The Kings Arrow | Page 8

comin' out ob de woods, fo' one
nebber knows what to 'spect next in dis place."
"I am sorry I frightened you, Mammy," the girl smilingly replied, "And
it was too bad that I interrupted you in your interesting talk about
'everlasting fire,' 'ructions,' and 'King George.' You seem to be in a
fighting mood."
"I is, Missie Jean, I is in a turrible fightin' mood. I'd like jes at dis very
minute to hab my two hands on dem rascals dat turned on good King
George, an' den druve us all out ob our homes. I'd show dem a t'ing or
two, I sa'tinly would."
"I don't doubt it," the girl replied, as she stooped and helped herself to a
waffle. "If you could fight as well as you can cook you would be a
wonder."
"I could cook on our stove in Ol' Connec., Missie Jean, but it's mighty
hard work on dat," and she looked contemptuously at the rude
fire-place. "To t'ink that we should ebber come to dis!"
"Why, I think it's great, Mammy."
"What' not better'n Ol' Connec.?"
"Oh, not at all. But this might be worse. I miss our dear old home in
Connecticut, and yet I have often longed for a life such as this. I am
sure you will like it, too, Mammy, when you get used to it."
"I kin nebber git used to it, chile. I'se been torn up by de roots from de
ol' home where I was born an' bred, an' I kin nebber take root agin,
'specially in sich a rocky hole as dis."
"But we're not going to stay here, Mammy. We are going up the river,

and make a new home in a beautiful place among the trees."
"Ah, chile, dat's what makes me tremble. It's bad 'nuf here, de Lo'd
knows, but up dere! Why, dere's bears, an' tagers dat'll eat ye up in a
jiffy. An' dere's Injuns, too, dat'll skin ye alive, an' scalp ye, an' roast ye
fo' dinner. No, I kin nebber take root in a place like dat."
"But we'll be pioneers, Mammy," the girl reminded. "Just think what an
honour it will be to take part in holding this land for King George.
People will be proud of what we are doing in years to come."
"I don't want to be no pioneers, Missie Jean, an' I'm not hankerin' after
no honour. It suits dis ol' woman better to hab her skin an' scalp now,
even if dey are black, den to hab folks ye don't know nuffin' 'bout
blubberin' over ye a hundred years from now. Dem's my solemn
sent'ments."
"But daddy thinks there is a great purpose in our coming here, Mammy.
He says he believes that the Lord is overruling our defeat, and that the
driving us out from our homes and scattering us abroad will be the
means of extending King George's sway, and raising up a great nation
in this land."
"Missie Jean," and Mammy raised a warning finger, "I doan want to
predjis you 'ginst yer daddy's jeg'ment, remember. But I can't see de
Lo'd's hand in dis racket. It doan seems nat'ral to me fo' de Lo'd to let
King George lose a good an' beau'ful country, an' den gib him sich a
jumpin'-off place as dis instead. An', chile, I doan believe dat de Lo'd
ever meant yo' to come here."
"Why, Mammy? Do I look any the worse for it?"
"Yo' couldn't look worse, Missie Jean, not if yo' tried ebber so hard."
"Come, come, Mammy, I am surprised at you," and the girl's eyes
sparkled with merriment. "What do you mean by saying I couldn't look
worse? I didn't know I was as hideous as all that."

"I didn't say yo' was hidjus, Missie Jean. I jes said yo' couldn't look
worse, an' ye can't. Yo' kin only look beau'ful. Why, chile, it makes my
ol' heart ache when I t'ink of sich a lubly creature as yo' bein' buried
alive 'way off in de woods."
"But I don't intend to be buried alive, Mammy. I hope to live a good
many years yet, and only buried when I am dead."
"Ah, chile, dere is more ways den one of bein' buried alive. I am t'inkin'
of de lonely life in de woods, wif no nice young men to look at yer
pretty face, lubly eyes, an' beau'ful hair. An' ye'll hab no chance to wear
fine clothes an' be admired."
"Mammy." There was a note in the girl's voice which caused the
colored woman to glance quickly up.
"What is it, chile?"
"I want to tell you something, Mammy. This is not the time to talk
about such things, nor to wail and lament about our lot. I have