For he was a man who could always find things to do.
A white-headed negro man, with spectacles and damaged white cotton gloves appeared in the presence, made a stately obeisance and announced: "Marse Washington Hawkins, suh." "Great Scott! Show him in, Dan'l, show him in." The Colonel and his wife were on their feet in a moment, and the next moment were joyfully wringing the hands of a stoutish, discouraged-looking man whose general aspect suggested that he was fifty years old, but whose hair swore to a hundred.
"Well, well, well, Washington, my boy, it is good to look at you again.
Sit down, sit down, and make yourself at home.

There, now--why, you look perfectly natural; aging a little, just a little, but you'd have known him anywhere, wouldn't you, Polly ?" "Oh, yes, Berry, he's just like his pa would have looked if he'd lived.
Dear, dear, where have you dropped from?
Let me see, how long is it since--" "I should say it's all of fifteen years, Mrs.

Sellers." "Well, well, how time does get away with us.

Yes, and oh, the changes that--" There was a sudden catch of her voice and a trembling of the lip, the men waiting reverently for her to get command of herself and go on; but after a little struggle she turned away, with her apron to her eyes, and softly disappeared.
"Seeing you made her think of the children, poor thing--dear, dear, they're all dead but the youngest.
"But banish care, it's no time for it now--on with the dance, let joy be unconfined is my motto, whether there's any dance to dance; or any joy to unconfine--you'll be the healthier for it every time,--every time, Washington--it's my experience, and I've seen a good deal of this world.
Come--where have you disappeared to all these years, and are you from there, now, or where are you from ?" "I don't quite think you would ever guess, Colonel.

Cherokee Strip." "My land!" "Sure as you live." "You can't mean it.