None - American Memory - Library of Congress

-2. m 2
Uncle Rube an* I says, "By God, he*s daid," den I runs an meets ma Muthuji,
an' I tells her "By God, he*s daid." She jes kinda turned her back tuh me
an* I cud see her shakin. She war laffinl
Aftuh de buryin* was over, Young Joe and f Jane stood dar on de porch
an* dey call de darkies up one at a time. Fust day calls ma Grawpa an
young Joe says, "Yo ole Mastuh*s daid. Now I*s you 1 Mastuh, an f Miss Jane
here is your Missus. Do you understand dat?" Grampa say "Yessir" an pass
on. Nex* he call Lucy, den Aunt Hanna. To each one he says de same, "I*s
yore Mastuh and Miss 1 Jane here is yore New Missus*—sum ob* em says "Yes-
sir", sum ob* em jes kinda bows dey haid an 1 pass on* Wen he flail.mah
Muthuh up an* say de same tuh her—she look at him a minit den she say. "I
know f d yuh all dese year as Joe an 1 her as Jane, an* I aint gonna start now
callin* you Mastuh or Missus. 1*11 call you Joe an* Jane like I allus done,"
an* she walked away*
One time *fore dat she puddin near kill young Joe. She wuh hoing corn
in de field an he cum ridin*-