“While de lamp holds out to bun,
De vilest sinnah may retun.”
“Bress de Lawd foh de deff-bed ’pentance. Dat is de great t’ing. Yoo can ’pent on a dying bed.”
“But, Sam,” said Perkins, “I don’t want you to do anything that grinds against your conscience. A death bed repentance is all very well, but suppose you die too suddenly to repent?”
“It’s a risk, Massa Perkins, but I’ll chance it. Two dollahs is a great deal ob money foh de ole man. It’s a mi’ty sudden deff dat’ll ketch me onpropared. And come to t’ink ob it, to be entirely safe, I’ll ’pent—jist ez soon ez I git de two dollahs.”
Our faro bankeress had the same kind of religion. Land her safe in New York, and she was easy as to her sins. It was only against the dangers of navigation that she wanted to be insured.
