en dey tole 'im how Dave
be'n gwine on, he 'lowed he reckon' he'd punish' Dave ernuff, en it mou't do
mo' harm dan good fer ter keep de ham on his neck any longer. So he sont Dave
down ter de blacksmif-shop en had de ham tak off. Dey wa'n't much er de ham lef'
by dat time, fer de sun had melt all de fat, en de lean had all swivel' up, so
dey wa'n't but th'ee er fo' poun's lef'.
"W'en de ham had
be'n tuk off'n Dave, folks kinder stopped talkin' 'bout 'im so much. But de ham
had be'n on his neck so long dat Dave had sorter got use' ter it. He look des
lack he'd los' sump'n fer a day er so atter de ham wuz tuk off, en didn' 'pear
ter know w'at ter do wid hisse'f; en fine'ly he up'n tuk'n tied a
lightered-knot ter a string, en hid it under de flo' er his cabin, en w'en
nobody wuzn' lookin' he'd take it out en hang it roun' his neck, en go off in
de woods en holler en sing; en he allus tied it roun' his neck w'en he went ter
sleep. Fac', it 'peared lack Dave done gone clean out'n his mine. En atter a
w'ile he got one er de quarest notions you eber hearn tell un. It wuz 'bout dat
time dat I come back ter de plantation fer ter wuk, -- I had be'n out ter Mars
Dugal's yuther place on Beaver Crick for a mont' er so. I had hearn 'bout Dave
en de bacon, en 'bout w'at wuz gwine on on de plantation; but I didn' b'lieve
w'at dey all say 'bout Dave, fer I knowed Dave wa'n't dat kine er man. One day
atter I come back, me'n Dave wuz choppin' cotton tergedder, w'en Dave lean' on
his hoe, en motion' fer me ter come ober close ter 'im; en den he retch' ober
en w'ispered ter me.
"'Julius', [sic]
sezee, 'did yer knowed yer wuz wukkin' long yer wid a ham?'
"I couldn 'magine
w'at he meant. 'G'way fum yer, Dave,' says I. 'Yer ain' wearin' no ham no mo';
try en fergit 'bout dat; 't ain' gwine ter do yer no good fer ter 'member it.'
"Look a-yer,
Julius,' sezee, 'kin yer keep a secret?'
"'Co'se I kin,
Dave,' says I. 'I doan go roun' tellin' people w'at yuther folks says ter me.'
"'Kin I trus' yer,
Julius? Will yer cross yo' heart?'
"I cross' my
heart. 'Wush I may die ef I tells a soul,' says I.
"Dave look' at me
des lack he wuz lookin' thoo me en 'way on de yuther side er me, en sezee: --
"'Did yer knowed I
wuz turnin' ter a ham, Julius?'
"I tried ter
'suade Dave dat dat wuz all foolishness, en dat he oughtn't ter be talkin'
dat-a-way, -- hit wa'n't right. En I tole 'im ef he'd des be patien', de time
would sho'ly come w'en eve'ything would be straighten' out, en folks would fine
out who de rale rogue wuz w'at stole de bacon. Dave 'peared ter listen ter w'at
I say, en promise' ter do better, en stop gwine on dat-a-way; en it seem lack
he pick' up a bit w'en he seed dey wuz one pusson didn' b'lieve dem tales 'bout
'im.
"Hit wa'n't long
atter dat befo' Mars Archie McIntyre, ober on de Wimbleton road, 'mence' ter
complain 'bout somebody stealin' chickens fum his hen-'ouse. De chickens kip'
on gwine, en at las' Mars Archie tole de han's on his plantation dat he gwine
ter shoot de fus' man he ketch in his hen-'ouse. In less'n a week atter he gin
dis warnin', he cotch a nigger in de hen-'ouse, en fill' 'im full er
squir'l-shot. W'en he got a light, he 'skivered it wuz a strange nigger; en
w'en he call' one er his own sarven's, de nigger tole 'im it wuz our Wiley.
W'en Mars Archie foun' dat out, he sont ober ter our plantation fer ter tell
Mars Dugal' he had shot one er his niggers, en dat he could sen' ober dere en
git w'at wuz lef' un 'im.
"Mars Dugal' wuz
mad at fus'; but w'en he got ober dere en hearn how it all happen', he didn'
hab much ter say. Wiley wuz shot so bad he wuz sho' he wuz gwine ter die, so he
up'n says ter ole marster: --
"'Mars Dugal','
sezee, 'I knows I's be'n a monst'us bad nigger, but befo' I go I wanter git
sump'n off'n my mine. Dave didn' steal dat bacon w'at wuz tuk out'n de
smoke-'ouse. I stole it all, en I hid de ham under Dave's cabin fer ter th'ow
de blame on him -- en may de good Lawd fergib me fer it.'
"Mars Dugal' had
Wiley tuk back ter de plantation, en sont fer a doctor fer ter pick de shot
out'n 'im. En de ve'y nex' mawnin' Mars Dugal' sont fer Dave ter come up ter de
big house; he felt kinder sorry fer de way Dave had be'n treated. Co'se it
wa'n't no fault er Mars Dugal's, but he wuz gwine ter do w'at he could fer ter
make up fer it. So he sont word down ter de quarters fer Dave en all de yuther
han's ter 'semble up in de yard befo' de big house at sun-up nex' mawnin'.
