{{huckfp202.jpg}}

"She jis' stood de same way, kiner smilin' up. I was a-bilin'! I says:

'"I lay I make you mine!'

"En wid dat I fetch' her a slap side de head dat sont her a-sprawlin'. Den I

went into de yuther room, en 'uz gone 'bout ten minutes; en when I come back,

dah was dat do' a-stanuin' open yit, en dat chile stannin' mos' right in it,

a-lookin' down and mournin', en de tears runnin' down. My, but I wuz mad,

I was agwyne for de chile, but jis' den -- it was a do' dat open innerds -- jis' den,

'long come de wind en slam it to, behine de chile, ker -- en my lan', de

chile never move'! My breff mos' hop outer me; en I feel so -- so -- I doan' know

how I feel. I crope out, all a-tremblin', en crope aroun' en open de do' easy en

slow, en poke my head in behine de chile, sof en still, en all uv a sudden, I says

pow I jis' as loud as I could yell. She never budge! Oh, Huck, I bust out

a-cryin' en grab her up in my arms, en say, 'Oh, de po' little thing! de Lord God

Amighty fogive po' ole Jim, kaze he never gwyne to fogive hisself as long's he

live!' Oh, she was plumb deef en dumb, Huck, plumb deef en dumb -- en I'd

ben a-treat'n her so!" ssssssssss

ssssssssss

 [202]