They particularly
liked to go there about dark to hear the little negroes say their
prayers.
Aunt Nancy would make them all kneel down in a row, and clasp their
hands and shut their eyes: then she would say, "Our Father, who art in
heaven," and all the little darkies together would repeat each
petition after her; and if they didn't all keep up, and come out
together, she would give the delinquent a sharp cut with a long switch
that she always kept near her. So the prayer was very much interrupted
by the little "nigs" telling on each other, calling out "Granny" (as
they all called Aunt Nancy), "Jim didn't say his 'kingdom come.'"
"Yes I did, Granny; don't yer b'lieve dat gal; I said jes' much
'kingdom come' ez she did."
And presently Jim would retaliate by saying,
"Granny, Polly nuber sed nuf'n 'bout her 'cruspusses.'"
"Lord-ee! jes' lis'n at dat nigger," Polly would say. "Granny, don't
yer min' 'im; I sed furgib us cruspusses, jes' ez plain ez anybody,
and Ginny hyeard me; didn't yer, Ginny?"
At these interruptions Aunt Nancy would stop to investigate the
matter, and whoever was found in fault was punished with strict and
impartial justice.
Another very interesting time to visit the quarters was in the morning
before breakfast, to see Aunt Nancy give the little darkies their
"vermifuge.
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