“Did you ever hear of Longfellow?”
“No, I never heerd of him?”
“Did you never hear of a great English poet called Lord Byron?”
“No, sir, I never knowed dar was such a man.”
What a gulf betwixt his mind and mine! Sitting side by side there, we were yet as far apart as the great globe’s poles.
“Do you mean to go through life in such ignorance?”
“I don’t know; I’d learn to read if I had de chance.”
“Find a chance! make a chance! Even the little negro boys are getting the start of you.”
“I reckon I’ll go to school some dis winter,” said he. “Dar’s go’n’ to be a better chance fo’ schools now; dat’s what dey say.”
“Why now?” I asked.