the gentlemen exchange glances, and the young ladies screw up their
mouths to hide their merriment, while Mrs. Le Fevre, with all her
obtuseness, seemed to comprehend the blunder, and she said, 'Child, you
must excuse me, for my poor old eyes are getting so good for nothing I
can hardly tell one person from the other.' I blundered some kind of
answer, I hardly know what I said. I was almost ready to die with
vexation; but this shall never happen again."

"What are you going to do?"

"You see what I have begun to do. I am going to have all this curling
business broken up, and I am going to have her dressed in domestic, like
the other little niggers. I'll let Ellen know that I am mistress here;
and as soon as a trader comes along I mean to sell her. I want a new set
of pearls anyhow."

Le Grange made no reply. He was fond of the child, but knowing what a
termagant his wife was, he thought that silence like discretion was the
better part of valor, and hastily beat a retreat from her presence.

"Take these curls and throw them away," said Mrs. Le Grange to Sally,
her waiting-maid. "Move quick, and take this child into the kitchen, and
don't let me see her in the front yard again. Do you hear what I say?"
said Georgiette in a sharp, shrill tone. "Don't you let me see that
child in the front yard again. Here, before you go, darken this room,
and let me see if I can get any rest. I am so nervous, I am almost ready
to fly."

Sally did as she was bidden; and taking the child to the kitchen,
exclaimed to Milly, the cook, "Hi! Oh! there's been high times upstairs