she was horrified to see Dumps
eating as heartily, and with as evident satisfaction, as if she had been
alone in the nursery at home. Diddie, too, had taken her second piece of
barbecued squirrel, and seemed to be enjoying it very much, when a shake
of Mammy's head reminded her of the impropriety of such a proceeding; so
she laid aside the squirrel, and minced delicately over some less
substantial food. The frowns and nods, however, were thrown away upon
Dumps; she ate of everything she wanted until she was fully satisfied,
and I grieve to say that her papa encouraged her in such unladylike
behavior by helping her liberally to whatever she asked for.

But after the dinner was over, and after the darkies had played and
danced until quite late, and after the ladies and gentlemen had had
several very interesting games of euchre and whist, and after the little
folks had wandered about as much as they pleased--swinging on
grape-vines and riding on "saplings," and playing "base" and "stealing
goods," and tiring themselves out generally--and after they had been
all duly stowed away in the spring-wagon and had started for home, then
Mammy began at Dumps about her unpardonable appetite.

"But I was hungry, Mammy," apologized the little girl.

"I don't cyar ef'n yer wuz," replied Mammy; "dat ain't no reason fur yer
furgittin' yer manners, an' stuffin' yerse'f right fo' all de gemmuns.
Miss Diddie dar, she burhavt like er little lady, jes kinter foolin' wid
her knife an' fork, an' nuber eatin nuffin' hardly; an' dar you wuz jes
er pilin' in shotes an' lams an' squ'ls, an' roas'n yurs, an' pickles
an' puddin's an' cakes an' watermillions, tell I wuz dat shame fur ter
call yer marster's darter!"

And poor little Dumps, now that the enormity of her sin was brought home
to her, and the articles eaten so carefully enumerated, began to feel
very much like a boa-constrictor, and the tears fell from her eyes as
Mammy continued:

"I done nust er heap er chil'en in my time, but I ain't nuber seed no
wite chile eat fo de gemmuns like you duz. It pyears like I can't nuber
larn you no manners, nohow."

"Let de chile erlone, Sis Rachel," interposed Uncle Bob; "she ain't no
grown lady, an' I seed marster he'p'n uv her plate hisse'f; she nuber
eat none too much, consid'n hit wuz de Fourf uv July."

"Didn't I eat no shotes an' lambs, Uncle Bob?" asked Dumps, wiping her
eyes.

[Illustration: "SWINGING ON GRAPE-VINES AND RIDING ON SAPLINGS