three years; now she had lived three
more years at Slipside Row.

The mistress was not really cruel to Sally, neither was she kind. And
very constantly at work she kept her, sweeping, cooking, sewing; in
fact, doing anything that a growing child of eleven years could do. And
if ever Sally grew tired, and was not brisk as usual, Mistress Brace
would say that it was to the Town House she must go.

Now Sally had seen old Gran'ther Smithers and Aunt Melindy Duckers, who
lived at the Town House, and she often had seen the old building itself,
set far back in a grassy road that was not at all unpleasant, but so
dreadful was the thought of ever having to go there herself, that no
matter what Mistress Brace required of her, she tried her best to do it.

But one great help and comfort was coming to good little Sally. An
ignorant woman was Mistress Brace, for indeed she could scarcely more
than read and write, and she cared more for money and show than she did
for better things, such as learning and filling the mind with useful
knowledge.

People who know but little are likely to be superstitious; they are very
quick to believe foolish and untrue sayings, or things that in the least
alarm them, perhaps having in them something to dread.

One day, who should come along but a kind old colored woman, who
sometimes passed the corner house of Slipside Row, and noticed how much
work the little girl who lived there always had to do. On this
particular day, the next one after Sally had listened to the Fairy
story, as Mammy Leezer saw her scrubbing the steps, she said to
Mistress Brace, who was standing at a little distance:

"And when do lil Missy go outen to play?"

"Children have no need to waste time in playing," snapped Mistress
Brace, and she glanced around, hoping Sally could not hear. "Don't you
go a-talking! Sally's out o' doors nearly all the time; what more can
she want, I should like to know?"

The old black woman shook her head several times, and looked sly and
knowing, as she said in her sweet old voice:

"Jus' you keep lil Missy at work all de time and see what happen!
Chillerns should have a good long play hour eb'ry day. Chillerns should
hab their suppers right early, an' de chile dat have to work affer de
supper's down her frote, doan't you go a-asting me what happen to de
pusson dat makes her do de work! Doan't you go a-asting me dat!"

Mammy rolled her eyes, tossed up her dusky hands, and away she trundled