"De folks would set on de stone, while de little birds would sing, 'I
wush I had," an' dey'd wush dey had money, an' fren's, an' sense, an'
happiness, an' 'ligion; an' 'twould all come true jes like dey wush
fur. Den de little birds would sing, 'I wush I wuz," an' dey'd wush
dey wuz lubly, an' good, an' gran'; un' 'twould all come ter pass jes
so.
"But all dat time nobody neber wush nobody else was rich, an' good,
an' lubly, an' happy; fur don't yer see de birds neber sung, 'I wush
you wuz,' 'I wush dey had," but all de time 'I wush I wuz,' 'I wush I
had.' At last, one day dar come inter de gyarden er po' little cripple
gal, who lived 'way off in er ole tumble-down house. She wuz er little
po' white chile, an' she didn't hab no farder nor mudder, nor niggers
ter do fur her, an' she had to do all her own wuck herse'f."
"Bress de Lord!" ejaculated Aunt Milly, who was becoming very much
interested in the story, while tears gathered in Dump's blue eyes; and
even Diddie was seen to wink a little at the forlorn condition of "de
po' white chile."
"Yes, indeed," continued Mammy, "she done all her own wuk herse'f, an'
nobody ter say er blessed word ter her, nor he'p her a bit; an' she
neber eben hyeard ob de wushin'-stone, but had jes come out fur er
little while ter enjoy de birds, an' de fresh air, an' flowers, same
as de quality folks; fur she was mos' all de time sick, an, dis wuz
jes de same as Christmus ter her.
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