"I didn't know you were making croquettes," said Peter, with polite
interest.

"Well, I is. I gotta can o' salmon fum Miss Mollie Brownell she'd opened
an' couldn't quite use. I doctered 'em up wid a lil vinegar an' sody,
an' dey is 'bout as pink as dey ever wuz."

A certain uneasiness and annoyance came over Peter at this persistent
use of unwholesome foods.

"Look here, Mother, you're not using old canned goods that have been
left over?"

The old negress stood looking at him in silence, but lost her coaxing
expression.

"I've told and told you about using any tainted or impure foods that the
white people can't eat."

"Well, whut ef you is?"

"If it's too bad for them, it's too bad for you!"

Caroline made a careless gesture.

"Good Lawd, boy! I don' 'speck to eat whut's good fuh me! All I says is,
'Grub, keep me alive. Ef you do dat, you done a good day's wuck.'"

Peter was disgusted and shocked at his mother's flippancy. Modern