THE COYOTE, OR WOLF. 41 



fiddle under liis arm, wrapped up in liis ragged old 

 liandkercliief, and his knotted cudgel under liis arm, 

 lie was welcome. 



Old Dick was the proi-ierty of one of the Hen- 

 dersons, a family whicli gave its name to that 

 district of Kentuck}'. His master was very fond of 

 him, on account of his obedient and original dispo- 

 sition, so that instead of making him work on the 

 soil, he was free to wander about as he pleased. 

 Nobody complained of this tolerance, for Dick was, 

 as his master called him, a " necessary evil,"' and he 

 had the talent of keeping all the other niggers on the 

 plantation in good humour with the help of his violin. 



Dick, who understood all the importance of his 

 functions, was celebrated for the punctuality of his 

 attendance whenever he was informed that any one 

 had need of his services. On this point he was so 

 i:)articular, that any hindrance rendered him ex- 

 tremely angry. In spite of that natural timidity 

 which characterises people of genius, Dick had a 

 tinge of the savage in his composition when any- 

 thing at a festival fell short of his ideas of etiquette. 

 Once, however, poor Dick was late ; but the story 

 will show that it was not his fault that he did not 

 keep his appointment. 



A wedding among some people of coloiu' was to take 

 place at a plantation about six miles distant from 

 our fiddler's cabin. Dick had been invited, and 

 appointed master of the ceremonies. It was winter; 



