you sent for. I 'clare Miss Elsie, an' Miss Lucy, dose dirty niggahs
make sich a muss in yere, dere aint a char fit for you to set down
in," she continued, hastily cleaning two, and wiping them with her
apron. "I'se glad to see you, ladies, but ef I'd knowed you was
a-comin' dis kitchen shu'd had a cleanin' up fo' shuah."

"You see, Aunt Viney, you ought to keep it in order, and then you
would be ready for visitors whenever they happened to come," said Lucy
laughingly. "Why, you're really quite out of breath with whisking
about so fast. We've come to help you."

The fat old negress, still panting from her unwonted exertions,
straightened herself, pushed back her turban, and gazed in round-eyed
wonder upon her young mistress.

"What! Missy help ole Aunt Viney wid dose lily-white hands? Oh, go
'long! you's jokin' dis time fo' shuah."

"No indeed; we want the fun of helping to make some of the cake for
to-morrow. You know we want ever so many kinds to celebrate our two
birthdays."

"Two birthdays, Miss Lucy? yo's and Massa Herbert's? Yes, dat's it; I
don't disremember de day, but I do disremember de age."

"Sixteen; and now we're going to have a nice party to celebrate the
day, and you must see that the refreshments are got up in your very
best style."

"So I will, Miss Lucy, an' no 'casion for you and Miss Elsie to