Chapter V: Part 5

“Las night, dis befo fus fowl crow, me bin er leddown een me bed. De moon done set. Cæsar, him bin ter sleep by de fire een de tarruh room. Eberyting on de plantation gone bed. Me bin study bout de time wen ole Jupter hab ter meet him Lord and Master, an me berry happy een me bussum. Den me drap ter sleep. How long me bin ter sleep me dunno, but all ob er sutten pear like ebry shingle an boad hab er crack, an de light stream tru, an de room bin bright es day. Wile me duh wonder wudduh dat, four leely angel, wuh dress een wite an hab wing on eh back, fly een de room. Two light topper de foot er de bed, an one on arur side er me. My! but dem bin pooty! Me see heap er pooty wite chillun een me time, but me nebber bin see nuttne teh come up ter dem, nur ter ketch nigh um. Dem look pon topper me so kind, an dey open an shet dem wing, an mek sich a cool breeze een de house. Bimeby me retch out me han fuh tell de one huddy wuh bin tan close me bed on de right side, but eh draw back, an eh say: ‘Jupter, we come fuh leh you know de blessed Jesus duh commin fuh cahr you up ter Hebben an show you de seat wuh eh hab ready fur you.’ Me dat glad me yent hab bref fuh mek ansur. Me hard fuh bleebe me own yez. Me harte rise up een me troat, an me yent duh say nuttne, but me duh watch fur de Lord. Soon de blessed Jesus, wid de print er de nail een eh han an eh foot, an wid de star on eh head, drap right down tru de top er de house dout crack er shingle, an eh call me name, an eh tell me fuh rise, an eh pit eh han onder me shoulder, an eh liff me up light es er fedder. Me ole cloze an me ole body leff behine, an somehow narruh me sperit, him keep de shape er de body. Den eh pit eh han onder me arm, an eh cahr me way up eenter de element, beyant de sun an de moon an de star, an de leely angel duh foller we. We gone an we gone way up tel we git ter er big alablaster house, wid high piazza all roun an roun, wuh shine same luk de sun, buil in de middle er a beautiful gaden wid flower, an fruit, an hummin-bud, an butterfly, an angel wid harp duh sing an duh joy ehself onder de tree. Dis es we git ter de big gate, wuh mek wid pearl, eh swing open dout tetch um, an de blessed Jesus lead dis poor ole nigger up de shinin pate to de big house way de Lord lib.

“We gone up de step an enter de pahler, way de great God bin er set on eh golden trone. Den de blessed Jesus mek de good Lord sensible dat dis duh Jupter wuh him hab sabe, an dat eh fetch um fuh show um eh seat wuh eh done prepare fur um. Wid dat de Lord, him call teh one angel, an eh tell um fuh bring one chair an set um down befo eh trone. Soon es dis bin done eh say: ‘Jupter, yuh you chair; set een um. Eh blants ter you.’ Mossa, you nebber bin see sech chair een all you life. Eh hab gold rocker ter um. Eh hab welwit cushin een eh bottom. Eh hab high back, an eh arm stuff. Eh so soffe an easy. Eh look pootier den dat big rockin chair wuh ole Mossa bin gib Missy wen eh marry you farruh. Me shame fuh set een de chair, but de blessed Jesus, him courage me, an me tek me seat, an me so tankful dat me hab one chair een de mansion een de sky.

“Den de blessed Jesus tell anurruh angel fuh bring me some milk an honey fuh drink. Eh bring um een a nice glass tumbler, an eh gen me fuh drink. Me tase um, an eh sweet mone anyting me ebber drink een me life. Eh tell me fuh drink um down, an wen me drink all outer de glass, an me yeye ketch sight er de bottom er de tumbler, me see some speck. De ting trouble me, fuh me dunno wuh mek speck day een de bottom er dat clean tumbler. Den de blessed Master notus me, an eh say: ‘Dont fret, Jupter; dem speck duh you sin, but now dem all leff behine.’

“All dis time me bin er set wid me face tun way from de Lord an eh trone, cause eh so great an bright me couldnt look pon topper um. Mossa, me cant scribe wuh me see an yeddy een dat Hebben. Eh yent fuh tell. De blessed Jesus tek me tru de gaden, down by de ribber, an een de orchud way de bigges peach, an fig, an orange, an pomegranate, an watermillion, an all kin der fruit der grow. Me see heap er good people wuh me bin know befo eh dead. Ole Mossa, Cappne Maxwell, ole Mr. Ashmore, Buh Jack, Sister Masha, me own Dinah, an mo bin day, an dem all hab harp, an bin der sing, an walk bout, an der pledjur ehself. Dem glad fuh see me too, an gen me de right han er fellership.

