“But, Tessie, you must know where you got it.”
“’Deed, miss, I dunno no more’n de dade. I nebber tuk it none: it jes’ comed.”
“Just came! O Tessie, Tessie! are you never going to be good?”
“I is good, miss,” said the little colored girl, who could not seem to learn how very wicked it is to take other people’s property, and who had never been taught it is wrong to tell an untruth.
“Yes, Tessie, you are good about some things,” I said; “but you are not good when you take things out of my room, as you did last night.”
“Deed, miss, I nebber tuk it none: it jes’ comed.”
“Tessie,” I said solemnly, “what will you do when God asks you about this.”
“I jes’ say I dunno nuffin’ ’tall ’bout it.”
“But you can’t tell a lie about it to God, for he saw you take it.”
“Reckon ye’re out dar, ’cause it were dark as Egyp,” said Tessie, grinning at me, and showing a row of white teeth and a pair of large black eyes.