hemselves, and Love can only come near
them that loves other people. Sounds queer, honey, but it's the truth; so,
when Dinah got to be a likely, big gal, and never thought whether the ole
mammy was gittin' tired out, or tried to amuse little Mose, or gave a
thought o' pity to her pore daddy who was alone in the world, the fairy
Love got to feelin' as bad as any fairy could.

"'Do, Dinah,'" she said, with her sweet mouth close to Dinah's ear, 'do
stop bein' so triflin', and stir yo'self to be some help in the house.'

"'No,' says Dinah, 'I like better to lay in the buttercups and look at
pictur's,' says she.

"'Then,' says Love, 'show Mose the pictur's, too, and make him happy.'

"'No,' says Dinah, 'he's too little, an' he bothers me an' tears my book.'

"'Then,' says Love, 'yo'd rather yo' tired daddy took care o' the chile
after his hard day's work.'

"'Now yo're talkin',' says Dinah. 'I shorely would. My daddy's strong.'

"The tears came into Love's eyes, she felt so down-hearted. 'Yo' daddy
needs comfort, Dinah,' she says, 'an' yo're big enough to give it to him,'
says she; 'an' look at the black smooches on my w'ite gown. They're all
because o' you, Dinah, that I've been friends with so faithful. I've got to
leave you now, far enough so's my gown'll come w'ite; but if you call me
I'll hear, honey, an' I'll come. Good-by,'

"'Good riddance!' says Dinah. 'I'm right down tired o' bein' lectured,'
says she. 'Now I can roll over in the buttercups an' sing, an' be happy an'
do jest as I please.'

"So Dinah threw herself down in the long grass and, bing! she fell right
atop of a wasp, and he was so scared at such capers he stung her in the
cheek. Whew! You could hear her 'way 'cross the cotton field!

"Her ole gran'mam comforted her, the good soul. 'Never you mind, honey,'
she says, 'I'll swaje it fer you.'

"But every day Dinah got mo' triflin'. She pintedly wouldn't wash the
dishes, nor mind little Mose; an' every time the hot fire o' temper ran
over her, she could hear a voice in her ear--'Give it to 'em good. That's
the way to do it, Dinah!' An' it kep' gittin' easier to be selfish an' to
let her temper run away, an' the cabin got to be a mighty pore place jest
on account o' Dinah, who'd ought to ha' been its sunshine.

"As for the fairy, Love, Dinah never heerd her voice, an' she never called
to her, though there was never a minute when she didn't hate the sound o'
that other voice that had come to be in h