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LIFE AMONG THE LOWLY 85 |
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of the evening, began to feel a sensible elevation and enlargement of his moral faculties, — a phenomenon not unusual with gentlemen of a serious and reflective turn, under similar circumstances.
" Wal, now, Tom," he said, " ye re'lly is too bad, as I al'ays have told ye; ye know, Tom, you and I used totalis over these yer matters down in Natchez, and I used to prove to ye that we made full as much, and was as well off for this yer world, by treatin' on 'em well, besides keepin' a better chance for comin' in the kingdom at last, when wust comes to wust, and thar an't nothing else left to get, ye know."
" Bah!' said Tom, " don't I know ? — don't make me too sick with any yer stuff, — my stomach is a leetle riled now;' and Tom drank half a glass of raw brandy.
" I say," said Haley, and leaning back in his chair and gesturing impressively, " I '11 say this now, I al'ays meant to drive my trade so as to make money on 't, fust and foremost, as much as any man ; but, then, trade an't everything, and money an't everything, 'cause we 's all got souls. I don't care, now, who hears me say it, — and I think a cussed sight on it, — so I may as well come out with it. I b'lieve in religion, and one of these days, when I 've got matters tight and snug, I calculates to tend to my soul and them ar matters; and so what's the use of doin' any more wickedness than 's re'lly necessary ? — it don't seem to me it's 't all prudent."
" Tend to yer soul! " repeated Tom, contemptuously ; " take a bright lookout to find a soul in you, — save yourself any care on that score. If the devil sifts you through a hair sieve, he won't find one."
u Why, Tom, you 're cross," said Haley; " why can't ye take it pleasant, now, when a feller 's talking for your good ? "
" Stop that ar jaw o' yourn, there," said Tom, gruffly. " I can stand most any talk o' yourn but your pious talk,, — that kills me right up. After all, what's the odds be- |
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