HOW AUNT MINERVY ANN RAN AWAY
he ain't got no business ter do. But dey wa'n't no laugh in me; no, suh, not by a jugful.
"He say, 'Hello, Minervy Ann! whar you gwine? I 'low, I did, 'I'm des gwine out yander whar Hamp kinnery live at.'
"He sorter pull his goatee, an' look down at de dus' on his shoes—an' dey wuz fair kiver'd wid it—an' den he say, 'Well, Minervy Ann, I wish you mighty well. You sho is done a mighty good part by me an' mine. Ef yo' Miss Mary wuz 'live she'd know what ter say—I don't, 'cep' dis'—he straighten up an' stretch out his han'—'’cep' dis: whenever you want ter come back home, you'll fin' de do' open. Ef you come at night, des knock. We'll know yo' knock.'
"You ain't never seed no fool nigger 'oman cut up, is you? Well, ef you does see one, suh, I hope ter goodness 'twon't be me! Marse Tumlin ain't no mo'n got de words out'n his mouf, suh, 'fo' I tuck de bundle what I had in my han', an' flung it fur ez I could send it.
"Marse Tumlin look at me hard, an' den he say, 'Dam ef I don't b'lieve youer crazy!' Time he say it, I 'low, 'I don't keer er dam ef I is!'
"Yasser! I say it sho, an' den I drapt down on de groun' dar an' holler an' cry like somebody wuz
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