“’Tenshun! ’Tan’up ’traight, oonuh man! Oonuh stan’ crookety sukkuh wurrum fench w’en dem staa’t fuh t’row off ’e riduh fuh tayre’um down fuh moobe cowpen!
“Shoulduh, aam! Pit oonuh muskick ’puntop oonuh shoulduh en’ hol’um ’traight. You mus’be t’ink dem duh hoe, enty? Fo’ man fuh stan’ side en’ side fuh mek one t’ickness. Faw-wud, maa’ch! ’Top! Weh de debble oonuh gwine? Uh done tu’n oonuh head fuh face Toogoodoo Bridge, en’, please Gawd, oonuh w’eel sukkuh mule hab cucklebuhr een ’e yez, ’en fuh gone Adam’ Run billage!” Sure enough, as the execution of the command would have taken them over hunters and pack, they had reversed the order and started in the opposite direction.
“Fuh true, bubbuh, enty you see Mas’ Rafe en’ Mas’ Tom en’ dem duh paat’? Nigguh fuh maa’ch obuh buckruh, enty?”
“Buckruh, de debble! Enty de Freedmun Bruro mek we fuh free? Uh free tell uh fool! Prizzunt, aam!”
Some were shouldered, others ordered, a few “presented” with the butt of the piece against the waist and the bayonet sticking out at right angles to the body. “’Tenshun! Da’ man f’um Slann’ Ilun’ wuh duh ’tan’up close da’ ’tump fuh hol’ ’e gun een alltwo ’e han’. Him mus’be t’ink suh gun duh oshtuh rake! Groun’, aam!” And the whole perspiring line squatted and laid their pieces on the ground, rising just as the hunters gathered up their reins and rode along the line, while the hounds, with lofty tails, trotted after them, sniffing scornfully at the warriors’ legs as they passed.
“Huddy, Mas’ Rafe. How ole Missis en’ dem?”
“Mas’ Tom, you look nyung mo’nuh Mas’ Rafe.”
“Yaas, suh. Phyllis him well, suh, tengk Gawd.”
“Mas’ Dick, you sho’ hab uh hebby buck,” as the great velveted horns of a fine buck tied behind the hunter’s saddle brushed against him. And all down the line, their hands being free, men touched their little monkey caps or tugged at their kinky forelocks and scraped their feet, in token of the kindly respect in which, spite of freedom and franchise, muskets and uniforms, and the poisonous propaganda of the Freedman’s Bureau, they yet held those known throughout the countryside as having been kindly masters to their slaves, and just and liberal employers of the freedmen.
“Mas’ Rafe, please suh, gimme some tubackuh,” and the outstretched hand received a generous share of the contents of the donor’s pouch.