Brothah Jabez Holly to tek keer of dem an’
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he eyes of Jabez Holly shone with prideat the importance of the commission assigned tohim. He showed his teeth in a broad smile ashe whispered to his neighbour, ’Lishy Davis,“TI’low when I gits thoo wif dem ’possums deywon’t be able to waddle;” and ’Lishy slappedhis knee and bent double with appreciation. Itwas a happy and excited congregation that filedout of Mt. Pisgah church that Sunday morning,and how they chattered! Little knots andclusters of them, with their heads together indeep converse, were gathered all about, and allthe talk was of the coming dinner. This, ashas already been said, was the Sunday two weeksbefore Christmas. On the Sunday following,the shrewd, not to say wily, Mr. Johnson de-livered a stirring sermon from the text, “Heprepareth a table before me in the presence ofmine enemies,” and not one of his hearers butpictured the Psalmist and his brethren sitting ata ’possum feast with the congregation of a rivalchurch looking enviously on. After the servicethat day, even the minister sank into insigni-ficance beside his steward, Jabez Holly, the 127
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