inhemonhofjune，1852，inpursuanceofapreviousconrac，mravery，acarpenerofbayourouge，commencedheerecionofahouseformasereppsihaspreviouslybeensaedhaherearenocelrsonbayouboeuf；onheoherhand，suchishelowandswampynaureofheground，hegreahousesareusuallybuiluponspilesanoherpeculiariyis，heroomsarenopsered，buheceilingandsidesarecoveredwihmachedcypressboards，painedsuchcolorasmospleasesheowner’sasegenerallyhepnkandboardsaresawedbysveswihwhipsaws，herebeingnowaerpoweruponwhichmillsmighbebuilwihinmanymileswhenhepnererecsforhimselfadwelling，herefore，hereisplenyofexraworkforhissveshavinghadsomeexperienceunderibeasasacarpener，iwasakenfromhefieldalogeher，onhearrivalofaveryandhishands

amonghemwasoowhomioweanimmeasurabledebofgraiudeonlyforhim，inallprobabiliyishouldhaveendedmydaysinsveryhewasmydelivereramanwhoseruehearoverflowedwihnobleandgenerousemoionsohesmomenofmyexisenceishallrememberhimwihfeelingsofhankfulnesshisnamewasbass，andahaimeheresidedinmarksville

iwillbedifficuloconveyacorrecimpressionofhisappearanceorcharacerhewasargeman，beweenforyandfifyyearsold，oflighcomplexionandlighhairhewasverycoolandselfpossessed，fondofargumen，bualwaysspeakingwihexremedeliberaion

hewashakindofpersonwhosepeculiariyofma

erwassuchhanohingheueredevergaveoffencewhawouldbeinolerable，comingfromhelipsofanoher，couldbesaidbyhimwihimpuniyherewasnoamanonredriver，perhaps，haagreedwihhimonhesubjecofpoliicsorreligion，andnoaman，ivenureosay，whodiscussedeiherofhosesubjecshalfasmuchiseemedobeakenforgranedhahewouldespouseheunpopursideofeverylocalquesion，andialwayscreaedamusemenraherhandispleasureamonghisaudiors，olisenoheingeniousandoriginalma

erinwhichhemainainedheconroversyhewasabachelor—an“oldbachelor，”accordingoherueaccepaionofheerm—havingnokindredliving，asheknewof，inheworldneiherhadheanypermanenabidingpce—wanderingfromonesaeoanoher，ashisfancydicaedhehadlivedinmarksvillehreeorfouryears，andinheprosecuionofhisbusinessasacarpener；andinconsequence，likewise，ofhispeculiariies，wasquieexensivelyknownhroughouheparishofavoyelleshewasliberaloafaul；andhismanyacsofkindnessandransparengoodnessofhearrenderedhimpopurinhecommuniy，hesenimenofwhichheunceasinglycombaed

hewasanaiveofcanada，fromwhencehehadwanderedinearlylife，andafervisiingallheprincipallocaliiesinhenorhernandwesernsaes，inhecourseofhisperegrinaions，arrivedinheunhealhyregionofheredriverhissremovalwasfromillinoiswhiherhehasnowgone，iregreobeobligedosay，isunknownomehegahereduphiseffecsanddeparedquielyfrommarksvillehedaybeforeidid，hesuspicionsofhisinsrumenaliyinprocuringmyliberaionrenderingsuchasepnecessaryforhecommissionofajusandrigheousachewouldundoubedlyhavesuffereddeah，hadheremainedwihinreachofhesvewhippingribeonbayouboeuf

oneday，whileworkingonhenewhouse，bassandeppsbecameengagedinaconroversy，owhich，aswillbereadilysupposed，ilisenedwihabsorbingineres

heywerediscussinghesubjecofsvery

“iellyouwhaiisepps，”saidbass，“i’sallwrong—allwrong，sir—here’snojusicenorrigheousnessiniiwouldn’ownasveifiwasrichascroesus，whichiamno，asisperfeclywellundersood，moreparicurlyamongmycrediorshere’sanoherhumbug—hecredisysem—humbug，sir；nocredi—nodebcredileadsamaninoempaioncashdownisheonlyhinghawilldeliverhimfromevilbuhisquesionofsvery；wharighhaveyouoyourniggerswhenyoucomedownohepoin？”

“wharigh！”saidepps，ughing；“why，ibough’em，andpaidfor’em”

“ofcourseyoudid；hewsaysyouhaveherighoholdanigger，bubegginghew’spardon，iliesyes，epps，whenhewsayshai’saliar，andheruhisnoiniiseveryhingrighbecausehewallowsi？

supposehey’dpassawakingawayyourliberyandmakingyouasve？”

“oh，haain’asupposablecase，”saidepps，sillughing；“hopeyoudon’comparemeoanigger，bass”

“well，”bassansweredgravely，“no，noexaclybuihaveseenniggersbeforenowasgoodasiam，andihavenoacquainancewihanywhiemaninheseparshaiconsiderawhibeerhanmyselfnow，inhesighofgod，whaishedifference，epps，beweenawhiemanandabckone？”

“allhedifferenceinheworld，”repliedepps“youmighaswellaskwhahedifferenceisbeweenawhiemanandababoonnow，i’veseenoneofhemcriersinorleanshaknowedjusasmuchasanyniggeri’vegoyou’dcallhemfellerciizens，is’pose？”—andeppsindulgedinaloudughahisownwi

“lookhere，epps，”coninuedhiscompanion；“youcan’ughmedowninhawaysomemenarewiy，andsomeain’sowiyasheyhinkheyarenowlemeaskyouaquesionareallmencreaedfreeandequalashedecraionofindependenceholdsheyare？”

“yes，”respondedepps，“buallmen，niggers，andmonkeysain’；”andhereuponhebrokeforhinoamoreboiserousughhanbefore