“Dunno, missy; but ‘pears like de slabe jus’ no more chilen dan de oder animals; and I tinks old massa done teach de hounds about de big bible, sooner dan he niggers.”

“What became of your wife, Vingo, when father took you away?  Could you not prevail on your master to let her come with you?”

“O, missy, old Bingo hoe in de cotton field great many long years since he sot eyes on poor, torn-down Phillis, or the young uns.”

“The little ones! and had you some children, Vingo?”

“Ah! if I known how to praise de good Lord in dem days, I specks I shouted for joy, when I see de wee creters burstin’ wid de laugh; and Phillis, she clean tuck ober, to see them fist each oder wid dar little feet, ’pearing like dey hab inherit all de peruigilinations ob dar daddy; and den de little creters change dar minds, and burst into de smiles again.  O, dem was happy days! and I and Phillis tink we just de pleasantest creters in de whole ob Berginny; and we takes de young uns out wid us to de cotton field, and after dey gets use to de hot sun in dar eyes, dey crawl round on de ground, snatchin’ up de bits ob cotton, like dey hab been use to it all dar days; and we not mind it much if old oberseer did gib us a lash ober de head, ’casionally, when we stops to cotch a bref, long as we habs de young uns to lift us up a bit.  But dem days not stay long, for one day dar come a fierce looking man, from way down in Kentuck, and as he went ober de plantation, I oberhears him saying to massa, dat he must hab just de smartest, good-looking niggars dat could be scared up, for dar was one ob de richest men in Kentuck dat was willing to pay any price for dem; but dey must be made ob de right material, for he worked his niggars, and cut dem up so, dat he hab to get in a fresh supply ebery now and den.  Dat was death-blow to me, for I knew my Phillis was considered de smartest, best looking gal on de plantation; for many a time I hear massa say, dat gal worth a dozen common ones, and he spoke de truth for once, for I knows dar neber was anoder like her.  Well, I tells Phillis dat night what I hears, and I tells her to jus slack off a little, and put on her worst look when de man come round next day, and perhaps dey oberlook her; but ’pears like we didn’t get much comfort from dat, and all night long we keeps awake, for we couldn’t help tinking dat might be de last time we eber see each oder again; for we neber hear ob de good place den, where we might meet when slabe massa get trough wid us.  De next morning, afore de broke ob day, massa and de trader comes round to our cabin, and seeing Phillis at de door, putting de young uns to rights, and clarin’ up a little, ’fore we goes out to de field, de fierce man cracked his whip, and jumping ober de young uns, caught Phillis by de arm, and whirling her round and round, called out, ’I say, mister, dis ere’s de likelist critter I’ve sot eyes on dis many a day!  I must hab dis one at any price!, Old Killall be good-natured a month,