But he says he opinionates he been telling
them nothing at all.
"I dunno how-come dey get all dem nigger notions
in dey fool haid," Sam says, "but dey all waitin'
dar inside de chu'ch do'--some of de mos' faiful
an' de mos' pra'rful ones o' de Big Bethel cong'gation
been dar fo' de las' houah a-waitin' an' a-watchin',
spite o' de fac' dat reg'lah meetin' ain't gwine ter
be called twell arter supper. De bishop, he dar
too. Dey got some dese hyah coal-ile lamps dar
des inside de chu'ch do' an' dey been keepin' on
'em lighted, daytimes an' night times, fo' two days
now, kaze dey say dey ain't gwine fo' ter be cotched
napping when de bridegroom COMeth. Yass, SAH!--
dey's ten o' dese hyah vergims dar, five of 'em
sleepin' an' five of 'em watchin', an' a-takin' tuhns
at hit, an' mebby dat how-come free or fouah dey
bes' young colo'hed mens been projickin' aroun'
dar all arternoon, a-helpin' dem dat's a-waitin'
twell de bridegroom COM eth!"
We seen a little knot of them, down the road there
in front of the church, gathering around the nigger
that had been with Sam. They all starts toward
us. But one man steps out in front of them all,
and turns toward them and holds his hands up, and
waves them back. They all stops in their tracks.
Then he turns his face toward us, and comes slow
and sollum down the road in our direction, walking
with a cane, and moving very dignified.
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