'lasses sho' are a bird; they's 'nother sight tastier 'n
sorghum, an' Aunt Cindy 'lows that sorghum is the very penurity
of a nigger."

She did not again correct him.

"I must be very patient," she thought, "and go very slowly. I
must not expect too much of him at first."

After breakfast Miss Minerva, who would not keep a servant,
preferring to do her own work, tied a big cook-apron around the
little boy's neck, and told him to churn while she washed the
dishes. This arrangement did not suit Billy.

"Boys don't churn," he said sullenly, "me an' Wilkes Booth
Lincoln don' never have to churn sence we's born; 'omans has to
churn an' I ain't agoing to. Major Minerva--he ain't never
churn," he began belligerently but his relative turned an
uncompromising and rather perturbed back upon him. Realizing
that he was beaten, he submitted to his fate, clutched the dasher
angrily, and began his weary work.

He was glad his little black friend did not witness his disgrace.

As he thought of Wilkes Booth Lincoln the big tears came into his
eyes and rolled down his cheeks; he leaned way over the churn and
the great glistening tears splashed right into the hole made for
the dasher, and rolled into the milk.

Billy grew interested at once and laughed aloud; he puckered up