the story of the child's wanderings.

"I am glad I have found you," the lady said when Anne's story was
finished. "You ought to be with your own people, of course, and I am
your near kinswoman. Your great-grandmother and my grandmother were
sisters. It is little that I have, but that little I shall gladly share
with you. I must take you with me when I go home next week."

"Where is your home?" asked Anne.

"In Washington City. I am one of the little army of government clerks,"
Miss Dorcas explained. "I come back every summer to spend my vacation
here. I walk in the dear old garden and read the dear old books and live
again in the dear old days. You do not understand now, child; but some
day, if you live long enough, you will understand."

Lizzie wailed aloud when she learned that Anne was to leave 'Lewis
Hall,' and in her heart Anne preferred her old home to her old cousin.

"You shouldn't never have gone to a 'sylum," said Mrs. Collins, wiping
her eyes with her apron. "But when one of your blood-kin lays claim to
you, that's diff'rent and I ain't got no call to interfere. I got sense
enough to know my folks ain't like yo' folks. Yours is the real old-time
quality folks and you ought to be brung up with your own kind. Now, we
is a bottom rail that's done come to the top. My chillen's got to be
schooled and give book-learnin'. Some day they'll forget they was ever
anything but top rails, and look down on their old daddy and mammy."

"I ain't, mammy; I ain't never gwi' look down on you," declared Lizzie.

"That's all right, honey," answered Mrs. Collins. "I want you to be
hotty and look down on folks. I never could l'arn to do it. I was always
too sociable-disposed."

"No one can ever look on you except with respect, dear Mrs. Collins,"
Miss Dorcas insisted. "Certainly, Anne and I shall always regard you as
one of her best friends. She will want to come to see you next vacation,
if you will let her."

"Let her! and thank you, ma'am," exclaimed Mrs. Collins. "Now I'm going
to unload them pantry shelves. You shall have sweetmeats and jam and
preserves and pickle for yo' snacks, Anne, and I want you to think of
Lizbeth Collins when you eat 'em."

Before Anne and Cousin Dorcas went to Washington, it was resolved that
they should visit Aunt Charity and Uncle Richard, who lived on a
plantation eight miles from 'Lewis Hall.' Mrs. Collins doubted the
wisdom of the plan, fearing lest some of the 'sylum folks on the look