Betty,' and then they began to visit as sweet as you please.
Old Billy went out and made the colored chauffeur go back and see his
house and of all the big talking you ever heard, that old man did the
biggest. I came back to the pantry to get out a little wine and cake
for the company and I could hear him just holding forth."

"Poor old Uncle Billy! He is proud of having a house," laughed Judith.
"His turkey red curtains are up now and his geranium slips started. He
has put on a fresh coat of whitewash, within and without, and his
floor is scrubbed so clean you could really make up biscuit on it. It
is gratifying, Mumsy, that we have been able to make two old people as
happy as we have Cousin Ann and old Uncle Billy. I only hope Cousin
Ann doesn't bother you."

"Lands sakes, child, she is a heap of company for me and she is a
great help. I don't see how such an old person can step around so
lively. She stirred up a cake this morning. She says she has been
clipping recipes out of newspapers for years and years but they have
always made company of her wherever she has visited before and she has
never been able to try any of her recipes. Her cake has got a little
sad streak in it, owing to the fire getting low while it was baking,
but that wasn't to say her fault altogether, as I told her I'd look
after the fire while she picked out walnuts for the icing.

"We had a right good time though while the cake-making was going on
and Mr. Big Josh Bucknor came to pass the time of day. He could not
stop but a minute but he nearly split his sides laughing at Miss Ann
in a big apron, turning her hand to cooking. She laughed, too, and
made as if she was going to hit him with the rolling pin, like that
woman in the newspaper named Mrs. Jiggs. Mr. Big Josh brought some
fine fish as a present. He said he'd been fishing and had caught more
than he could use."

That evening, after the dishes were washed, Judith, instead of
beginning on the photographic work as was her custom, sat silent with
folded hands, her head resting against the back of the winged chair.
Her eyes were closed and her face was tense.

"Child, you look so tired," said Miss Ann. "You do too much. I am
afraid my being here puts more on you than you can stand."

In all her many decades of visiting, that was the first time Miss Ann
had ever suggested to a hostess that she might be troublesome. Judith
insisted she was not tired and that Miss Ann was a help and no
trou