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, when he sees dis handsome critter; but
if he don't use her up in less dan dat time, he'll do what he neber done
afore! I tell you, sar, it's surprisin' to see how much work he'll get
out ob his niggars; goes ahead ob anyting you eber heard ob; dat's de
way he's made such a power ob money. He says he's tried it faithfully,
year in and year out, and he's thoroughly convinced dat de way to make
anyting by dis niggar business, is to get de work; if dey wont work
widout de whip, why, put it on! get dar steam up some way or oder, and
when one lot gibs out, get a fresh stock! I'll tell you what, sir,
Killall understands it; he'll sell dar hides for shoe leather radder dan
let his niggars stand idle!' When I hear dat, missy, my bery blood boil,
and 'pears like I couldn't keep my hands off from de villain; but I know
dat if I make any resistance, it fare all de worse wid Phillis, and I
get sent to de whippin'-place, into de bargain; so I only grind my
teeth, and look on, like I didn't know any better; but, missy, didn't I
wish I white man den, jus' for de sake ob sabin' my wife and young uns?
for I lib wid Phillis so long I couldn't help feeling 'tached to her.
Ole massa, he not 'pear to like de idea ob parting wid Phillis jus den,
for he know right well dat he not get anoder like her bery soon, and so
he tells de trader dat de niggar 'pear bery well, but as for de real
work, he got a dozen dat go ahead ob her, and if de gemman want de real
workin' niggar, dey step round de oder side de plantation; but de
trader, he keep his eye on Phillis, like he understand de business too
well to be put off dat way, and he say to massa, tell you what 'tis,
mister, dat gal may not hab de genuine work 'bout her now, but if she
get tinder old Killall's lash, dar be no trouble bout dat, and den when
she good for notin' else, after de work all out ob her, she might keep a