d'rectly in the mornin', fixed her own lunchen,
talked clever a few words to Aunt Sue, petted ther dog a little, and
asked him questions as though he'd been a kid; stopped on the way out ter
tie up a rose bush, 'nd so she came and went ev'ry day, and though I
didn't realize it then, ther house war brighter when she war ther, and
darker when she war gone.

"Once Aunt Sue hed fever from Friday ter Sunday night, and without any
fuss thet thar woman did the cookin', and doctored Sue as tho' cookin'
'nd doctorin' war her regular perfession.

"We found out after a little thet she war a widder, husband dead two
year.

"After 'bout a week Aunt Sue says ter me one day: 'Mr. Jordan, yo' jest
cum har!' I followed her ter the woman's room. Der yer believe it, she'd
downed all ther flash picters that ther impenitent thief at Galveston
hed coaxed me inter buyin', and in place hed hung up some small
engravins, not gaudy-like, but jest catchin'; hed taken' off all the
sassy trimmin's from ther curtains, and the hull room war changed,
just ez tho' er benediction had been pernounced thar. It war all kinder
toned down, ez tho' a woman hed slipped a gray ulster over a red frock.

"It made me feel kinder cheap like, and I sed ter myself, says I: 'Thet's
good taste!' I knowed it in er minit, tho' I'd never seen it afore.

"Next Sunday in church we found out she could sing, and after thet she
sung for us o' nites, playing a gitaw same time. Then arter awhile she
got ter readin' ter us. Yo' remember how yo' read, Jim? Well, yer readin'
war like a grand organ, hern were like ther blendin' o' flutes and harps.

"Well, ther weeks went by, and sech a feelin' cum over me ez I'd never
'sperienced afore. I thot first 'twar hay fever comin' on. I couldn't
eat, couldn't sleep. I war restless when thet woman war gone. I war
skeery like when she war round; and war given to havin' little hot spells
and then chills, and I said, 'I know it's ther blasted malarier.'

"So I took k'neen and juniper tea, and fancied I hed night sweats--jest
the cussedest time, Jim, thet yo' ever seen.

"One day when I war a-sittin' in ther house and a-mopin', Aunt Sue cum in
and looked hard at me, and says she: 'Mr. Jordan, does yo' know what's
der matter wid ye?'

"I told her I didn't; thet I'd give a band o' cattle ter find out.

"'Laws,' says she, 'I'd tell cheaper'n dat, only yo'd think I is sassy.'

"I said: 'Aunty, yo' goahead. If yo's sassy, I's too sick to c