and turned her thoughts again to the past. He would not leave her thus sad at heart.

“Won’t you finish telling me about the spelling-book?”

“I forget how come hit, but maw didn’t leave we chillen to Teasleys’ that day she went to do the washin’. Likely Miz Teasley war sick — anyway she lef’ us here. She baked corn-bread — hit war all we had in the house to eat them days, an’ she fotched water fer the day, an’ kivered up the fire. Then she locked the door an’ took the key with her, an’ tol’ we-uns did we hear a noise like anybody tryin’ to get in, to go up garret an’ make out like thar wa’n’t nobody to home. The’ war three o’ us chillen. I war the oldest. We war Caswells, my fam’ly.