usan's pork and
sausages, as our boys had had no dinner. I could not persuade any of
them to stay all night, though I showed them that I had bed
accommodations for four, and sofas for more, to say nothing of a
floor! There was a little moon and they all got home safely--we had a
suspicion we might see them about midnight!

_Jan. 23._ In the midst of all the fun and frolic yesterday there came
a sudden pause, when Mrs. Williams drew down the corners of her mouth
and remarked, "And this is a band of Missionaries!"

I had the room in the basement cleaned to-day by Samson's Betty. She
is the woman whose old husband turned up and gave C. so much trouble.
This thing is happening a good deal now, and must. A man who was sold
six years ago to Georgia came up from St. Simon's with the troops not
long ago to find his wife here married again. He gave her leave to do
so, however, when he was sold off, so had nothing to say. To go back
to Betty. I gave her as careful directions as I could and left her to
her own devices. When I went to her once I found her in the middle of
the room with two great tubs of water, her skirts all tied up to her
knees, the floor swimming in water which she was flinging about with a
handful of shucks _i. e._, corn-husks! It would be easier to keep
house in a small country house at home and do my own work (minus the
washing) and live better than we do here. However, I am very
philosophical, and ignore dirt and irregularity.

_Jan. 24._ I had promised to go to the quarters and rode down, C.
walking by my side to take down the amount of cotton and corn land
each hand wished to work this year. He stood with his back against a
fence, the "gang" collected in front of him, book in hand, taking down
the number of tasks each agreed to work, talking to them about the
crop, laughing with them and at them. A not less unique picture
certainly was his sister riding his little horse, whose back her large
shawl nearly covered behind, in her ordinary dress and hoops, stopping
at door after door to look at this sick baby, talk to that old woman;
give a comb out of one pocket and put an egg into another; dismount to
show Amaritta how to make yeast and raise bread, examine some sore
throats, go to Louisa's house and repeat the yeast operation there,
then remount and proceed through the street in the same style, only
that now the flour and warm water are brought to the door and she
stirs on horseback! Sunday is the "Quarte