aint it a shame
I'm nyther one nor t'other? I have so many bright idees all of my own! I
might have lighted de 'ciety an' made my fortin at de same time! Well!"
he continued, with a sigh of resignation, "if I can't make my own fortin
I can still lighten de 'ciety if only dey'd let me; an' I'm willin' to
du it for nothin'! But people won't 'sent to be lighted by me; soon as
ever I begins to preach or to lecture in season, an' out'n season, de
white folks, dey shut up my mouf, short! It's trufe I'm a-tellin' of
you, Miss Hannah! Dey aint no ways, like you. Dey can't 'preciate
ge'nus. Now I mus' say as you can, in black or white! An' when I's so
happy as to meet long of a lady like you who can 'preciate me, I'm
willin' to do anything in the wide worl' for her! I'd make coffins an'
dig graves for her an' her friends from one year's end to de t'other
free, an' glad of de chance to do it!" concluded the professor, with
enthusiastic good-will.

"I thank you very kindly, Jim Morris; but of course I would not like to
give you so much trouble," replied Hannah, in perfect innocence of
sarcasm.

"La. It wouldn't be no trouble, Miss Hannah! But then, ma'am, I didn't
come over here to pass compliments, nor no sich! I come with a message
from old madam up yonder at Brudenell Hall."

"Ah," said Hannah, in much surprise and more disgust, "what may have
been her message to me?"

"Well, Miss Hannah, it may have been the words of comfort, such as would
become a Christian lady to send to a sorrowing fellow-creatur'; only it
wasn't," sighed Jim Morris.

"I want no such hypocritical words from her!" said Hannah indignantly.

"Well, honey, she didn't send none!"

"What did she send?"

"Well, chile, de madam, she 'quested of me to come over here an' hand
you dis five dollar an' a half, which she says she owes it to you. An'
also to ax you to send by the bearer, which is me, a certain piece of
cloth, which she says how you've done wove for her. An' likewise to tell
you as you needn't come to Brudenell Hall for more work, which there is
no more to give you. Dere, Miss Hannah, dere's de message jes' as de
madam give it to me, which I hopes you'll 'sider as I fotch it in de way
of my perfession, an' not take no 'fense at me who never meant any
towards you," said the professor deprecatingly.

"Of course not, Morris. So far from being angry with you, I am very
thankful to you for coming. You have relieved me from a quandary. I
didn't kno