“Arter me bin in Hebben good wile, de blessed Master, him say: ‘Come, Jupter, I gwine show you way de bad people go.’ Den eh lead me down to one bottom wuh dark an kibber wid cloud. In de fur een me see smoke duh rise, an me yeddy people duh cry an duh holler so bad. Wen we git ter dat spot, lo an behole! day was de mouf er Hell. Satan, him bin day wid eh pitchfork, an eh black head wid screech-owl yez, an eh red yeye, an eh claw-han, an eh forky tail. Eh tan right at de mouf er de big hole way de smoke an de fire duh bile out. Fas as de tarruh debble bring sinner ter um, eh push um wid eh pitchfork an eh trow um een de fire. Lord Amighty! Mossa, how dem sinner did kick an holler an try fuh pull way! But twant no use. De minnit ole Satan graff eh claw on um eh gone, an you could yeddy um duh fry een de fire same luk fat een me pan yuh. Me bin rale skade. De ting mek me sick. Me hole on ter me Jesus, an him tell me not teh fade, dat nuttne shill trouble me.

“Dis at dat time me wake. Me hair bin a rise on me head, an wen me come fuh fine out me bin een me own bed, an fowl bin a crow fuh day. Oh, Mossa! dat ting wuh dem call Hell duh a bad place. Me no wan shum no mo, an me yent gwine day nurrer. Enty de blessed Jesus done show me de chair wuh eh done sabe fuh me een Hebben? Yes, Mossa, me seat eh fix, an ole Jupter ready fur go wenebber de Lord call.”

He was indeed prepared, and early in the spring we laid him to rest beneath the venerable live-oaks which, with their solemn arms, guarded the plantation burying-ground. Then, not in a vision, but in reality, as we believe, the good old man claimed and was accorded his seat in the “mansion not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens.”

GLOSSARY

_Abnue_, avenue
_Agg_, egg
_All ob er sutten_, quickly and unexpectedly
_An_, and
_Arter_, after
_Arur_, each, either
_Ax_, ask

_Bactize_, baptize
_Bague_, to beg
_Barruh_, barrow
_Beber_, beaver
_Bedout_, without
_Ben_, bend, bent, been
_Berry_, very
_Bes_, best
_Bex_, vex, vexed
_Bidness_, business
_Biggin_, begin, began
_Bimeby_, by and by, presently
_Binner_, was, were
_Bittle_, victuals
_Blan_, in the habit of, accustomed to
_Blanks_⎫
_Blants_⎭ belongs to
_Bleebe_, believe
_Bleege_, obliged, compelled
_Bodder_, to bother
_Bode_, board, boards
_Bofe_, both
_Bole_, bold
_Boun_, resolved upon, forced to
_Bredder_, brother
_Bref_, breath
_Bres_, breast
_Bresh_, brush-wood, to brush
_Broke up_, to leave, to depart
_Brukwus_, breakfast
_Buckra_, white man
_Bud_, bird
_Budduh_⎫
_Buh_ ⎭ brother
_Buhhine_, behind
_Bun_, burn
_Buss_, burst, or break through

_Cahr_, carry
_Caze_, because
_Ceive_, deceive
_Cept_, accept, accepted, except
_Chillun_, children
_Chimbly_, chimney
_Chune_, tune
_Cist_, insist
_Clorte_, cloth
_Cloze_, clothes
_Cohoot_, bargain, agreement
_Cole_, cold
_Conjunct_, agree to, conclude
_Cote_, court
_Crack eh teet_, make answer
_Crap_, crop
_Crape_, scrape
_Cratch_, scratch
_Cut down_, disappointed, chagrined

_Darter_, daughter
_Day_, there, is, to be, am
_Day day_, to be there
_Den_, then
_Der_, was, were, into
_Dest_⎫
_Dist_⎭ just, only
_Destant_, distant, distance
_Det_, death
_Diffunce_, difference
_Disher_, this
_Do_, door
_Dout_, without
_Drap_, drop, dropped
_Duh_, was, were
_Dunno_, don’t know
_Dut_, dirt

_Edder_, other
_Eeben_, even
_Een_, in, end
_Eenwite_, invite
_Ef_, if
_Eh_, he, she, it, his, her, its
_Element_, the sky, upper air
_En_, end
_Enty_, are you not, are they not, do you not, do they not, is it not

_Faber_, favor
_Faid_, to be afraid
_Fambly_, family
_Fanner_, a shallow basket
_Farruh_⎫
_Farrur_⎭ father
_Feber_, fever
_Fedder_, feather, feathers
_Fiel_, field
_Fine_, supply with food, find
_Flaber_, flavor
_Flo_, floor
_Flut_, flirt
_Foce_, force
_Forrud_, forehead
_Fren_, friend
_Fros_, frost
_Fuh_, for
_Fuh sutten_, for a certainty
_Fuss_, first

