up abusing Flora," I put in.

"How dare you tell me I abuse her?" snapped she. "Haven't I taken the
best of care of her? Haven't I made her clothes for her? Haven't I
nursed her when she was sick? Haven't I done for her ever since she came
into the house?"

I don't think she had the least idea that she was not the best friend
Flora had in the world, so blind are many people to their own errors and
shortcomings.

"She has had enough to eat, and enough to wear; and my brother has paid
for all she has had," I added. "But you are continually scolding at her,
browbeating her, and making her as uncomfortable and unhappy as you
can."

"Scolding her!" almost whistled Mrs. Fishley, so high was the key. "I
never scold at any one. I never was a scolding woman."

"Gracious!" I exclaimed, mentally.

"When things don't suit me, I'm apt to say so; but I never scold,"
whined the shrew. "Whatever people may say of me, they can't call me a
scolding woman."

Was it possible she thought so!

"I don't want to make any trouble, Mrs. Fishley," I replied, when she
paused, rather for want of breath than for any other reason.

"Mercy! I shouldn't think you did! Ain't you ashamed of yourself to
treat me as you did? You push me about as though you thought I wasn't
anybody."

"Are you not ashamed of yourself for shaking that sick child?" I
retorted.

"I didn't shake her."

"Then I didn't push you."

"You are getting to be a very bad boy, Buck Bradford; and you haven't
heard the last of this," she said, rising from her chair, and restoring
the griddle to the stove, which Flora had taken off. "I should like to
know! Can't I speak to that girl without being treated in that manner?
She would let the cakes all burn up before she would touch them."

"I didn't know they were burning, Mrs. Fishley," pleaded Flora. "You
didn't tell me to see to them."

"Suppose I didn't tell you! Didn't you know enough not to let them burn?
You are a careless, indifferent girl, and it don't make no difference
to you how much trouble you make for a body."

"I would have seen to the cakes, if you had spoken to me."

"I don't care anything about the cakes, anyhow," I interposed. "If you
can't help scolding Flora, you must keep your hands off her."

"You don't care anything about the cakes! I should like to know! Well,
we'll see about it! I'll know who rules here, I vum! I'll call Mr.
Fishley! We'll see if you don't care!" rattled Mrs. Fishley, as she
b