had sent 'Lena a gray pony--how
she had presumed to accept it--and how, just to show off before Mr.
Bellmont, she had wound her arms around its neck, and then actually
_kissed pa_!"

Mrs. Livingstone was equally indignant with her daughter, wondering
if Mr. Graham had lost his reason, and reckoning his wife knew
nothing about Vesta! But fret as she would, there was no help for
it. Vesta belonged to 'Lena--Mr. Livingstone had given orders to
have it well-cared for--and worse than all the rest, 'Lena was to
accompany Durward to Frankfort. Something must be done to meet the
emergency, but what, Mrs. Livingstone didn't exactly know, and
finally concluded to wait until she saw Mrs. Graham.

Meantime grandma had claimed from her son her promised Christmas
gift, which was nothing less than "the freedom of old Aunt Polly."

"You won't refuse me, John, I know you won't," said she, laying her
bony hand on his. "Polly's arnt her freedom forty times over, even
s'posin' you'd a right to her in the fust place which I and Nancy
Scovandyke both doubt; so now set down like a man, make out her free
papers, and let me carry 'em to her right away."

Without a word Mr. Livingstone complied with his mother's request,
saying, as he handed her the paper, "It's not so much the fault of
the south as of the north that every black under heaven is not free."

Grandma looked aghast. Her son, born, brought up, and baptized in a
purely orthodox atmosphere, to hold such treasonable opinions in
opposition to everything he'd ever been taught in good old
Massachusetts! She was greatly shocked, but thinking she could not
do the subject justice, she said, "Wall, wall, it's of no use for you
and I to arger the pint, for I don't know nothin' what I want to say,
but if Nancy Scovandyke was here, she'd convince you quick, for she's
good larnin' as any of the gals nowadays."

So saying, she walked away to Polly's cabin. The old negress was
better to-day, and attired in the warm double-gown which Mabel had
purchased and 'Lena had made, she sat up in a large, comfortable
rocking-chair which John Jr. had given her at the commencement of her
illness, saying it was "his Christmas gift in advance." Going
straight up to her, grandma laid the paper in her lap, bidding her
"read it and thank the Lord."

"Bless missus' dear old heart," said Aunt Polly, "I can't read a
word."

"Sure enough," answered Mrs. Nichols, and taking up the paper she
read it throu