You gre't gawk, you!"
"What is I done, I'd like to know?" inquired Mr. Collins, helplessly.
Anne had not realized that she was hungry until Mrs. Collins set before
her a plateful of hot crisp cakes. The good woman spread them with
butter and opened a jar of 'company' sweetmeats,--crisp watermelon rind,
cut in leaf, star, and fish shapes. While serving supper, Mrs. Collins
chattered on in a soft, friendly voice.
"I see how 'twas. You knowed this place before we come here. We been
here two year come next Christmas. Done bought the place. Fust time any
of our folks is ever owned land. Always been renters and share-hands,
movin' to new places soon as we wore out ol' ones. I tell my ol' man
it's goin' to come mighty hard on him now that he's got a place of his
own that's got to be tooken care of."
By this time, the color had come back to Anne's face and she was smiling
and stroking the sleek black-and-white cat that had jumped in her lap.
"What is the little girl's name, mammy?" asked Lizzie. Having finished
her supper, she was standing at her mother's side, staring with wide
eyes at Anne and shyly rolling a corner of her apron in her fingers.
"Sh-sh-sh," whispered Mrs.
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