Three Little Women's Success: A Story for Girls

he room she opened the draughts in the little stove, for Charles' rheumatic twinges must not be aggravated by the sudden chill of rising from a warm bed to dress in a cold room. The fire

no idea of permitting her spouse to contract a cold from dressing in a cold room, she, on the other hand, saw no r

fer a body dat's clar beat out when de day's done. No, sir-ee! Don't talk ter me ob dese hyar ha'r mattresses. I ain't got a mite er use fer 'em needer has Charles, if I ses-so. Give me de suah 'nough fedders wid de down on 'em; none ob yo' hawse ha'r stuffed bags. De fedders fits

s when she was a young woman on her old master's plantation. It had taken many geese, many days, much drying and curing to achieve such a triumph; and the "baid" was Mammy's most cherished possession. The airings, sunnings, beatings and renovatings to which it had been subjected during the years she had owned it would have totally wrecked an

d through Mammy's cottage by its proud inmate, and the "

ink she gwine do it jes lak she useter back yonder on her Pa's plantation, but it don' do up hyar. Trouble is wid dese hyar Norf niggers dey ain' know dey is niggers, and dey gits mighty mix in dey minds twell somebody come along and tells 'em jest 'zackly what dey is, an' whar dey b'longs at. I done tol' dem two in yonder, an' I reckon dey's learnt a heap since I done took 'em in han'. Yas, I does. Dey don' come a-splurgin' an' a-splutterin' r

Mammy has not changed in the least. Charles is a trifle more bent, perhaps, but the three years have certainly not detracted from the old man's appearance, nor have they robbed him of any strength.

Arcade, a sinecure in every sense of the word excepting one; he keeps the acting janitor up to the high mark in the performance of his duties, greatly to Mr. Porter's amuseme

with all her wonderful skill, assisted by a little colored girl,

st important pers

breakfast fit for a king, Mammy began issuing her o

ern wakes up. I cyant have em' ketchin' cold, an' de mawnin's right snappy," she said, as dish-towel in hand she looked out of

ight spang out dis here warm kitchen inter de chill ob de mawnin' widout wroppin' up? Laws-a-

o cherished and looked after as he had been during the last three years. Poor

nly jes' a-watchin' out fer my own sake. I'se got a sight ter do 'sides

ks. Mammy had already finished her own household tasks and met him at the door. Together they entered the silent house, their key making not the slightest sound, lest they disturb the sleeping inmates. The maids now in Mrs. Carruth's service did not sleep in the house, but came at seven each morning, and woe betide the tardy one! Mammy was always on hand, and her greeting was governed by the moment

wine give me sumpin' I ain't cravin' fer ter git. Cyant fer de life er me see why yo' boun' ter git up dese mawnin's. Why won' yo' let me bring

ng me completely," returned Mrs. Carruth, as she rose from her bed and step

come to this home Mammy had fallen back into old habits. The "chillern," as she called Eleanor, Constance and Jean, were called before their mother was awakened, but "Miss Jinny" claimed her undivided attention, and it woul

ne in her mistress' girlhood days-to brush and arrange the still abundant hair, and t

y! Yo' is as sweet as

nd Mrs. Carruth was about to leave the room,

jes right, but I reckons I better cas' ma eyes ober it

e touches which you alone can give. Eleanor will recognize them and be happier because you gave them. It wil

ow long she gwine b

ng holidays are short ones. We shall have her longer at Christmas, then we will count the days till Easte

them carefully over chairs to air. "Spec she'll find dat trip down fr

same way, and even if they were not, she will be pretty sure to meet Mr. Forbes; he was obliged to

very little difference had she been facing Mrs. Carrut

a heap ob trouble. Yas'm, mebbe

to the breakfast room. Mammy ha

prance at the imminent risk of a header to the ground, at least twelve feet below. In the golden haze of that mellow November afternoon, for autumn lingered late this year, Jean sat curled up in her corner, her chin resting in her palms, and her wonderful eyes fixed upon the road leading up the hill to her home. It was in reality more street than road, but was nearly always mentioned as the "hill road," owing to its contrast to the broader highway from which it branched and zig-zagged up the hill to the more sparsely

esn't make any difference! He's too old for Nonnie, and I'm not going to let him have her," was the emphatic conclusion to this monologue, as Jean scrambled to her feet and gave a defiant nod toward the vehicle, which had just drawn up in front of the carriage block. At that moment Mrs. Carruth and Constance hurried down the steps to greet the new arrivals. Evidently the welcome accorded the masculine member of the party aroused a keen sense of resentment in Jean, and some manner of outlet for her feelings became imperative. Physical exercise was her usual safety-valve, and in this instance she chose one which had on former occasions proved effective, and more than once brought Mammy to

d, and the next second was hanging suspended by her arms between earth and sky. Had she

" he cried, with no little asperity, as the others hur

ds are keeping me here. Stand

u'll break both your legs. Hold on till I can get up th

skirts, a swing, and Jean was in a little heap upon the soft turf. Sprin

ch how it's done. Reckon he'll learn soon enough without me to teach him. Come on into

ce quite convulsed and Eleanor unduly ro