frozen; it was cracked, but it will do for the coffee in the
morning."

"Winter must be nearly over if the hens are beginning to lay: THEY
know. They must have some fresh nests."

"The cook wants to kill one of the old ones for soup to-morrow."

"What an evil-minded cook!"

It was with his mother only that David showed the new cheerfulness
that had begun to manifest itself in him since his return from
college. She, however, did not understand the reasons of this and
viewed it unfavorably.

"We opened a hole in the last hill of turnips to-day."

She spoke with uneasiness.

"There'll be enough to last, I reckon, mother."

"You needn't pack any more chips to the smoke-house: the last
meat's smoked enough."

"Very well, then. You shall have every basketful of them for your
own fire."

"If you can keep them from the negroes: negroes love chips."

"I'll save them while I chop. You shall have them, if I have to