Cooed a yearling partly dressed;
'Round his chair a dirty dozen
Whooped and yelled like all possessed.

"Lord a' mercy! Here's de teacher!
Chil'en run and fetch a chair;
'Fo' you come back dress yourselves,
An' git the keards and com' yer hair."
Sweeping over, children scattered,
Dogs and cats sent to the rear,
Uncle Tom, his pipe resuming,
Once more settled in his chair.

"I laid off to come to see ye
During o' de week dat's passed;
Must be scorin' de chil'en heavy,
Kase dey're learnin' pow'ful fast.
I believe in edication
When you teach it wid a pole;
Den you make 'im wise but humble,
Ruin his back out save his soul.

"Some folks b'lieve in pettiu' chil'en;
But I've raised enough to know,
Sho's you spare de rod you spile 'em.
Don't the Good Book tell you so?"
"Yes; but Uncle Tom," I quoted,
"Love will win where force will fail;
Men are honest made by trusting
In their honor"--"Dat's a tale;

"Never ketch me trustin' people,
Do dey're deacons in de church;
Folks dat trust in human nature
Allus git left in the lurch.
Der's some migh'y funny things put up
In dese packages called men,
And good folks do mighty bad things
Sometimes, jest bekase dey kin."

* * * * *

"Mr. Teacher, come to supper,"
(And the chimney piece struck nine)
"After dat we'll drive to meetin',
'Viding you are of de min'.
Tell me you are Congregationan;
First I ever heard de name;
Must be like de Presbyter'an--
Name sounds very much de same."

An the simple meal proceeded,
Quickened by the savory food,
Uncle Tom, from cynic terseness,
Fell into a happier mood.
"I was overseer in slave time,
And a mean un, so dey say,
Strapped Ma' Ann so much, ha! ha!
She married me to git away.

"In dem times we done some _talkin'_,
But this _writin'_ business--shaw!
I have seen de time, I tell ye,
I could talk a lady so
She would pull her fan to pieces
Barely answering 'Yes' or 'No.'"

* * * * *

Then I talked while he sat silent,
Gave a lecture broad and deep;
Hark! what sounds from the dim corner?
Ah! my host has fallen asleep.
Asleep! And his slumber is that of contentment,
Dreaming and smiling o'er memories fond.
Asleep! And he slumbers in ignorance blissful
Of the great busy