human
You know mighty well, Br'er Jerry, dat I ain't sech a talker ez ter git up an' say my say des dry so, an' let it go at dat. Howsomever, I laid off ter say sump'n, an' I ain't sorry you called my name. In what's been said dey's a heap dat I 'gree wid. I b'lieve dat de cullud folks oughter work tergedder, an' stan tergedder fer ter he'p an' be holped. But when you call on me fer ter turn my back on my marster, an' go to hatin' 'im, you'll hatter skuzen me. You sho will.
gpt
He ain't yo' marster now, Br'er Plato, an' you know it,
human
I know dat mighty well, replied Uncle Plato,
gpt
But all this, suggested Mr. Hotchkiss coldly,
human
Dat is suttinly so!
gpt
They have been made citizens, pursued the organiser,
human
Ah-yi!
gpt
Does you reely b'lieve, Br'er Jerry, dat Pulaski Tomlin will ever try ter put you back in slav'ry?
human
You must bear in mind, he blandly remarked,
gpt
Well, suh, we'll fin' out atter awhile dat we'll hatter do like de white folks. Eve'y tub'll hatter stan' on its own bottom. I'm des ez free now ez I wuz twenty year ago----
human
I can well believe that, after what you have said,
gpt
Yes, suh,--an' I wuz des ez free twenty year ago ez you all will ever be. My marster has been good ter me fum de work go. I ain't stayin' wid 'im bekaze he got money. Ef him an' Miss Sa'ah di'n'a have a dollar in de worl', an no way ter git it, I'd work my arms off fer 'm. An' ef I 'fused ter do it, my wife'd quit me, an' my chillun wouldn't look at me. But I'll tell you what I'll do: when my marster tu'ns his back on me I'll tu'n my back on him.
human
I'm really sorry that you persist in making this question a personal one when it affects all the negroes now living and millions yet to be born,
gpt
Well, suh, le's look at it dat away, Uncle Plato insisted.
human
Spoz'n you ban' tergedder like dis, an' try ter tu'n de white folks ag'in you, an' dey see what you up ter, an' tu'n der backs, den what you gwine ter do? You got ter live here an' you got ter make yo' livin' here. Is you gwine ter cripple de cow dat gives de cream?
gpt
I'm mighty glad ter know you, suh, he said to Mr. Hotchkiss, with a bow that Chesterfield might have envied,
human
With that, he went out, followed by Wiley Millirons and Walthall's Jake, much to the relief of the Rev. Jeremiah, who proceeded to denounce