e has as much pretension in his manner as if
he were really doing us a favor in paying us a visit."

"The old scamp," said Mr. Barbour, "he has a frolic in view; he wants to go
off to-morrow either to a campmeeting, or a barbecue. He looks as if he
were hooked together, and could be taken apart limb by limb."

Bacchus had commenced bowing some time before he reached the piazza, but on
ascending the steps he made a particularly low bow to his master, and then
in the same manner, though with much less reverence, paid his respects to
the others.

"Well, Bacchus?" said Mr. Weston.

"How is yer health dis evenin, master? You aint been so well latterly.
We'll soon have green corn though, and that helps dispepsy wonderful."

"It may be good for dyspepsia, Bacchus," said Mr. Weston, "but it sometimes
gives old people cholera morbus, when they eat it raw; so I advise you to
remember last year's experience, and roast it before you eat it."

"I shall, indeed," replied Bacchus; "'twas an awful time I had last summer.
My blessed grief! but I thought my time was done come. But de Lord was
mighty good to me, he brought me up again--Miss Janet's physic done me more
good though than any thing, only it put me to sleep, and I never slept so
much in my born days."

"You were always something of a sleeper, I am told, Bacchus," said Cousin
Janet; "though I have no doubt the laudanum had that effect; you must be
more prudent; old people cannot take such liberties with themselves."

"Lor, Miss Janet, I aint so mighty ole now; besure I aint no chicken
nother; but thar's Aunt Peggy; she's what I call a raal ole nigger; she's
an African. Miss Alice, aint she never told you bout de time she seed an
elerphant drink a river dry?"

"Yes," said Alice, "but she dreamed that."

"No, Miss, she actually seed it wid her own eyes. They's mighty weak and
dim now, but she could see out of 'em once, I tell ye. It's hot nuff here
sometimes, but Aunt Peggy says it's winter to what 'tis in Guinea, whar she
was raised till she was a big gall. One day when de sun was mighty strong,
she seed an elerphant a comin along. She runned fast enough, she had no
'casion to grease her heels wid quicksilver; she went mighty fast, no
doubt; she didn't want dat great beast's hoof in her wool. You and me seed
an elerphant de time we was in Washington, long wid master, Miss Alice, and
I thought 'bout Aunt Peggy that time. 'Twas a _'nageree_ we went to. You
know I held yo