y, God don' have none 'a the trouble," explained Jimmy. "He's just
got Him a baby factory in Heaven like the chair factory and the canning
factory down by the railroad, and angels jus' all time make they arms
and legs, like niggers do at the chair factory, and all God got to do
is jus' glue 'em together, and stick in their souls. God's got 'bout the
easiest job they is."

"I thought angels jes' clam' the golden stair and play they harps," said
Billy.

"Ain't we going to look sweet at Miss Cecilia's wedding," said Frances,
after a short silence.

"I'll betcher I'll be the cutest kid in that church," boasted Jimmy
conceitedly. "You coming, ain't you, Billy?"

"I gotter go," answered that jilted swain, gloomily, "Aunt Minerva ain't
got nobody to leave me with at home. I jes' wish she'd git married."

"Why wouldn't you be a page, Billy?" asked Lina.

"'Cause I didn't hafto," was the snappish reply.

"I bet my mama give her the finest present they is," bragged the smaller
boy; "I reckon it cost 'bout a million dollars."

"Mother gave her a handsome cut-glass vase," said Lina.

"It looks like Doctor Sanford would've give Miss Cecilia those twinses
for a wedding present," said Frances.

"Who is that little boy sitting on your porch, Jimmy?" asked Lina,
noticing for the first time a lonely-looking child.

"That's Leon Tipton, Aunt Ella's little boy. He just come out from
Memphis to spend the day with me and I'll be awful glad when he goes
home; he's 'bout the stuck-up-est kid they is, and skeery? He's 'bout
the 'fraidest young un ever you see. And look at him now? Wears long
curls like a girl and don't want to never get his clean clo'es dirty."

"I think he's a beautiful little boy," championed Lina. "Call him over
here, Jimmy."

"Naw, I don't want to. You all'll like him a heap better over there;
he's one o' these-here kids what the furder you get 'way from 'em, the
better you like 'em."

"He sho' do look lonesome," said Billy; "'vite him over, Jimmy."

"Leon!" screamed his cousin, "you can come over here if you wantta."

The lonesome-looking little boy promptly accepted the invitation, and
came primly through the two gates. He walked proudly to the swing and
stood, cap in hand, waiting for an introduction.

"Why didn't you clam' the fence, 'stead of coming th'oo the gates?"
growled Jimmy. "You 'bout the prissiest boy they is. Well, why don't you
set down?"

"Introduce me, please," said the elegant little