SCENE.--_A Street. Enter_ Pompey, _R. H., with saw and sawbuck_.
_Pompey._ Well, I has been trabblin’ up de street, and trabblin’ down
de street, all day long, and hasn’t had a single job yet, and ain’t got
de fust red cent. I do’ know how I’ll get a quarter to go to de grand
bobilition ball to-night; dere isn’t much chance for a nigger to git
any wood to saw dese hard times. Dare’s too many ob dem Dutch fellars
dat ’nopolize de bisness--works under price, and all dat. Dat won’t do
for dis child. I tink I’ll leabe de carpenter bisness fur a while, and
maybe I may be ’pointed to de office ob inspector ob wood-sawyers. But
I’se bound to go to de ball to-night, anyhow. [_Enter_ Jim Brown, _L.
H., who walks across the stage past_ Pompey, _and is going off_. Pompey
_sees him_.] Hello, Jim! How is you to-day?
_Jim._ Look here, colored man, don’t be too familiar, if you please.
’Tis accessory dat you should know one ting prebious to your succeeding
any furder in your observations.
_Pom._ What is dat?
_Jim._ I will instruct you to know dat I hab been appointed to office.
I am ’pointed trabblin’ agent fur de Bobilition Society.
_Pom._ Trabblin’ agent? Well, s’pose dat means to go
afoot--ha--ha--ha--ha! Dare’s one ting mighty sartin, honey--you won’t
trabble bery fast if you tote dem _heels_ wid you!
_Jim._ Look here, Pompey, I has always had considerable respect for
you, ’cause I beliebe you has some literary ’quirements; but you
’sociates too much wid dem low class ob white folks. You see, I’se one
ob dem kind ob colored indiwiduals who tinks dat a white man’s just as
good as a nigger so long as he behabe himself.
_Pom._ De Lord!--has you spoke? Jim, I guess you changed yer ’pinion de
odder night when dat white fellar knocked you off de sidewalk.
_Jim._ Yes, I have a striking remembrance. I sued dat fellar, I did;
and if I’d had a good witness, dey would ha’ fined him for manslaughter.
_Pom._ Ha! ya! Honey, I was to de trial, and I seed mighty soon how
’twas a goin’ wid _you_. When de judge axed de fellar what knocked you
down: “What for you knocked dat colored man down?” de man didn’t say
noffin, but he gib de judge de sign; and when I seed dat, I knowed he
was one ob dem mason fellars; and when he gib de judge de high sign, de
judge let him go free gratis fur noffin’. Look here, Jim, you goin’ to
de bobolition ball to-night?
_Jim._ Yes, sir; widout prevarication.
_Pom._ Well, I s’pose you will take some ob de fair sex wid you?
_Jim._ Yes, sah; I will hab de extreme honor of perambulating dar wid
de lubly Miss Araminta Peachblossom.
_Pom._ I s’pose de young lady will take her heels wid her, won’t she?
Just you take my advice, Mr. Jim Brown, and when you’re dancing, jus’
mind how you swing dem comers, or you’ll trip up eberybody dat comes
widin free feet ob you. Ha, yah! [_Exit laughing, L. H._ Jim _is going
off, R. H., when he is met by some negroes, who thrust him off, L. H.,
crying: “Come, go ’long; we is gwine to de ball, we is!”_