“Yas, suh, Tom wus er good feller, but we got ter git back ter de sociable, er dem fokes git ti’ed er waitin’.”
Willis’s foot accidentally upset the quilt basket. “Take yer foot out’n Mammy’s bask’t, an’ g’long back an’ look at de pictur’s wid Ma’y Van.”
“No, I won’t—I’m tired sitting down on the floor.”
“Dat’s jes’ de way Tishy Peafowel talk whin her ma beg her ter stay at home wid dem loose straggly feath’rs er he’rn, but Tishy say, ‘No, I won’t,’ jes’ like you talks ter me sometimes. Jes’ den one her purty feath’rs drap out.”
“Well, Mammy, I do want to stand up,” he added apologetically, “and we’ve looked at all the pictures in that book.”
She found another book of birds which she opened on the table.
“Hyah, stan’ up an’ look at dese,—dar’s Tishy de ve’y fus’ one.”
Mary Van was soon beside him:
“Ain’t Tishy pretty, Mammy Phyllis?” she said.
“She sho’ wus sumthin’ ter look at ’fo’ Big Eye Buzzard come erlong. An’ Tishy wus er good gal, too, but she nuv’r had nuf ’ligion ter stan’ trubble.”