winds hear her.

"I care not," she said, "I will call him my Fairy Prince. No one can
hear, and it doth surely help me in a way. It is unseemly, I dare say,
but I must, I must, and will! But, however am I to get learning? Could
I only go to a dame school, but, chicks and crows! as well might I seek
to fly to the moon."

She giggled in a healthy, childish way, sure sign that she was feeling
better, and that her sweet nature was coming up to her help.

All at once she drew herself up, held high her head, breathed hard a few
times, then said, slowly:

"I am a maid that is determined to get learning,--and I will!"

At that she lay down again, and slept until the sun was high. Then up
she jumped, crept into the kitchen, and began setting the table while
Mistress Brace was down at the spring getting fresh water.

All the hot morning Sally was busy at her scrubbing and cleaning, and
it must be told that not as happy or as sure did she feel as in the
morning, because the hot sun and the wood fire had taken down her
spirits.

And so, as she rested for a little in the afternoon, on the steps she
had scrubbed in the morning, it in truth much cheered her to see Mammy
Leezer come trundling along, and to know she would hear the dulcet
voice. Her face lighted up, but not before Mammy had seen the sober,
longing look she had worn a moment before.

[Illustration: "IT IN TRUTH MUCH CHEERED HER TO SEE MAMMY LEEZER COME
TRUNDLING ALONG."]

"What a-matter, honey?" The question was in the caressing voice of the
old Mammy.

"I was wishing," said Sally.

"What for?"

"For things I must wait long before getting."

"And you want 'em bad, honey?"

"Oh, dreadfully."

Mammy shook like a jelly-bag. "You look a-here," she said, "you jus'
look a-here; jus' as shore as a lil young one have a clef in de middle
ob her chin way down, she a-goin' fo' to get what she want'n. You mind
now! I neber seen a lil pick'ninny, white or brack, have a split long de
lower story ob her chin, but firs' or last she's gett'n' her own way.
Doan't yo' fret now, but 'member what I tole you, and you's all right.
And yo' lil chin is most split'n' in half. Lorr! it a mercy it hole
togedder so long!"

Mammy went rolling along, still shaking with laughter, while away ran
Sally for a peep into her fragment of a mirror.

"My chin _is_ split along the middle way down low," she said, "and
perhaps Mammy knows!"

She felt happy again when it came time to put t