k
Darry made me no answer.

"But if the men and women both work out," I went on, "papa must give
them a great deal of money; I should think they would have things more
comfortable, Darry. Why don't they have little carpets, and tables and
chairs, and cups and saucers? Hardly anybody has teacups and saucers.
Have _you_ got any, Uncle Darry?"

"'Spect I'se no good woman to brew de tea for her ole man," said
Darry; but I thought he looked at me very oddly.

"Couldn't you make it for yourself, Uncle Darry?"

"Poor folks don't live just like de rich folks," he answered, quietly,
after a minute's pause. "And I don't count fur to want no good t'ing,
missie."

I went on with my observations; my questions I thought I would not
push any further at that time. I grew more and more dissatisfied, that
my father's work-people should live in no better style and in no
better comfort. Even Molly Skelton had a furnished and appointed
house, compared with these little bare stone huts; and mothers that
would leave their babies for the sake of more wages, must, I thought,
be very barbarous mothers. This was all because, no doubt, of having
no church and no Bible. I grew weary. As we were going up the dell
towards the stables, I suddenly remembered my pony; and I asked to see
him.

Darry was much relieved, I fancy, to have me come back to a child's
sphere of action. He had out the fat little grey pony, and talked it
over to me with great zeal. It came into my head to ask for a saddle.

"Dere be a saddle," Darry said, doubtfully. "Massa Preston he done got
a saddle dis very day. Dunno where Massa Preston can be."

I did not heed this. I begged to have the saddle and be allowed to try
the pony. Now Preston had laid a plan that nobody but himself should
have the pleasure of first mounting me; but I did not know of this
plan. Darry hesitated, I saw, but he had not the power to refuse me.
The saddle was brought out, put on, and carefully arranged.

"Uncle Darry, I want to get on him--may I?"

"O' course--Miss Daisy do what she mind to. Him bery good, only some
lazy."

So I was mounted. Preston, Miss Pinshon, the servants' quarters, the
multiplication table, all were forgotten and lost in a misty distance. I
was in the saddle for the first time, and delight held me by both hands.
My first moment on horseback! If Darry had guessed it he would have been
terribly concerned; but as it happened, I knew how to take my seat; I had
watched m