ad anything of consequence to impart to
the Doctor, as, if she had, she would inform him on his return home.

"Yes, gal," replied the old woman, "I got a leetle boy at my cabin dat
was lef dar by him mammy, and I want de boss to take him away and put
him in a better place den my room."

"What chile is it, Auntie?" enquired Elsy.

"I do' know what de name is," answered the old woman, "but a lady cum
to my cabin one night wid a berry sick gal chile and de leetle boy,
and next day de gal die, and in de ebening some police come and take
away de lady because 'she 'teal money,' and dey lef de dead chile and
de libing one wid me."

"Goodness sakes, Auntie," interrupted Elsy, "what did you do wid de
dead chile?"

"Why, gal, I bury her next mornin," replied the old woman, "and de
leetle boy bin stayin wid me eber since; but I don't want to keep him,
for dis nigger hab no right to hab white chile a keepin to herself."

"You better see de Doctor, den," Elsy observed. "When he come in I
will tell him dat you want to see him patickler."

"Dat's a good gal," answered the old negro, "you tell him dat I want
to see him, but don't tell him what I want him for--I rader tell him
dat mysef."

"Berry well, Auntie," she replied, "de Doctor will come in about
dinner time, and as soon as he is done eatin I will talk to him about
it. But do you tink he will bring de chile home, yah, and take care ob
him?"

"Ob course he will," said the old woman, "he neber see any body want
but he get him plenty and take care ob him."

"What kind a chile is de one you had at your cabin?" asked Elsy.

"Jes de lubliest baby you eber seed in your life," answered the old
negro. "He is one ob de best children I eber had taking care ob."

"Don't he cry none for his mudder," enquired Elsy.

"Ob course he cry plenty de first day," she replied, "but aterwards he
behabe well, for I promise him dat he mammy will come back soon. He am
a rale good chile, and I would lub to keep him wid me all time, but I
'fraid de police will get ater me for habin him."

"Dat's so," remarked Elsy, "but you can take care ob him a'ter you
tell de boss--you can come here and stay."

"No, gal," she answered, "I can't leab me old cabin; I been libbing
dar dese twelve years, and I got so used to it dat I can't sleep out
ob it."

"Den I will take care ob de chile for you," said Elsy, "and you can
come ebery now and den and see him."

"Dat's so," she, replied. "But tell me, ga