e d-- please, but ye can't talk ab'lish'n har,
by--," he said, again applying his hand to the table, till the plates
and saucers jumped up, performed several jigs, then several reels, and
then rolled over in graceful somersaults to the floor.

At this juncture, the Colonel and Madam P---- entered.

Observing the fall in his crockery, and the general confusion of things,
my host quietly asked, "What's to pay?"

I said nothing, but burst into a fit of laughter at the awkward
predicament of the overseer. That gentleman also said nothing, but
looked as if he would like to find vent through a rat-hole or a
window-pane. Jim, however, who stood at the back of my chair, gave _his_
eloquent thoughts utterance, very much as follows:

"Moye hab 'sulted Massa K----, Cunnel, awful bad. He hab swore a blue
streak at him, and called him a d-- ab'lishener, jess 'cause Massa K----
wudn't get mad and sass him back. He hab disgrace your hosspital,
Cunnel, wuss dan a nigga."

The Colonel turned white with rage, and striding up to Moye, seized him
by the throat, yelling, rather than speaking, these words: "You
d---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ----, have you dared to insult a guest in
my house?"

"I did'nt mean to 'sult him," faltered out the overseer, his voice
running through an entire octave, and changing with the varying pressure
of the Colonel's fingers on his throat; "but he said he war an
ab'lishener."

"No matter what he said, he is my guest, and in my house he shall say
what he pleases, by--. Apologize to him, or I'll send you to h--in a
second."

The fellow turned cringingly to me, and ground out something like this,
every word seeming to give him the face-ache:

"I meant no offence, sar; I hope ye'll excuse me."

This satisfied me, but, before I could reply, the Colonel again seized
him by the throat and yelled:

"None of your sulkiness; you d-- white-livered hound, ask the gentleman's
pardon like a man."

The fellow then got out, with less effort than before:

"I 'umbly ax yer pardon, sar, very 'umbly, indeed."

"I am satisfied, sir," I replied. "I bear you no ill-will."

"Now go," said the Colonel; "and in future take your meals in your
cabin. I have none but gentlemen at my table."

The fellow went. As soon as he closed the door, the Colonel said to me:

"Now, my dear friend, I hope you will pardon _me_ for this occurrence. I
sincerely regret you have been insulted in my house."

"Don't speak of it, my dear