So fire away!" The gratified smile which now suddenly overspread the whole of the old man's face, and seemed to quickly stiffen the rugged and wrinkled fingers that had at first trembled in drawing a pair of shears from a ragged pocket, appeared to satisfy Paul's curiosity for the present.
But after a few moments' silent snipping, during which he could detect in the mirror some traces of agitation still twitching the negro's face, he said with an air of conviction:-- "Look here, George--why don't you regularly use your leisure moments in this trade?
You'd make your fortune by your taste and skill at it." For the next half minute the old man's frame shook with silent childlike laughter behind Paul's chair.

"Well, Marse Hathaway, yo's an ole frien' o' my massa, and a gemman yo'self, sah, and a senetah, and I do'an mind tellin' yo'-- dat's jess what I bin gone done! It makes a little ready money for de ole woman and de chilleren.

But de Kernel don' no'.

Ah, sah! de Kernel kill me or hisself if he so much as 'spicioned me.

De Kernel is high-toned, sah!--bein' a gemman yo'self, yo' understand.