let Old Billy be of the party; and peace being thus restored, the
children continued their way, and were soon on the lumber-pile. Diddie
at once opened her hotel. Chris was the chambermaid, Riar was the
waiter, and Dilsey was the man to take the omnibus down for the
passengers. Dumps and Tot, who were to be the boarders, withdrew to the
gin-house steps, which was to be the depot, to await the arrival of the
omnibus.

"I want ter go to the hotel," said Dumps, as Dilsey came up rolling the
wheelbarrow--"me an' my three little chil'en."

"Yes, marm, jes git in," said Dilsey, and Dumps, with her wax baby and
a rag doll for her little daughters, and a large cotton-stalk for her
little boy, took a seat in the omnibus. Dilsey wheeled her up to the
hotel, and Diddie met her at the door.

"What is your name, madam?" she inquired.

"My name is Mrs. Dumps," replied the guest, "an' this is my little boy,
an' these is my little girls."

"Oh, Dumps, you play so cur'us," said Diddie; "who ever heard of anybody
bein' named Mrs. Dumps? there ain't no name like that."

"Well, I don't know nothin' else," said Dumps; "I couldn't think of
nothin'."

"Sposin' you be named Mrs. Washington, after General Washington?" said
Diddie, who was now studying a child's history of America, and was very
much interested in it.