I wish I could have seen Sam's face when he found it! The next morning
mother's black beauty found my old grass basket full of delicious little
peas on the front steps with this note in it:

You'll be docked a quarter of a cent every hour you are off your
job. Bring that brat home and both of you get to work.
SAM.

_P.S._--Something is sprouting in your garden that I don't
understand.

I knew those hollyhocks would rise up some day and bear witness against
me. For the life of me I couldn't make up my mind what to say about
them, so I sent the Byrd home by Tolly, who was going to take Edith out
to see how her okra was progressing, and stayed in the safe shelter of
my home. On the Byrd's rompers I pinned this note:

Strike, if you will, my young back,
But spare, oh spare, this little brat!

BETTY.

There are all kinds of poetry in the world.

That night when I was beginning to get restless and wish I had gone out
to my fate, even if it included being throttled with a pea-vine, Tolly
and Edith came into town and stopped at my gate in such a condition that
I was positively alarmed about them.

"Five baskets of peas!" gasped Tolly, as he fell forward limp over his