rl, raising her eyes from the fire, and
addressing her ancestor.

The old woman stuck her needle into the quilt, and reached out her hand
to her visitor, who took it cordially.

"How d'ye, miss?" said Aunt Patsy, in a thin but quite firm voice,
while the young woman got up and brought Mrs Null a chair, very short in
the legs, very high in the back, and with its split-oak bottom very much
sunken.

"How are you feeling to-day, Aunt Patsy?" asked Mrs Null, gazing with
much interest on the aged face.

"'Bout as common," replied the old woman. "I didn't spec' to be libin'
dis week, but I ain't got my quilt done yit, an' I can't go 'mong de
angels wrop in a shroud wid one corner off."

"Certainly not," answered Mrs Null. "Haven't you pieces enough to finish
it?"

"Oh, yaas, I got bits enough, but de trouble is to sew 'em up. I can't
sew very fas' nowadays."

"It's a pity for you to have to do it yourself," said Mrs Null. "Can't
this young person, your daughter, do it for you?"

"Dat's not my darter," said the old woman. "Dat's my son Tom's yaller
boy Bob's chile. Bob's dead. She can't do no sewin' for me. I'm 'not
gwine ter hab folks sayin', Aun' Patsy done got so ole she can't do her
own sewin'."

"If you are not going to die till you get your quilt finished, Aunt
Patsy," said Mrs Null, "I hope it won't be done for a long time."

"Don' do to be waitin' too long, Miss. De fus' thing you know some udder
culled pusson'll be dyin' wrop up in a quilt like dis, and git dar fus'."

Mrs Null now looked about her with much interest, and asked many
questions in regard to the old woman's comfort and ailments. To these
the answers, though on the whole satisfactory, were quite short, Aunt
Patsy, apparently, much preferring to look at her visitor than to talk
to her. And a very pretty young woman she was to look at, with a face
which had grown brighter and plumper during every day of her country
sojourn.

When Mrs Null had gone, promising to send Aunt Patsy something nice to
eat, the old woman turned to her great-grand-daughter, and said, "Did
anybody come wid her?"

"Nobody comed," said the girl. "Reckon' she done git herse'f los' some
o' dese days."

The old woman made no answer, but folding up the maniac coverlid, she
handed it to the girl, and told her to put it away.

That night Uncle Isham, by Mrs Null's orders, carried to Aunt Patsy a
basket, containing various good things considered suitable for an aged
colore