see, all on yer?"

"It's the only thing ye ever was persistent in, Lord knows!" muttered
Aunt Chloe, who was getting rather restive; the merriment of the evening
being to her somewhat after the Scripture comparison,--like "vinegar
upon nitre."

"Yes, indeed!" said Sam, rising, full of supper and glory, for a closing
effort. "Yes, my feller-citizens and ladies of de other sex in general,
I has principles,--I'm proud to 'oon 'em,--they 's perquisite to dese
yer times, and ter _all_ times. I has principles, and I sticks to 'em
like forty,--jest anything that I thinks is principle, I goes in to
't;--I wouldn't mind if dey burnt me 'live,--I'd walk right up to de
stake, I would, and say, here I comes to shed my last blood fur my
principles, fur my country, fur de gen'l interests of society."

"Well," said Aunt Chloe, "one o' yer principles will have to be to
get to bed some time tonight, and not be a keepin' everybody up till
mornin'; now, every one of you young uns that don't want to be cracked,
had better be scase, mighty sudden."

"Niggers! all on yer," said Sam, waving his palm-leaf with benignity, "I
give yer my blessin'; go to bed now, and be good boys."

And, with this pathetic benediction, the assembly dispersed.



CHAPTER IX