"
"It amounts to nothing," replied Tom, making a pretense of taking the
paper but permitting her to retain it. "I will write you something
prettier."
"No, I want this."
"She is beginning early to mistrust promises," remarked Mrs. Mayfield.
"Oh, she knows the world," said Mrs. Starbuck. "She went to school for
two years over at Dry Fork. That's where she l'arned to play that
melogian."
"Yes," Jasper spoke up, "and the fust time I hearn it I thought a tree
had fell on one of the calves. Why, helloa, mammy, come in. Lookin' fur
suthin'?"
"I must er lef' my old pipe yere summers," said the old negro woman,
coming into the room.
"Here it is," said Jasper taking a cob pipe from the mantle-piece and
giving it to her. "Won't you sit down, mammy? You look so tired."
"No, Mars Jasper, I hain't hardly got time." She looked at the company,
bade every one good morning, with a heart-felt "God bless you;" and
looking at Mrs. Mayfield, slowly advanced toward her, gazing at her
hand. "W'y, honey, I neber seed de like o' putty rings you's got on.
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