ething wrong
somewhere. Every week it cost more and more to keep the old colored
woman in what Harry called "eating material."

"Her appetite must be increasing," said Harry; "she's eaten two pecks of
meal this week."

"I don't believe it," said Kate; "she couldn't do it. I believe she has
company."

And this turned out to be true.

On inquiry they found that Uncle Braddock was in the habit of taking his
meals with Aunt Matilda, sometimes three times a day. Now, Uncle
Braddock had a home of his own, where he could get his meals if he chose
to go after them, and Harry remonstrated with him on his conduct.

"Why, ye see, Mah'sr Harry," said the old man, "she's so drefful
lonesome down dar all by sheself, and sometimes it's a-rainin' an' a
long way fur me to go home and git me wrapper all wet jist fur one
little meal o' wittles. And when I see what you all is a-doin' fur her,
I feels dat I oughter try and do somethin' fur her, too, as long as I
kin; an' I can't expect to go about much longer, Mah'sr Harry; de ole
wrapper's pretty nigh gin out."

"I don't mind your taking your meals there, now and then," said Harry;
"but I don't want you to live there. We can't afford it."

"All right, Mah'sr Harry," said Uncle Braddock, and after that he never
came to Aunt Matilda's to meals more than five or six times a week.

And now Christmas, always a great holiday with the negroes of the South,
was approaching, and Harry and Kate determined to try and give Aunt
Matilda extra good living during Christmas week, and to let her have
company every day if she wanted it.

Harry had a pig. He got it in the spring when it was very small, and
when its little tail was scarcely long enough to curl. There was a story
about his getting this pig.

He and some other boys had been out walking, and several dogs went along
with them. The dogs chased a cat--a beautiful, smooth cat, that
belonged to old Mr. Truly Matthews. The cat put off at the top of her
speed, which was a good deal better than any speed the dogs could show,
and darted up a tree right in front of her master's house. The dogs
surrounded the tree and barked as if they expected to bark the tree
down. One little fuzzy dog, with short legs and hair all over his eyes,
actually jumped into a low crotch, and the boys thought he was going to
try to climb the tree. If he had ever reached the cat he would have been
very sorry he had not stayed at home, for she was a good deal bigger
t