_Gage_, engage, hire
_Gedder_, gather, collect
_Gelt_, to girt
_Gem_, to give
_Gen_, gave, again
_Gie_, give
_Gimme_, give me
_Glec_, neglect
_Glub_, gloves
_Gooly_, good
_Graff_, grab
_Gree_, agree, consent
_Grine salt_, fly round and round
_Guine_⎫
_Gwine_⎭ going, going to

_Haffer_, have to, had to
_Hair rise_, badly frightened
_Haky_ ⎫
_Harky_⎭ hearken to, heed
_Han_, hand
_Hanker_, long for, desire
_Hatchich_, hatchet
_Head_, get the better of
_Head um_, get ahead of him
_Hebby_, heavy
_Holler_, halloo, hollow
_Hoona_, you
_Hot_, to hurt
_Huccum_, how happens it, why, how come
_Huddy_, how d’ye do

_Ile me bade_, grease my mouth
_Isself_, himself, herself, itself, themselves

_Jew_, dew
_Jist_, just
_Juk_, jerk

_Ketch_, catch, reach to, approach
_Kibber_, cover
_Kine_, kind
_Knowledge_, acknowledge, admit

_Labuh_, labor
_Lass_, to suffice for, to last
_Lean fuh_, set out for
_Led-down_, lay down
_Leek_, to lick with the tongue
_Leely_ ⎫
_Leetle_⎭ little
_Leff_, to leave, did leave, left
_Leggo_, to let go
_Leh_, let
_Lemme_, let me
_Lenk_, length
_Libbin_, living
_Lick_, to whip, stroke of the whip
_Lickin_, whipping
_Lick back_, turn rapidly back
_Lief_, leave, permission
_Light on_, to mount
_Light out_, to start off
_Long_, with, from
_Lub_, love
_Luk_ ⎫
_Lucker_⎭ like

_Mange_, mane
_Medjuh_, measure
_Mek_, make, made
_Mek fuh_, to go to
_Mek out_, fare, thrive, succeed
_Member_, to remind
_Men eh pace_, increase his speed
_Mine_, mind, heed, take care of
_Miration_, wonder, astonishment
_Mo_, more
_Moober_, moreover
_Mona_ ⎫
_Moner_⎭ more than
_Mona dat_, more than that
_Mose_, almost
_Mossa_, master
_Mouf_⎫
_Mout_⎭ mouth
_Murrer_, mother
_Mussne_, must not
_Muster_, must have

_Nabor_, neighbor
_Narruh_, another
_Nebber_, never
_Nekked_, naked
_Nes_, nest
_New Nigger_, a negro fresh from Africa
_Nigh_, to draw near to
_Notus_, notice, observe
_Noung_, young
_Nudder_, another
_Nuff_, enough
_Nummine_, never mind
_Nurrer_, neither, another
_Nuse_, use, employ
_Nussen_, used to, accustomed to
_Nuss_, nurse
_Nuttne_, nothing

_Obersheer_, overseer
_Offer_, off of
_Ole_, old
_Ooman_, woman, women
_Out_, to go out, to extinguish
_Outer_, out of

_Pahler_, parlor
_Passon_, parson
_Pate_, path
_Pen pon_, depend upon
_Perwision_, provisions
_Pinder_, ground-nuts, peanuts
_Pint_, direct, directed, point
_Pintment_, appointment
_Pit_, put, apply
_Playpossum_, to fool, to practice deceit
_Pledjuh_, pleasure
_Po_, poor, pour
_Pon_, upon
_Pooty_, pretty
_Pose_, post
_Prommus_, promise
_Pruppus_, on purpose
_Pusson_, person

_Quaintun_, acquainted with
_Quaintance_, acquaintances
_Quile_, to coil, coiled
_Quire_, to inquire, inquired

_Rale_, very truly, really
_Range_, reins
_Rastle_, to wrestle
_Retch_, to reach, to arrive at
_Ribber_, river
_Riz_, rose
_Roose_, roost

_Sabe_, to know
_San_, sand
_Sarbis_, service, kindness
_Satify_ ⎫
_Saterfy_⎭ satisfied, happy, content
_Scace_, scarce
_Schway_, to swear, swore
_Scuse_, excuse
_Seaznin_, seasoning
_Sebbn_, seven
_Sed_, sit, sat
_Sed-down_, sit down, sat down
_Shet_, shut
_Sho_, sure
_Sholy_, surely
_Shum_, to see it, see him, see her, see them
_Sider_, on the side of
_Sisso_, say so
_Skade_, scared
_Smate_, smart
_Sofe_, soft
_Soon man_, very smart, wide-awake man
_Sorter_, sort of, after a fashion
_Sparruh_, sparrow
_Spec_, expect
_Spose_, expose
_Spute_, contest the championship with
_State_, start, begin
_Steader_⎫
_Stidder_⎭ instead of
_Straighten fur_, run rapidly for
_Stroy_, destroy
_Sukkle_, circle, fly around
_Summuch_, so much
_Sutten_, certain, sudden
_Suttenly_, certainly, suddenly
_Swade_, persuade
_Swode_, sword

