to stay."

Then, showing the whole of himself, excepting one arm and one leg, from
round the edge of the door-way, and now rising into the oratorical,
Burlman Reynolds proceeded to give his opinions upon the subject, having
already expressed his feelings. "Miss Jemimy," with an impressive
gesture, "dare's reason in all things. Now, ef I had l'arnin', could
read in a book, write on paper, figger on a slate, count up money, tel
de names of de mont's, an' alwus say how ol' I is when axed, an' all
sich things like white folks, w'y den, dare'd be some sense in a great
he-nigger like me doin' what I please, gwine whar I please--free-papers
in pockets. But ef I has my freedom an' hain't got l'arnin' to match it,
den would I be like--like--" looking about him for a comparison, till
chancing to cast his eye on his dog, a thing pat suggested itself. "W'y,
Miss Jemimy, one uf de red varmints me an' Grumbo chawed up yisterdy had
on a blue coat an' ruffle shirt along with his ragetty rawhide tags an'
fedders. Thought I neber seed nothin' look so scan'lus. 'Red varmint,'
says I to him, 'coat an' no breeches won't do, shirt an' no breeches
won't do.' An' now says I to Miss Jemimy, 'Freedom an' no l'arnin' won't
do no mo' dan shirt an' no breeches.'

"Now, look at de Injuns." [Presenting the subject in another light.]
"Dey has der freedom, kin do what dey please, kin go whar dey please,
an' what do dey do? Don't do nothin' but hunt an' fish an' fight. Whar
do dey go? W'y, jes' a-rippin' an' tearin' all ober da worl', 'sturbin'
peacable people, keepin' dem mizzible an' onsituwated. So you see, de
Injun, dough he has his freedom, ain't nothin' arter all but a red
varmint. An' fur why? Beca'se he hain't got l'arnin' fur to tell him
what to do wid his freedom, dat's why. So dey needs somebody to tell 'em
what to do an' make 'em do it. Yes, an' dar's some white folks, too, who
hain't got l'arnin' an' don't know much better what to do wid dare
freedom dan Injuns an' free niggers, dough dey don't think so demselves,
an' would knock a nigger down fur sayin' it. An' dem's my 'pinions on
dat p'int.

"An' Miss Jemimy" [here Burl lowered his voice and looked at his
mistress with solemn earnestness], "have you forgot how I promised Mars
Bushrod I'd do what I could fur his wife an' pore little boy? All a pore
nigger could fur white folks in dat way, an' wouldn't neber stop a-doin'
it? An' s'posin' ef I was ter leabe 'em now, what would dey do?
Wh