Page:Salem - a tale of the seventeenth century (IA taleseventeenth00derbrich).pdf/138

 and brown, skillfully applied by Winny's frugal and industrious hands. If the too covetous sons of Jacob had been gifted, like their world-renowned brother, with prophetic dreams and visions, and, looking down the long roll of centuries, could have beheld old Drosky's many-hued garment, possibly the "coat of many colors" which their too partial old father gave to his favored darling would never have tempted them to envy, hate, and fratricide; the exodus into Egypt might never have taken place; and the world would have lost one of the sweetest and most pathetic of its Bible stories.

"Make yer manners, nigger! What yer tinkin' 'bout? said Winny, authoritatively; and at once the old man began scraping his foot upon the ground, and butting with his woolly head like some vicious old ram, though evidently with more friendly intentions.

"Why, what a wonderfully old man! Why, Winny, how old is he? said Alice, not knowing what to say.

"Oh, lors! I dun'no. Old?—he's old enuff for any ting, I guess. How old be yer, nigger—do yer know?"