CHAPTER XXI. TIFF'S PREPARATIONS.

ows'boutdeoldVirginnyfam'lies?Dem'sderealoldstock!YouCar'linafolkscomefromdem,stickandstock,everyblestoneofyou!DeGordonsisanicefamily—an'tnothingtosayagindeGordons—butwharwasyouraised,datyedidn'thear'boutdePeytons?Why,oldGen'alPeyton,didn'theusetoridewithsixblackhorsesaforehim,asifhe'dbeenaking?Derewan'toneofdemhorsesdathadn'tatailaslongasmyarm.Youneverseenosuchcrittersinyourlife!" "Ihan't,han'tI?"saidOldHundred,now,inhisturn,touchedinavitalpoint."Blessme,ifIhan'tseendeGordonsridingoutwithdereighthorses,anytimeo'day!" "Come,come,now,derewasn'tsomany!"saidRose,whohadherownreasonsforstayingonTiff'sside."Nobodyneverrodewitheighthorses!" "Didtoo!Yousaymuchmore,I'llmakesixteenon'em!'Foremyblessedmaster,howdeseyeroldniggerswilllie!Dey'salwayszaggeratingderfamilies.Makesdeveryharriseonmyhead,toheardeseyeroldniggerstalk,deylieso!"saidOldHundred. "Youtinkfolksdattaketolyingisusingupyourbusiness,don'tye?"saidTiff."But,Itellyou,anyonedatsaysawordagindePeytonsgotmetosetinwith!" "Laws,demchil'enan'tPeytons!"saidOldHundred"dey'sCrippsesandIliketoknowwhoeverhearnofdeCrippses?Goway!don'ttellmenothingaboutdemCrippses!Dey'spoorwhitefolks!Abodymayseedatstickingoutallover'em!" "Youshutup!"saidTiff."Idon'tb'lieveyouwasbornondeGordonplace,'causeyouan'tgotnomanners.Ispectsyousomeold,second-handnigger,ColonelGordonmustatookfordebt,sometime,fromsomeofdeseyermeanTennesseefamilies,datdon'knowhowtokeepdermoneywhendeygetsit.Derniggersisallersdemeanestkind.'CauseallderealGordonniggersisladiesandgen'lemen—everyoneof'em!"saidOldTiff,likeatrueorator,bentoncarryinghisaudiencealongwithhim. AgeneralshoutchorusedthiscomplimentandTiff,undercoveroftheapplause,shookuphisreins,androdeoffintriumph. "Dar,now,youaggravatingoldnigger,"saidRose,turningtoherbosomlord,"Ihopeyergotitnow!DeplaguestoldniggerdateverIsee!Andyou,Tom,go'longandcleanyourknives,ifyerdon'tmeantobecrackedover!" MeanwhileTiff,restoredtohisusualtranquillity,ambledalonghomewardbehindhisone-eyedhorse,singing"I'mboundforthelandofCanaan,"withsomesurprisingvariations. AtlastMissFanny,asheconstantlycalledher,interposedwithaverypregnantquestion. "UncleTiff,whereisthelandofCanaan?" "DeLord-a-mercy,chile,datar'swhatI'dliketoknowmyself." "Isitheaven?"saidFanny. "Well,Ireckonso,"saidTiff,dubiously. "Isitwheremaisgone?"saidFanny. "C