_Tack_, to attack
_Tackle_, to hold to account
_Tan_, to stand
_Tarrify_, to terrify, to annoy
_Tarruh_ ⎫
_Turruh_ ⎭ the other
_Tase_, to taste, taste
_Tay_, stay
_Tek_, take
_Tek wid um_, pleased with him, her, or it
_Tek you foot_, to walk
_Tel_, until
_Ten_, attend to
_Tend_, intend
_Tenk_ ⎫
_Tenky_ ⎭ to thank, thanks
_Ter_ ⎫
_Teh_ ⎭ to
_Tetch_, touch
_Tetter_, potatoes
_Tick_, thick, abundant, a stick
_Ticket_, thicket
_Tickler_, particular
_Tief_, to steal, thief
_Ting_, thing
_Tird_, third
_Titter_, sister
_Togerruh_, together
_Tole_, told
_Topper_, on top of, on
_Tote_, carry
_Trabble_, travel
_Tru_, through
_Truss_, trust
_Trute_, truth
_Tuff_, tuft
_Tuk_, took
_Tun_, turn, return
_Tun flour_, to cook hominy

_Up ter de notch_, in the best style
_Usen_, to be in the habit of

_Vise_, to advise
_Vive_, revive

_Wan_, to want, to wish, want
_Warse_, wasp
_Wase_, waste
_Way_, where
_Wayebber_, wherever
_Whalin ob er_, enormous, severe
_Wid_, with
_Wile_, while
_Win_, wind
_Wine_, vine
_Wish de time er day_, to say good-bye, how d’ye do
_Wud_, word
_Wudduh dat_, what is that
_Wuffer_, what for, why, what to
_Wuh_, what, which, who
_Wuhebbuh_, whatever
_Wuk_, work
_Wul_, world
_Wunt_, will not, would not
_Wurrum_, worms
_Wus_, worse
_Wus den nebber_, worse than ever
_Wut_, worth

_Yad_, yard
_Yearin_, hearing
_Yeddy_, to hear, to hearken to
_Yender_ ⎫
_Yent_ ⎭ not, was not, were not
_Yent day day_, is not there, are not there
_Yeye_, eye, eyes
_Yez_, ear, ears
_Yiz_, am, is, to be, did
_Yuh_, here

_Zamine_, examine

NUMBERS

_One_, one
_Two_, two
_Tree_, three
_Fo_, four
_Fibe_, five
_Six_, six
_Sebbn_, seven
_Eight_, eight
_Nine_, nine
_Ten_, ten
_Lebbn_, eleven
_Twelbe_, twelve
_Tirteen_, thirteen
_Foteen_, fourteen
_Fifteen_, fifteen
_Sixteen_, sixteen
_Sebbnteen_, seventeen
_Eighteen_, eighteen
_Nineteen_, nineteen
_Twenty_, twenty
_Tirty_, thirty
_Forty_, forty
_Fifty_, fifty
_Sixty_, sixty
_Sebbnty_, seventy
_Eighty_, eighty
_Ninety_, ninety
_One hundud_, one hundred
_One tousan_, one thousand

MONTHS OF THE YEAR

_Jinnywerry_, January
_Febbywerry_, February
_Mache_, March
_Aprul_, April
_May_, May
_June_, June
_Jully_, July
_Augus_, August
_Sectember_, September
_October_, October
_Nowember_, November
_December_, December

DAYS OF THE WEEK

_Mundy_, Monday
_Chuseday_, Tuesday
_Wensday_, Wednesday
_Tursday_, Thursday
_Friday_, Friday
_Sattyday_, Saturday
_Sunday_, Sunday

Transcriber’s Note

Words and phrases in italics are surrounded by underscores, _like this_. Footnotes were renumbered sequentially and were moved to the end of the story in which the anchor occurs. The following were amended:

Added close quotation mark to sentence:
“Tenky, tenky, ... me git all dis money.”
Changed ‘heaper’ to ‘heap er’ ... eenwite heap er fren ...
Changed ‘ob er’ to ‘ober’ ... all ober sutten, ...
Changed ‘XLI’ to ‘LXI’ for final chapter number.