The little girls were frightened at the unusual silence about the
place, as well as the dirt and disorder, but, being very tired, they
sat down to rest.
"Diddie," asked Dumps, after a little time, "ain't yer scared?"
"I don't think I'm scared, Dumps," replied Diddie; "but I'm not right
comfor'ble."
"I'm scared," said Dumps. "I'm jes ez fraid of Mr. Tight-fis' Smith!"
"Dat's hit!" said Dilsey. "Now yer talkin', Miss Dumps; dat's er mean
white man, an, he might er get mad erlong us, an' take us all fur his
niggers."
"But we ain't black, Diddie an' me," said Dumps.
"Dat don't make no diffunce ter him; he des soon hab white niggers ez
black uns," remarked Diddie, consolingly; and Dumps, being now
thoroughly frightened, said,
"Well, I'm er goin' ter put my pen'ence in de Lord. I'm er goin' ter
pray."
Diddie and Dilsey thought this a wise move, and, the three children
kneeling down, Dumps began,
"Now, I lay me down to sleep."
And just at this moment Mr. Smith, returning from the field, was
surprised to hear a voice proceeding from the house, and, stepping
lightly to the window, beheld, to his amazement, the three children on
their knees, with their eyes tightly closed and their hands clasped,
while Dumps was saying, with great fervor,
"If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take;
An' this I ask for Jesus' sake.
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