she say dat baby is de likelies'
nigger baby w'at she y'ever been see sence de war en I speck she is,
kaze Miss 'Ria ain't been talk dat away 'bout eve'y nigger baby w'at
come 'long."

"How old are you?" Miss Tewksbury inquired.

"I dunno'm," said William placidly. "Miss 'Ria she says I'm lots older
dan w'at I looks ter be, en I speck dat's so, kaze mammy sey dey got ter
be a runt 'mongst all folks's famblies."

Helen laughed, and William went on:

"Mammy say ole Miss gwine come see you all. Mars Peyt gwine bring er."

"Who is old Miss?" Helen asked.

William gazed at her with unfeigned amusement.

"Dunner who ole Miss is? Lordy! you de fus' folks w'at ain't know ole
Miss. She Mars Peyt's own mammy, dat's who she is, en ef she come lak
dey say she comin', hit'll be de fus' time she y'ever sot foot in dish
yer tavern less'n 'twuz indurance er de war. Miss 'Ria say she wish ter
goodness ole Miss 'ud sen' word ef she gwine stay ter dinner so she kin
fix up somepin n'er nice. I dunno whe'er Miss Hallie comin' er no, but
ole Miss comin', sho, kaze I done been year um sesso."

"And who is Miss Hallie?" Helen inquired, as William still lingered.

"Miss Hallie--she--dunno'm, ceppin' she des stays dar 'long wid um. Miss
'Ria say she mighty quare, but I wish turrer folks wuz quare lak Miss
Hallie."

William stayed until he was called away, and at breakfast Mrs. Haley
imparted the information which, in William's lingo, had sounded somewhat
scrappy. It was to the effect that General Garwood's mother would call
on the ladies during their stay. Mrs. Haley laid great stress on the
statement.

"Such an event seems to be very interesting," Helen said rather dryly.

"Yes'm," said Mrs. Haley, with her peculiar emphasis, "it ruther took me
back when I heard the niggers takin' about it this mornin'. If that old
lady has ever darkened my door, I've done forgot it. She's mighty nice
and neighborly," Mrs. Haley went on, in response to a smile which Helen
gave her aunt, "but she don't go out much. Oh, she's nice and proud;
Lord, if pride 'ud kill a body, that old 'oman would 'a' been dead too
long ago to talk about. They're all proud--the whole kit and b'ilin'.
She mayn't be too proud to come to this here tavern, but I know she
ain't never been here. The preacher used to say that pride drives out
grace, but I don't believe it, because that 'ud strip the Garwoods of
all they've got in this world; and I know they're just as good as