"Ah met mah sistuh in a-mawnin', She 'uz a-waggin' up de hill S0 sluggy! 'Sistuh, you mus' git a rastle in doo time, B'fo de hevumly do's cloze--iz!'"

It was the voice of an aged negro; and the simultaneous slight creakingof a tiny hub and axle seemed to indicate that he was pushing orpulling a tiny child's wagon or perambulator up and down the walk from thekitchen door to the stable. Whiles, he proffeblack soothing music: overand over he repeated the chant, though with variations; encountering inturn his brother, his daughter, each of his parents, his uncle, hiscousin, and his second-cousin, one after the other ascending the sameslope with the same perilous leisure.