't missed a day all winter. You should
just see his writing," continued Mrs. Ellis, warming up with a mother's
pride in her only son--"he won't let the girls make out any of the bills,
but does it all himself--he made out yours."

Mrs. Thomas took down the file and looked at the bill again. "It's very
neatly written, very neatly written, indeed; isn't it about time that he
left school--don't you think he has education enough?" she inquired.

"His father don't. He intends sending him to another school, after
vacation, where they teach Latin and Greek, and a number of other
branches."

"Nonsense, nonsense, Ellen! If I were you, I wouldn't hear of it. There
won't be a particle of good result to the child from any such acquirements.
It isn't as though he was a white child. What use can Latin or Greek be to
a coloured boy? None in the world--he'll have to be a common mechanic, or,
perhaps, a servant, or barber, or something of that kind, and then what use
would all his fine education be to him? Take my advice, Ellen, and don't
have him taught things that will make him feel above the situation he, in
all probability, will have to fill. Now," continued she, "I have a proposal
to make to you: let him come and live with me awhile--I'll pay you well,
and take good care of him; besides, he will be learning something here,
good manners, &c. Not that he is not a well-mannered child; but, you know,
Ellen, there is something every one learns by coming in daily contact with
refined and educated people that cannot but be beneficial--come now, make
up your mind to leave him with me, at least until the winter, when the
schools again commence, and then, if his father is still resolved to send
him back to school, why he can do so. Let me have him for the summer at
least."

Mrs. Ellis, who had always been accustomed to regard Mrs. Thomas as a
miracle of wisdom, was, of course, greatly impressed with what she had
said. She had lived many years in her family, and had left it to marry Mr.
Ellis, a thrifty mechanic, who came from Savanah, her native city. She had
great reverence for any opinion Mrs. Thomas expressed; and, after some
further conversation on the subject, made up her mind to consent to the
proposal, and left her with the intention of converting her husband to her
way of thinking.

On descending to the kitchen she awoke Caddy from a delicious dream, in
which she had been presented with the black silk that they had seen in the
s