The old darky beamed happily after the retreating carriage; then, with
his hand tightly clasped about the precious roll of greenbacks for
which he had so willingly bartered his freedom, he began a tour of the
Cotesville stores. When at length he staggered into the big grocery
store for his final purchases he was laden with a miscellaneous
collection of Christmas packages from which he was cheerfully
disentangled by the bulky proprietor himself. Uncle Noah made a
critical pilgrimage about the store, pausing at last before a counter
where the proprietor had laid out a number of turkeys for the careful
inspection of this beaming shopper about to select an understudy for
the incomparable Job. A very respectable fowl was presently mantled in
brown paper and laid beside the other bundles, along with sundry bags
of cranberries and apples, oranges and nuts, celery and raisins, cigars
for the Colonel, a box of candy for Mrs. Fairfax, huge bunches of holly
and mistletoe, Christmas wreaths for the windows, and a great bag of
cracked corn for the reprieved tyrant gloomily roosting in the ruined
hut.

As Uncle Noah carefully counted out the money required to purchase this
astonishing outlay the bulky proprietor tasked pleasantly: "Uncle Noah,
do you happen to know where I can get a good woman to scrub up my store
every morning?"

Uncle Noah fingered his scarfpin uncertainly. "How much do yoh pay foh
de work?" he queried.

"Fifty cents a day."

The negro leaned forward in tense expectancy. "Do yoh 'spect I could
do it?" he demanded excitedly.