hat you
like best. Christianna must look after you. I will come when I can._"

Sarindy gave them thin crisp toast, and a pitcher of cool milk, and a
custard sweetened with brown sugar. Sarindy was excited. "Yaas, Lawd,
dar's sho' gwine ter be doin's this day! What you reckon, Miss Miriam?
Dar's er lady from South Callina stayin' cross't de street, 'n' she's
got er maid what's got de impidence ob sin! What you reckon dat yaller
gal say ter me? She say dat South Callina does de most ob de fightin'
'n' de bes' ob it, too! She say Virginia pretty good, but dat South
Callina tek de cake. She say South Callina mek 'em run ebery time!
Yaas'm! 'n' I gits up 'n' I meks her er curtsy, 'n' I say ter her,
'Dat's er pretty way ter talk when you're visitin' in Virginia, 'n' ef
dat's South Callina manners I'se glad I wuz born in Virginia!' Yaas'm.
'N' I curtsy agin, 'n' I say, 'Ain' nobody or nothin' ever lay over
Virginia fer fightin' 'n' never will! 'N' ef Virginia don' mek 'em run
ebery time, South Callina needn't hope ter!' 'N' I asks her how come she
never hear ob Gineral Stonewall Jackson? Yaas'm. 'N' I curtsy ter her
ebery time--lak dis! 'N' ain' she never hear ob Gineral Lee? An' I ain'
er doubtin' dat Gineral Wade Hampton is a mighty fine man--'deed I knows
he is--but ain' she never heard ob Gineral Johnston? 'N' how erbout
Gineral Stuart--Yaas'm! 'n' the Black Troop, 'n' the Crenshaw Battery,
'n' the Purcell Battery. Yaas'm! 'n' the Howitzers, 'n' the Richmon'
Blues--Yaas'm! I sho' did mek her shet her mouf!--Braggin' ter er
Virginia woman ob South Callina!"

The two went back to the large room. The air was scorching. Miriam
undressed, slipped her thin, girlish arms into a muslin sacque, and lay
down. Christianna drew the blinds together, took a palm-leaf fan and sat
beside her. "I'll fan you, jest as easy," she said, in her sweet,
drawling voice. "An' I can't truly sing, but I can croon. Don't you
want me to croon you 'Shining River'?"

Miriam lay with closed eyes. A fly buzzed in the darkened room. The fan
went monotonously to and fro. Christianna crooned "Shining River" and
then "Shady Grove." Outside, on the brick pavement, the sound of feet
went by in a slender stream.

"Shady Grove! Shady Grove--
Going to Church in Shady Grove--"

The stream without grew wide and deep, then hurrying. Christianna looked
over her shoulder, then at Miriam. The latter's long lashes lay on her
cheek