will come upon her for it.
As I take it, Old Marster sends the rain upon the unjust as well as upon
the just, and if it's our turn this year, somebody else's turn will come
next year, and yet we'll be as good Christians then as we are now. It's
one of His ways that's past finding out. Howdy'e, little lady!" putting
out a brawny hand to pull me between his knees.

I was standing a yard or so away, but right in front of him, my hands
behind me, my eyes and ears, and, I'm afraid, my mouth, open to his
hearty talk. I had never heard God called "Old Marster" before, and if I
had not been taught that children ought not to criticise what grown
people say and do, I should have been quite sure that it was wrong. I
did not want to think any harm of Cousin 'Ratio, and determined that I
would not, when he drew a great finger gently over my thin cheek, and
looked down at me with kindly, pitying eyes.

"Tut! tut! tut! this is too bad! too bad! We must fill up this gulley
somehow, Cousin Ma'y Anna. Other folks' victuals are the best physic I
know for that sort of work. Miss Nancy would cry her eyes out if I was
to go home with the story that little Molly Burwell had coughed her
bones pretty near as bare as barrel-staves, and I didn't try to cover
them up again. A week in my peach-orchard and watermelon-patch, with
quarts of cream and Miss Nancy's breakfasts, dinners, and suppers--is
what she wants. Get her bonnet, and stick a tooth-brush and a
pocket-handkerchief into a bandbox, Chloe, for I'm going to take her
home with me, right straight off."

My mother shook her head smilingly at the thought of the week's visit.

"The child coughs so badly at night that I don't like to have her away
from me, Cousin 'Ratio. But change of air, even for a day, would do her
good. Her father and I will come for her about sundown."

Thus it happened, that, decked in a clean pink calico frock and white
muslin apron, I was hoisted to my perch in the high gig beside Cousin
'Ratio, and set off to spend a whole day at Cold Comfort.

The name was so out of keeping with Cousin 'Ratio's kind, red face and
funny ways, and the warm, sweet-smelling day, that I couldn't help
asking him on the way "why he called his house such a _shivery_ name?"

The gig swayed and creaked under his laugh.

"That was just the reason my grandmother gave for naming it. You see,
the house stands on the top of a hill, and all the winds from three
counties get at it in winter. Th