good evening and "hoped I found
Magnolia a pleasant place."

Since I have grown older I have read that wonderful story of Mrs. Stowe's
Uncle Tom; he reminded me of Darry then, and now I never think of the one
without thinking of the other. But Darry, having served a different class
of people from Uncle Tom's first owners, had a more polished style of
manners, which I should almost call courtly; and he was besides a man of
higher natural parts, and somewhat more education. But much commerce in
the Court which is above all earthly dignities, no doubt had more to do
with his peculiarities than any other cause.

I asked him what he was singing about home? and where his home was? He
turned his face full upon me, letting me see how grave and gentle his
eye was, and at the same time there was a wistful expression in it
that I felt.

"Home ain't nowheres here, missie," he said. "I'm 'spectin' to go by
and by."

"Do you mean home up _there_?" said I, lifting my finger towards the
sky. Darry fairly laughed.

"'Spect don't want no other home, missie. Heaven good enough."

I stood watching him as he rubbed down the black horse, feeling surely
that he and I would be friends.

"Where is your home here, Darry?"

"I got a place down there, little missie--not fur."

"When you have done that horse, will you show me your place? I want to
see where you live."

"Missie want to see Darry's house?" said he, showing his white teeth.
"Missie shall see what she mind to. I allus keeps Sadler till the
last, 'cause he's ontractable."

The black horse was put in the stable, and I followed my black groom down
among the lines of stone huts to which the working parties had not yet
returned. Darry's house was one of the lowest in the dell, out of the
quadrangle, and had a glimpse of the river. It stood alone in a pretty
place, but something about it did not satisfy me. It looked square and
bare. The stone walls within were rough as the stone-layer had left them;
one little four-paned window, or rather casement, stood open; and the air
was sweet; for Darry kept his place scrupulously neat and clean. But
there was not much to be kept. A low bedstead; a wooden chest; an odd
table made of a piece of board on three legs; a shelf with some kitchen
ware; that was all the furniture. On the odd table there lay a Bible,
that had, I saw, been turned over many a time.

"Then you can read, Uncle Darry?" I said, pitching on the only thing
that please