FOLKS FROM DIXIE
grease on my mouf! I mek you prove it. I 's a honer'ble man, I is. Don't you 'cuse me of nuffin'!"
Murmurs had begun to arise from the crowd, and they had begun to press in upon the accused.
"Don't crowd me!" he cried, his eyes bulging, for he saw in the faces about him the energy of attack which should have been directed against the 'possum all turned upon him. "I did n't eat yo' ol' 'possum, I do' lak 'possum nohow."
"Hang him," said some one, and the murmur rose louder as the culprit began to be hustled. But the preacher's voice rose above the storm.
"Ca'm yo'se'ves, my brethren," he said; "let us thank de Lawd dat one 'possum remains unto us. Brothah Holly has been put undah a gret temptation, an' we believe dat he has fell; but it is a jedgment. I ought to knowed bettah dan to 'a' trusted any colo'ed man wif fo' 'possums. Let us not be ha'd upon de sinnah. We mus' not be violent, but I tu'ns dis assembly into a chu'ch meetin' of de brothahs to set on Brothah Holly's case. In de mean time de sistahs will prepah de remainin' 'possum."
The church-meeting promptly found Brother Holly guilty of having betrayed his trust, and
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