"Red or black?" asked Mrs. Golden.

Bunny and Sue looked at one another. This was something they had not
thought about. Which did Mary want--red or black?

Seeing that the children were puzzled, Mrs. Golden said:

"What is your mother going to use it for, my dears?"

"Mother didn't tell us to get it," replied Bunny. "It was Mary, our
cook, who sent us after it, 'cause she forgot to get any for supper."

"Oh, then it's black pepper she wants, I suppose," said Mrs. Golden.
"She wouldn't want red pepper unless she were putting up pickles or
something like that. I'll give you black pepper."

She started to rise from her chair, for she had been seated near the
back of the store, but seemed so old and feeble that Bunny and Sue felt
very sorry for her. When ladies got as old as Mrs. Golden seemed to be
they ought always to rest in easy chairs, Bunny thought, and not have to
get up to wait on a store.

Mrs. Golden grunted and groaned a little as she pushed herself up from
the arms of the big chair.

"Are you terrible old?" asked Sue.

"I'm pretty old, yes, my dear," said Mrs. Golden. "But I don't mind
that. It's the stiffness and the rheumatism. It's hard for me to get