uten de ub'n? An', 'fo' Gord! I didn't know he'd been out o'
here long 'nuff for a dog to snap at a fly! Ef you ain't de
oudaishusest--" She stopped and glared at him with the despairing,
silent venom of one who felt herself a pauper in words, a verbal
failure, a wretched creature who in the supreme hour of trial was
proving herself the wrong person in the wrong place.

Chang-how's hands were folded, and his eyes rested dreamily on the
floor. Evidently, he was contentedly rolling tea-leaves in his native
land.

Suspiciously regarding the abnormal appearance of Chang-how's neat white
jacket, I forbore to rebuke my sable favorite, but Mr. Smith, not having
observed the little protuberances which had attracted my attention
toward his more delicately-tinted protege, said with decision, "Go to
the kitchen, Anarky, and send in supper or bring it yourself; and make
haste about it."

Anarky turned again to Chang-how and fixed her great black eyes on him
in silence. Then she sounded a note of solemn warning: "Lord! Lord!
Shang-hai!" said she, "ef ebber I _does_ cotch you out an' out, ef ebber
I _does_ git a good square holt on you, I'll t'ar you all to pieces! Yo'
mammy won't want what'll be left uv you, 'cos' 'twon't be wuf berryin'!"

"Shut upee! too much jawee," said Chang-how benignly, and dreamed again
of his native land. But for three days nothing was missing in Anarky's
department, and so far Chang-how escaped with unbroken bones.

On the evening of the fourth day I received a letter announcing the
coming of visitors, and it unfortunately occurred to me that Chang-how
might assist Anarky in the laundry, thus affording her an opportunity
for greater display in the culinary department; so I called him up: "You
washeeman, Chang-how?"

"Oh yes, I washee all light," said Chang.

"You help Anarky iron to-day I give you more money."

"All light! How muchee?"

"One dollar."

"Two dollar."

"One dollar."

"No washee one dollar," said Chang.

"No washee at all, then."

"One dollar ap."

"Nor a dollar and a half: I get other washee."

"Melican man no washee ap."

"Oh yes. Melican woman suit me."

"All light! I washee one dollar."

"Very well. As soon, then, as you leave the dining-room go to the
laundry. And, Chang, no make cook cross."

"Cook too much talkee: cookee bad egg."

"Well, you no make cookee cross perhaps I give you more money."

"All light! How muchee?"

"No matter: a quarter."

"Ap."