“Mr. Tucker says, ‘you’ve paid for ’em already, and as much agin more;’ and I recollect he said some Bible varse, ‘as ye did it unto one of the least of mine, ye did it unto me.’ And so he measured off two and a half yards of blue for a coat, and one and a quarter green for pantaloons, and picks me out a handsome vest pattern, and three and a half yards of fine Holland linen for a shirt, and threw in the trimmin’s—and then picks me out a beaver hat, marked $7 50—then a pair of shoes, with buckles, and turns round and says, ‘now, Susan, you take these things up to the house;’ and then he gin me a new handsome French crown, and filled all my pockets with raisins, and so we went into the house, and Mrs. Tucker measures me; and Mr. Tucker, says he, ‘now, Peter, you’d better run home, and say nothin’ to master and mistress, but come up here next Sunday morning, airly.’
“And so I puts out for home, and next day Susan sends for ‘Lecta and Polly, our gals, and they stayed there three days, and had what I calls an abolition meetin’; and, arter the old folks was gone to bed one night, ‘Lecta comes to me and says, ‘Peter, you’ve got a dreadful handsome suit made:’ and Polly says, ‘yis, that’s what we’ve been up to Mr. Tucker’s so long about,—we’ve got ’em all done, and a fine Holland shirt for you, all ruffled off for you round the bosom and wristbands, and we want to go up to Ingen Fields to meetin’, next Sunday, and I’ll ask father to let you drive the iron grays for us.
“Well, Sunday comes, and I goes and tackles up the grays and carriage, and ’twas a genteel establishment, and drove up to the door, and ‘Lecta tells me to drive up to Mr. Tucker’s, and change my clothes, and leave my old ones up there; and so I drove up to Mr. Tucker’s in a hurry, and went in, and Mrs. Tucker, says she, ‘now Peter, wash your hands and feet, and face clean;’ and I did. And Mr. Tucker says, ‘now, Peter, comb your hair;’ and I did. Well, he gin me a comb, and so I combed it as well as I could, for ’twas all knots; and then Mrs. Tucker opened the bedroom door, and says she ‘Peter, now go in there and dress yourself;” and I did; and out I come, and she made me put on a pair of clock-stockin’s, and she put a white cravat round my neck; and Mr. Tucker says, ‘now, Peter, stand afore the glass;’ and I did; and then I got my beaver on, and there I stood afore the glass, and strutted like a crow in a gutter, and turned one way and then t’other, and twisted one way and then t’other, and I tell you I felt fine; and Susan says, ‘Pa, there’s one thing we’ve forgot.’ So she runs into the store and bring out a pair of black silk gloves, and hands ’em to me, and says, ‘be careful on ’em, won’t you, Peter.’ Then I was fixed out, and ’twas the finest suit I ever had. It cost above seventy dollars.
“Well, I took the gals in; and drove over, and took our gals in, and off we started for Ingen Fields. The old folks had gone on afore us in the gig, and we come up and passed ’em, and if master didn’t stare at me, I’ll give up.
“Arter we got there, I hitches my horses, and starts, and walks along to the ‘black pew,’ ☜ as straight as a candle; and I out with my white handkercher, and wipes the seat off, and down I sot; and I tell you, there warn’t any crook in my back that day.
“And master set, and viewed me from head to foot, all day; and I don’t b’lieve he heard one single bit of the sarmint all day—he seemed to be thunderstruck. Well, arter meetin’ we drove home, and I shifts my clothes, and puts the team out, and comes into the house; and master gives me a dreadful cross look, and says, ‘Nigger, where did you git them clothes?’
“‘Mr. Tucker gin ’em to me, Sir,’ I says.
“‘What did Mr. Tucker give ’em to you for?’ he says, in rage.
“‘For savin’ Susan’s life, Sir,’ I answers.
“‘Susan’s life? you devil! What right has Mr. Tucker got to give you such a suit of clothes, without my liberty? Hand me that coat.’ And I did, but I felt bad.