FullReads

“Well, it takes you to bring in the money,” said the delighted wife; “nobody but you could turn off that much in a day.”

“Well, they do say–those that’s had me once–that they never want any other hand to take hold in their rooms. I s’pose its a kinder practice I’ve got, and kinder natural!”

“Tell ye what,” said the little woman, taking down the family strong box,–to wit, the china tea pot, aforenamed,–and pouring the contents on the table, “we’re getting mighty rich, now! We can afford to get Henry his new Sunday cap, and Mary her mousseline-de-laine dress–take care, baby, you rogue!” she hastily interposed, as young master made a dive at a dollar bill, for his share in the proceeds.

“He wants something, too, I suppose,” said the father; “let him get his hand in while he’s young.”

The baby gazed, with round, astonished eyes, while mother, with some difficulty, rescued the bill from his grasp; but, before any one could at all anticipate his purpose, he dashed in among the small change with such zeal as to send it flying all over the table.

“Hurrah! Bob’s a smasher!” said the father, delighted; “he’ll make it fly, he thinks;” and, taking the baby on his knee, he laughed merrily, as Mary and her mother pursued the rolling coin all over the room.

“He knows now, as well as can be, that he’s been doing mischief,” said the delighted mother, as the baby kicked and crowed uproariously: “he’s such a forward child, now, to be only six months old! O, you’ve no idea, father, how mischievous he grows;” and therewith the little woman began to roll and tumble the little mischief maker about, uttering divers frightful threats, which appeared to contribute, in no small degree, to the general hilarity.

“Come, come, Mary,” said the mother, at last, with a sudden burst of recollection; “you mustn’t be always on your knees fooling with this child! Look in the oven at them biscuits.”

“They’re done exactly, mother–just the brown!” and, with the word, the mother dumped baby on to his father’s knee, where he sat contentedly munching a very ancient crust of bread, occasionally improving the flavor thereof by rubbing it on his father’s coat sleeve.

“What have you got in that blue dish, there?” said George, when the whole little circle were seated around the table.

“Well, now, what do you suppose?” said the little woman, delighted: “a quart of nice oysters–just for a treat, you know. I wouldn’t tell you till this minute,” said she, raising the cover.

“Well,” said George, “we both work hard for our money, and we don’t owe any body a cent; and why shouldn’t we have our treats, now and then, as well as rich folks?”

And gayly passed the supper hour; the tea kettle sung, the baby crowed, and all chatted and laughed abundantly.

“I’ll tell you,” said George, wiping his mouth; “wife, these times are quite another thing from what it used to be down in Georgia. I remember then old mas’r used to hire me out by the year; and one time, I remember, I came and paid him in two hundred dollars–every cent I’d taken. He just looked it over, counted it, and put it in his pocket book, and said, ‘You are a good boy, George’–and he gave me half a dollar !”

“I want to know, now!” said his wife.

“Yes, he did, and that was every cent I ever got of it; and, I tell you, I was mighty bad off for clothes, them times.”

“Well, well, the Lord be praised, they’re over, and you are in a free country now!” said the wife, as she rose thoughtfully from the table, and brought her husband the great Bible. The little circle were ranged around the stove for evening prayers.

“Henry, my boy, you must read–you are a better reader than your father–thank God, that let you learn early!”