these occurrences, said: "My Lord! dat woman dunno what she wants. Ah!
Lou, there is nothing but the devil up here, (meaning the new home);
can't do nothin to please her up here in dis fine house. I tell you
Satan neber git his own til he git her." They did not use baking powder,
as we do now, but the biscuits were beaten until light enough. Twenty
minutes was the time allotted for this work; but when company came there
was so much to be done--so many more dishes to prepare, that Delia
would, perhaps, not have so much time for each meal. But there was no
allowance made. It was never thought reasonable that a servant should
make a mistake--things must always be the same. I was listening to this
quarrel between madam and Delia, supposing my time would come next; but
for that once she said nothing to me.

* * * * *

THE MADAM'S SEVERITY.

Mrs. McGee was naturally irritable. Servants always got an extra
whipping when she had any personal trouble, as though they could help
it. Every morning little Kate, Aunt Delia's little girl, would have to
go with the madam on her rounds to the different buildings of the
establishment, to carry the key basket. So many were the keys that they
were kept in a basket especially provided for them, and the child was
its regular bearer. The madam, with this little attendant, was
everywhere--in the barn, in the hennery, in the smokehouse--and she
always made trouble with the servants wherever she went. Indeed, she
rarely returned to the house from these rounds without having whipped
two or three servants, whether there was really any cause for the
punishment or not. She seldom let a day pass without beating some poor
woman unmercifully. The number and severity of these whippings depended