But de Lord he 'lowed he wouldn't have it so.
O reign, Marse Jesus, er reign;
So de rich mus' die jes' same as de po',
O reign, Marse Jesus, er reign."
This was one of the plantation hymns with which Mammy often used to
sing Tot to sleep, and all the children were familiar with the words
and air; so now they all joined in the singing, and very sweet music
it was. They had sung it through several times, and the puppies,
finding themselves so outdone in the matter of noise, had curled up in
the children's laps and were fast asleep, when Diddie interrupted the
chorus to ask:
"Dumps, what are you goin' ter name your doggie?"
"I b'lieve I'll name 'im 'Papa,'" replied Dumps, "because he give 'im
ter me."
"'Papa,' indeed!" said Diddie, contemptuously; "that's no name for a
dog; I'm goin' ter name mine after some great big somebody."
"Lord-ee! I tell yer, Miss Diddie; name 'im Marse Samson, atter de man
w'at Mammy wuz tellin' 'bout totin' off de gates," said Dilsey.
"No yer don't, Miss Diddie; don't yer name 'im no sich," said Chris;
"le's name im' Marse Whale, w'at swallered de man an' nuber chawed
'im."
"No, I sha'n't name him nothin' out'n the Bible," said Diddie,
"because that's wicked, and maybe God wouldn't let him live, just for
that; I b'lieve I'll name him Christopher Columbus, 'cause if he
hadn't discovered America there wouldn't er been no people hyear, an'
I wouldn't er had no father nor mother, nor dog, nor nothin'; an',
Dumps, sposin' you name yours Pocahontas, that was er beau-ti-ful
Injun girl, an' she throwed her arms 'roun' Mr.
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