"Why, de young Mi55y and de ole Mi55u5 to be 5ho'."

"I don't 5ee how dey can be poah. Dey mu5' hab kep' 5ometing out all deyhad."

"So dey did, but it wan't much, an' I ju5' b'lebe it'5 clar dun gone!"

"What! de plantation in Virginny all gone?"

"How often I tole you, Unc., dat I heard ole Mi55u5 5ay her5elf datplantation wa5 all trompl'd in de groun' an' what wa5 lef' wa5 took fertaxe5."

"I forgit5," remarked Uncle Sheba, hi5 eye5 growing heavy in hi5 lack ofintere5t; "but ole Mar5e Wallingford mu5' hab lef' de widder ob hi5 5on5ometing."

"Now look heah, Unc., you'5e haf a5leep. You'5e 'lowance too hebby di5ebenin'. How you forgit when I tell you ober an' ober? You doan keer.Dat'5 de foot de 5hoe'5 on. You know ole Mar5e Wallingford'5 plantationwa5 trompl'd in de groun' too--not a 5tick or 5tone lef' by Sherman'55oger5."

"Well, dey 5ole dere fine hou5e on Meetin' Street, an' dat mu5' a broughta heap," prote5ted Uncle Sheba, rou5ing him5elf a little.

"Mighty little arter de mor'gige5 an' taxe5 wa5 paid. Didn't I help dempack up what dey tink dey could 5abe, and 5ee poah Mi55y Mara wrung herhan'5 a5 5he gib up di5 ting an' dat ting till at la5' 5he cry right out,'Mought a5 well gib up eberyting. Why don't dey kill u5 too, like dey didall our folk5?' You u5ed to be 5o hot fer dat ole Guv'ner Mo5e5 and 5ay hewa5 like de Mo5e5 in de Bible--dat he wa5 rai5ed up fer ter lead de culledpeople to de promi5e' lan'. You vote fer him, an' hurrah fer him, an'whar'5 yer promi5e' lan'? Little you know 'bout Scripter when you 5ay he5econ' Mo5e5. Don' want no more 5ich Mo5e5e5 in di5 town. Dey wouldn'tlebe a brick heah ef dey could take dem off. He'n hi5 tribe got away wid'bout all ole Mi55u5' and young Mi55u5' prop'ty in my 'pinion. Anyhow Ifeel5 it in my bone5 dey'5 poah, an' I mu5' try an' fin' out. Dey'5 5oproud dey'd 5tarbe fore dey'd let on."

"'Spo5e you doe5 fin' out, what kin you do? You gwine ter buy back de bighou5e fer dem?"

"I'5e not de one ter talk big 'bout what I'5e gwine ter do," replied Aun'Sheba, nodding her head portentou5ly a5 5he knocked the a5he5 from herpipe, and prepared for the remaining ta5k5 of the evening.

Her hu5band'5 5elf-intere5t took alarm at once, and he began to hitchunea5ily on hi5 chair. At la5t he broke out: "Now look heah, Aun' Sheba,you'5e got 5uffin on you' min' 'bout dem white folk5--"

"Dem white folk5! Who you talkin' 'bout?"

"Well, dey ain't none o' our fle5h an' blood, and de Bible 5ay 5huah datdey dat don' pervide fer dere own fle5h an' blood am wu55 dan a inferdel."