“Well, Mage Rudd had uh empty mullasses barrel in front ub de sto’, an’ de flies wuz swa’min’ erroun’ hit same ez uh swa’m ub bees, an’ Mage Rudd’s toad-frogs wuz almos’ ez thick ez de flies, an’ dey wuz ketchin’ de flies same ez de debbil ketches sinnahs.
“Well, ’twuz erboutin sundown when Billy cum erlong an’ seed dem flies an’ frogs. So he got uh piece ub ole rope, hide hissef ’hine de barrel, an’ den he twiss dat rope thoo de grass ezactly like uh snake. De frogs dat wan’ full ub flies an’ cud jump went all ober dat sto’, in de butter, mullasses, sugar, brakin’ eggs, lamp chimneys, nockin’ down bottles, an’ wussa still, dey jumped ’roun’ Mage Rudd’s ole maiden sistuh’s feets an’ ankles, tell she tuck up huh dress like she gwine wadin’. Mars Pinckney say she mussa tho’t de frogs wuz _garter_ snakes. But de mos’ ’stressin’ part ub all wuz de frogs dat wuz full ub flies an’ cudn’ hop; dey los’ deah mines—bellerd an’ wep’, wep’ an’ bellered wuss dan uh pon’ full ub horngry calves. Uh big frog pon’ wuz nuffin ter hit.
“Mage Rudd ’low he didn’ keer fuh de flies, er de things dat wuz ’stroyed in de sto’, but he did keer _fuh dem frogs_; dat he wuz uh widderer, wid no chillun, an’ summer ebenin’s dem frogs ’mused him; an’ lars, but not leas’, dat he wuz keepin’ dat rope _fuh Billy_, an’ when he kotch him he wud meck him jump leap frog.”
Billy fully intended going to the debate, but on his way he met a lot of coon hunters, forgot the debate and returned to his quarter about daylight, when he explained matters to Mammy Nancy. She said, “You shan’t hab yo’ pipe fuh uh monf.” Whereupon Billy, to melt Mammy Nancy, tuned his banjo, twanged it and sang:
“Didn’ my Lawd d’liver Daniel? D’liver Daniel, d’liver Daniel. Didn’ my Lawd d’liver Daniel? An’ why not ev’y man.
“He d’liver’d Daniel fum de lions’ den, Jo-nah fum de belly ub de whale, An’ de He-boo chillun fum de fiery furnace, An’ why not ev’y man.
“De win’ blows Eas’ an’ de win’ blow Wes’; It blows like de judgment day, An’ ev’y po’ soul dat nebba did pray Will be glad ter pray dat day.”
When Billy had finished singing Nancy said, “I reckon you kin hab yo’ pipe, Billy, ef’n you promise ter jine de chuch.” And Billy promised “ter jine.”