Mrs. Gaines. Ah! Hannah; come, we are waiting for you. Nothing can be done till you come.
Hannah. Oh, missis, I don’t want to jump de broomstick wid Cato; I can’t love him.
Mrs. G. Shut up, this moment. Dolly, get the broom. Susan, you take hold of the other end. There, now hold it a little lower—there, a little higher. There, now, that’ll do. Now Hannah, take hold of Cato’s hand. Let Cato take hold of your hand.
Hannah. Oh, missis, do spare me. I don’t want to jump de broomstick wid Cato.
Mrs. G. Get the cowhide, and follow me to the cellar, and I’ll whip you well. I’ll let you know how to disobey my orders. Get the cowhide, and follow me to the cellar.
[Exit Mrs. Gaines and Hannah, R.
Dolly. Oh, Cato, do go an’ tell missis dat you don’t want Hannah. Don’t you hear how she’s whippin’ her in de cellar? Do go an’ tell missis dat you don’t want Hannah, and den she’ll stop whippin’ her.
Cato. No, Dolly, I ain’t a-gwine to do no such a thing, kase ef I tell missis dat I don’t want Hannah, den missis will whip me; an’ I ain’t a-gwine to be whipped fer you, ner Hannah, ner nobody else. No, I’ll jump de broomstick wid every woman on de place, ef missis wants me to, before I’ll be whipped.
Dolly. Cato, ef I was in Hannah’s place, I’d see you in de bottomless pit before I’d live wid you, you great big wall-eyed, empty-headed, knock-kneed fool. You’re as mean as your devilish old missis.