"yearly in de
mawnin' de niggers all swarm' up in de yard. Mars Dugal' wuz feelin' so kine
dat he had brung up a bairl er cider, en tole de niggers all fer ter he'p
deyselves.
"All dey han's on
de plantation come but Dave; en bimeby, w'en it seem lack he wa'n't comin',
Mars Dugal' sont a nigger down ter de quarters ter look fer 'im. De sun wuz
gittin' up, en dey wuz a heap er wuk ter be done, en Mars Dugal' sorter got
ti'ed waitin'; so he up'n says: --
"'Well, boys en
gals, I sont fer yer all up yer fer ter tell yer dat all dat 'bout Dave's
stealin' er de bacon wuz a mistake, ez I s'pose yer all done hearn befo' now,
en I's mighty sorry it happen'. I wants ter treat all my niggers right, en I
wants yer all ter know dat I sets a heap by all er my han's w'at is hones' en
smart. En I want yer all ter treat Dave des lack yer did befo' dis thing happen',
en mine w'at he preach ter yer; fer Dave is a good nigger, en has had a hard
row ter hoe. En de fus' one I ketch sayin' anythin' 'g'in Dave, I'll tell
Mister Walker ter gin 'im forty. Now take ernudder drink er cider all roun', en
den git at dat cotton, fer I wanter git dat Persimmon Hill trac' all pick' ober
ter-day.'
"W'en de niggers
wuz gwine 'way, Mars Dugal' tole me fer ter go en hunt up Dave, en bring 'im up
ter de house. I went down ter Dave's cabin, but couldn' fine 'im dere. Den I
look' roun' de plantation, en in de aidge er de woods, en 'long de road; but I
couldn' fine no sign er Dave. I wuz 'bout ter gin up de sarch, w'en I happen'
fer ter run 'cross a foot-track w'at look' lack Dave's. I had wukked 'long wid
Dave so much dat I knowed his tracks: he had a monst'us long foot, wid a holler
instep, w'ich wuz sump'n skase 'mongs' black folks. So I follered dat track
'cross de fiel' fum de quarters 'tel I got ter de smoke-'ouse. De fus' thing I
notice' wuz smoke comin' out'n de cracks: it wuz cu'ous, caze dey hadn' be'n no
hogs kill' on de plantation fer six mont' er so, en all de bacon in de
smoke-'ouse wuz done kyoed. I couldn' 'magine fer ter sabe my life w'at Dave
wuz doin' in dat smoke- 'ouse. I went up ter de do' en hollered: --
"'Dave!'
"Dey didn' nobody
answer. I didn' wanter open de do', fer w'ite folks is monst'us pertickler
'bout dey smoke-'ouses; en ef de oberseah had a-come up en cotch me in dere, he
mou't not wanter b'lieve I wuz des lookin' fer Dave. So I sorter knock at de do'
en call' out ag'in: --
"'O Dave, hit's me
-- Julius! Doan be skeered. Mars Dugal' wants yer ter come up ter de big house,
-- he done 'skivered who stole de ham.'
"But Dave didn'
answer. En w'en I look' roun' ag'in en didn' seed none er his tracks gwine way
fum de smoke-'ouse, I knowed he wuz in dere yit, en I wuz 'termine' fer ter
fetch 'im out; so I push de do' open en look in.
"Dey wuz a pile er
bark burnin' in de middle er de flo', en right ober de fier, hangin' fum one er
de rafters, wuz Dave; dey wuz a rope roun' his neck, en I didn' haf ter look at
his face mo' d'n once fer ter see he wuz dead.
"Den I knowed how
it all happen'. Dave had kep' on gittin' wusser en wusser in his mine, 'tel he
des got ter b'lievin' he wuz all done turnt ter a ham; en den he had gone en
built a fier, en tied a rope roun' his neck, des lack de hams wuz tied, en had
hung hisse'f up in de smoke-'ouse fer ter kyo.
"Dave wuz buried
down by de swamp, in de plantation buryin'- groun'. Wiley didn' died fum de
woun' he got in Mars McIntyre's hen-'ouse; he got well atter a w'ile, but
Dilsey wouldn' hab nuffin mo' ter do wid 'im, en 't wa'n't long 'fo' Mars
Dugal' sol' 'im ter a spekilater on his way souf, -- he say he didn' want no
sich a nigger on de plantation, ner in de county, ef he could he'p it. En w'en
de een' er de year come, Mars Dugal' turnt Mars Walker off, en run de
plantation hisse'f atter dat.
"Eber sence
den," said Julius in conclusion, "w'eneber I eats ham, it min's me er
Dave. I lacks ham, but I nebber kin eat mo' d'n two er th'ee poun's befo' I
gits ter studyin' 'bout Dave, en den I has ter stop en leab de res' fer
ernudder time."
There was a short
silence after the old man had finished his story, and then my wife began to
talk to him about the weather, on which subject he was an authority. I went
into the house. When I came out, half an hour later, I saw Julius disappearing
down the lane, with a basket on his arm.
At breakfast, next
morning, it occurred to me that I should like a slice of ham. I said as much to
my wife.
"Oh, no,
John," she responded, "you shouldn't eat anything so heavy for
breakfast."
I insisted.
"The fact
is," she said, pensively, "I couldn't have eaten any more of that
ham, and so I gave it to Julius." Charles W. Chesnutt.