ferings. This time I will consider it as
instituted of the Lord, but don't nobody say birthday next April, if
I'm here, on no account whatever.' I take it as a special leading to
me to have read that verse this morning to Sister Viney, and won't
you please go over and tell Sally Rucker to go on with the cake, Rose
Mary? Sister Viney called Jennie over by sun-up, when she took this
notion, and told her to tell her mother not to make it, even if she
had already broke all the sixteen eggs."

"Yes, Aunt Amandy, I'll run over and tell Mrs. Rucker, and then we
will begin right away to get things ready. I am so glad Aunt Viney
is--"

"Rose Mamie, Rose Mamie," came another loud hail from up the path
toward the house and down came the General at top speed, with a plumy
setter frisking in his wake. "Aunt Viney says for you to come there to
her this minute. They is a-going to be the party and it's right by the
Bible to have it, some for Mr. Mark, too. Tobe Poteet said 'shoo' when
I told him he couldn't come, 'cause they wasn't a-going to be no party
on account of worrying the Lord about forgetting Aunt Viney, and I
was jest a-going to knock him into stuffings, 'cause they can't
nobody say 'shoo' at the Bible or Aunt Viney neither, to me, when
there Aunt Viney called for us to go tell everybody that the party was
a-going off and be sure and come. I believe God let her call me before
I hit Tobe, 'cause I ain't never hit him yet, and maybe now I never
will have to." The General paused, and an expression of devout
thankfulness came into his small face at thus being saved the
necessity of administering chastisement to his henchman, Tobe the
adventurous.

"I believe he did, Stonie, and how thankful I am," exclaimed little
Miss Amanda, with real relief at this deliverance of young Tobe, who
was her especial, both self-elected and chosen, knight from the
General's cohorts.

"Yes'm," answered Stonie. "Come on now, Rose Mamie! Put your hand on
me, Aunt Amandy, and I'll go slow with you," and presenting his sturdy
little shoulder to Miss Amanda on one side and drawing Rose Mary
along with him on the other, Stonewall Jackson hurried them both away
to the house.

"Well," remarked Uncle Tucker to himself as he took up a measure of
grain from a bin in the corner of the feed-room and scattered some in
front of a row of half-barrel nests upon which brooded a dozen
complacent setting hens, "well, if the Lord has to pester with the
affairs o