His snow-white hair and bent form gave him a venerable appearance; but he was still active, and the shrewd old face showed both humor and pathos as he proceeded with his story.

He had been a slave in his younger days, and still designated his late employer by the old term "mars'r." He was a well-known character to many present, including Dr.Westlake, who knew that in this instance questions would have to be abandoned and the witness allowed to tell his story in his own way.
"Well, Uncle Mose, you have been employed at Fair Oaks for a long time, haven't you ?" "Moah dan twenty yeahs, sah, I'se had charge ob dese y'er grounds; an' mars'r Mainwaring, he t'ought nobody but ole Mose cud take cyah ob 'em, sah." "You were about the grounds as usual Wednesday, were you not ?" "I was 'bout de grounds all day, sah, 'case dere was a pow'ful lot to do a-gittin' ready for de big doins dere was goin' to be on mars'r's birfday." "Did you see either of the strangers who called that day ?" "I'se a-comm' to dat d'rectly, sah.

You see, sah, I wants to say right heah, befo' I goes any furder, dat I don' know noffin 'cept what tuk place under my own obserbation.

I don' feel called upon to 'spress no 'pinions 'bout nobody.

I jes' wants to state a few recurrences dat I noted at de time, speshally 'bout dem strangers as was heah in pertickeler.