peace, "it mos' busts my heart to see her
a-workin' an' de Missis keepin' up an' pretendin' she's as fine as
a queen. 'Twarn't so in ole Patty's day. Den dar wos plenty-pies and
turkeys. Lors, what stumpers! An' hull bar'ls o' flour, an' sugar, an' a
creation sight of eberyting in de beyeutiful house, an' now look at dis
ole shell!"

Maum Patty tossed her turban in intense scorn at each of the dark
soot-begrimed walls of the place called kitchen.

"Missis ud feel more like folks," she said at each disdainful scrutiny,
"an' like as not git well, ef we cud cut sticks inter anudder home. Ef
de chile only CUD do it!"

She peered anxiously down the dirty little brick walk again, then
fetched a still longer sigh.

"I don't darst to!" she declared in a mighty burst at last. "I don't,
cos wot ud keep us all from the pore-'us den. It's every speck I kin do
ter keep along of de Miss an' Car'l an' take keer of 'em wi'dout a cent
o' pay; I don't darst tech my stockin' bag in de bank."

Maum Patty always spoke of her scanty savings deposited in the
neighboring bank, in this way, fondly supposing them in the original
condition in which ten years ago, she had taken them there for future
shield against sickness and old age.

Meantime the little black nurse had begun her work.

Peering around Miss Sylvia's half-closed door, Viny exclaimed to
herself, "Umph! she don't want me; guess she's a'readin' now. I'll git
into Miss Ca's room an' try on all her clo'es an' pertend I'm makin'
calls, an' peek inter ebery single place whar I kin, an' I'll be a lady,
an' dar sha'n't no one scold Viny."

"Viny," called Miss Sylvia's soft voice, hearing a rustle at the door.

"Dat's Jip she's a-talkin' ter, I reckon," said Viny, stealing off on
her tiptoes down the hall, and sticking her fingers in her ears that she
might hear no more troublesome conscience calls; "I seen him on de rug
when I peeked in de crack. Now den--Whoop, says I, WHOOP!"

She was safe now in Caryl's room, where the first thing she did was
to indulge in a series of somersaults over the floor, and also, for
variety, over the neat little white bed. These afforded her intense
comfort. When she came up bright and shining after this celebration of
her independence, she drew herself up with a serious face and proceeded
at once to stern business.

"Two hours ain't long," she observed wisely, "an' I mus' be back some
of de time. Jiminy! she's forgot de key again!" In truth, Cary