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great, splendid,
Maltese mother of three beautiful blue kittens; Jack and Gill, the gentle,
soft-toned Java sparrows; and Ruby, the unwearying canary singer,
always in loud and uninterpretable conversation with San Rosa, the
mocking-bird. The birds hung in the broad, deep window of the
sitting-room, in the shade of the jasmine and honeysuckle vines that
embowered it and filled the air with delicious perfume. The dog and cat,

when not inclined to active enjoyments, were accommodated with
comfortable beds in the adjoining apartment, which was the
sleeping-room of their mistress.
The new household pet became an occupant of this same room.
"Laws, now, Miss Tilda, ye a'n't gwine to put de chile in ther wid all de
dogs and cats, now. 'Pears ye might have company enough o' nights
widout takin' in a cryin' baby. She'll cry sure widout her mammy, and
what ye gwine to do thin?" and old Rosa stoutly protested against the
arrangement.
"Never mind, Aunt Rosa, don't worry now; I'll manage to take good
care of the little creature. I know what you're after,-- you want her
yourself."
"Ho, ho ho! Laws, now, Miss Tilda, you dun know noffing 'bout babies;
takes an old mammy like me to fotch 'em up. Come here, child; what's
yer name?"
The frightened little one, whose tongue had not yet learned to utter
many words, made no attempt to answer, but stood timidly looking
from one to another of the surrounding group.
"She ha'n't got no name, 'ta'n't likely," suggested Nance.
"We must christen her, then," said Miss Lee.
"Carroll called her Tidy," remarked the old gentleman, entering the
room at that moment.
"DAT'S a name of 'spectability," said Rosa, with a satisfied air. "'Tis
my 'pinion chillen should allus have 'spectable names, else they're
'posed on in dis yer world. Nudd's Tidy, now, dere's a spec'men for yer.
Never was no more 'complished 'fectioner dan she. She knowed how to
cook all de earth, she did. Hi! couldn't she barbecue a heifer, or brile a
cock's comb, jest as 'spertly as Miss Tilda here broiders a ruffle. Right
smart cretur she wor. And so YE'RE a gwine to be, honey,--your old

mammy sees it in de tips ob yer fingers;" and Rosa caught up the child,
and well-nigh smothered it with all sorts of maternal fondnesses.
"Now Nance," continued the old negress, turning with an air of
authority to the tall, loose-jointed, reed-like maid, "Now Nance, ye
mind yer doin's in dese yer premises. Don't ye go for to kick de young
un round like as ef she cost noffin'. Ef ye do, look out;" and she shook
her turbaned head, and doubled her fist in very threatening manner
before the girl. "Now we've got a baby in dis yer house, we'll see how
de tings is gwine for to go."
A baby in the Lee mansion did indeed inaugurate a new order of things
in the family. So young a servant they had not had for many a day on
the estate; and Rosa felt at once the responsibility of her position, and
played the mother to her heart's content. All the care of the child's
education seemed from that moment to devolve upon her,
notwithstanding Miss Lee's repeated assertions that SHE designed to
bring up the little one after her own heart, and that Tidy should never
wait upon any one but herself.
Between them both, Tidy had things pretty much her own way. Such an
infant of course could not be expected to comprehend the fact that she
was a slave, and born to be ruled over, and trodden under foot. Like any
other little one, she enjoyed existence, and was as happy as could be all
the day long. Every thing around her,--the chickens and turkeys in the
yard, the flowers in the garden, the kittens and birds in the sitting-room,
and the goodies in the kitchen,-- added to her pleasure. She frisked and
gamboled about the house and grounds as free and joyous as the
squirrels in the woods, and without a thought or suspicion that any
thing but happiness was in store for her. She not only slept at night in
the room of her mistress, but when the daily meals were served, the
child, seated on a low bench beside Miss Lee, was fed from her own
dish. So that, in respect to her animal nature, she fared as well as any
child need to; but this was all. Not a word of instruction of any kind did
she receive.
As she grew older, and her active mind, observing and wondering at the
many objects of interest in nature, burst out into childish questions,

"What is this for?" and "Who made that?" her mistress would answer
carelessly, "I don't know," or "You'll find out by