ed be Canyon, least wise thets the way
Brother Melvin splained hit tother night, cussed be Canyon means cussed
be Niggers." "Now Teck Pervis, wher is yer proof thet the scripter ment
Nigger? I aint rusty un ther scripter ef I am er gittin ole." "Now,
Mandy, yer know ther scripter reads thet Canyon was the son er Ham an
wus cussed bekase his daddy laffed at ole Noey, bekase when he layed
down ter sleep he didn't pull the kivver on his self proper like. When
de ole man woke up the tother boys tole him what Ham hed done, he cussed
Canyon Ham's son, and sed sarvant of sarvants shill he be. Ham wus ther
Nigger boy in ther family, and we uns air carin out ther edicts of ther
scripter when we try ter keep the Nigger cussed. Sarvant ov sarvants
shill he be, an we air--" "Hol on, Teck Pervis," exclaimed his wife.
"Let me git in er word kinder catiwompus like et leas. Now we air all
ther time er lookin fer scripter ter back us up in our devalmint. Ther
scripter don't say thet God'l mighty cussed Canyon, it says thet Noey
cussed him, an ef Noey hed kep sober an b'haved hisself he wouldenter
hed ter cuss at eny body. Whose teachin air we er follerin? Ole Noey's
er our Blessed Lawd an Saviour? He sed all things what soiver ye wood
thet men should do ter yo, do ye evan so ter thim. Have yer back slided
an fergot yer religin erready Teck Pervis?" Teck was dumb. "Yo Red Shirts
Ruff Riders an broke down ristecrats kin go on an do yer devilment but
mark what Mandy Pervis says, God'l Mighty will giv yu uns ther wurk er
yer hans." "Why, Mandy, yo ought ter git er license ter preach, why you
kin spit scripter lik er bon evangilis," and Teck Pervis reached over
and slapped his wife upon the shoulder. This compliment from her husband
stimulated the old lady to more earnest effort. "Now look er here," she
continued. "What do them risticrats kere er bout the likes er we? In
slave times we war not as good as their Niggers an ef we didn't get out
ther way on the road, they'd ride their fine critters plum over us. They
hed no use fer we uns unless hit wus ter use us fer somethin. Whan ther
war broke out, of course they wanted der po'uns ter do ther fightin, an
they kill me ole daddy bekase he would'n jine em. He didn't think it
right ter tak up an fight agin the Union; an I can't fergit thet you'ns
who did go ter ther fight ware promis'd er Nigger an er mule. But did
yer git em?" Teck Pervis winced. Mrs. Pervis continued. "Now sich es ole
Wade an Mo