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JIM GETS HOMESICK. 201
hard lot, for a duke. When he's drunk, there ain't no near-sighted man could tell him from a king."
"Well, anyways, I doan' hanker for no mo' un um, Huck. Dese is all I kin stan'."
" It's the way I feel, too, Jim. But we've got them on our hands, and we got to remember what they are, and make allowances. Sometimes I wish we could hear of a country that's out of kings."
What was the use to tell Jim these warn't real kings and dukes ? It wouldn't a done no good ; and besides, it was just as I said ; you couldn't tell them from the real kind.
I went to sleep, and Jim didn't call me when it was my turn. He often done that. When I waked up, just at day-break, he was setting there with his head down betwixt his knees, moaning and mourning to himself. I didn't take notice, nor let on. I knowed what it was about. He was thinking about his wife and his children, away up yonder, and he was low and homesick; because he hadn't ever been away from home before in his life ; and I do believe he cared just as much for his people as white folks does for their'n. It don't seem natural, but I reckon it's so. He was often moaning and mourning that way, nights, when he judged I was asleep, and saying, " Po' little 'Lizabeth ! po' little Johnny ! its mighty hard ; I spec' I ain't ever gwyne to see you no mo', no mo'!" He was a mighty good nigger, Jim was. •
But this time I somehow got to talking to him about his wife and young ones; and by-and-by he says :
" What makes me feel so bad dis time, 'uz bekase I hear sumpn over yonder on de bank like a whack, er a slam, while ago, en it mine me er de time I treat my little 'Lizabeth so ornery. She warn't on'y 'bout fo' year ole, en she tuck de sk'yarlet-fever, en had a powful rough spell; but she got well, en one day she was a-stannin' aroun', en I says to her, I says :
"ShetdedoV
" She never done it; jis' stood dah, kiner smilin' up at me. It make me mad ; en I says agin, mighty loud, I says :
" ' Doan' you hear me ?—shet de do' !' |
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