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THE OBTRUSIVE FISH.
eye the undeniable fact of his servant's deviation. Unconscious that his silent but no less true accuser had betrayed him, the faulty cook kept his stand, until, at length, his master, pointing at the same time to the purloined luxury, inquired, “ Lemon, what is that you have in your pocket?" His blushes, if he knew how to blush, were effectually concealed by the blackness of his skin, while, with the counterfeit surprise of innocence, he replied to this question by asking another: "Pocket, massa? war pocket?" And then, turning his eye to that particular part of his garment, and perceiving in a moment that the presence of the obtruding fish could not be denied, with ready cunning, he continued, " You see dat, massa? you see dat, missis? you eber see how ‘ de ebil’ (witchcraft) follow me ! Ebil come quite in me pocket, come put fish dere, so make you aw tink me go tief it!" Oh, worthy Lemon ! oh, noble son of Ham ! hadst thou lived in the days when Jupiter and his train peopled bright Olympus, undoubtedly thou wouldst have been turned into a constellation as a reward for thy ingenuity ! Among the grooms and “ house-boys" (as the Antiguans. call their domestic men-servants) there are also some to be met with who have a fair character for general good behaviour, but they are rare instances—seldom found. The greater part of the grooms are too fond of galloping their masters' horses, (a practice common with most negroes, who will ride almost as soon as they can walk ;) and with respect to the latter-mentioned class, indolence and prevarication form (as we have already seen) too often the predominant traits in their character. Another peculiarity among this tribe is the freedom with which they address their employers. This has even increased, if anything, since emancipation ; for now they are free, they appear to think themselves upon an equality with the highest in the land. They condescend, it is true, to take your money, but at the same time seem to think it a degradation to do your work. If it is necessary to find
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