igs me up a little flower an' plants it in a ol' can
an' kinder makes out my coachman's box air a po'ch. Miss Judy, it air
a sad thing ter git ter be ol' an' wo' out 'thout ever gittin' what
you wanted when you wa' young an' spry."

"Yes, Uncle Billy, I know how you feel, but now you have a little
house and you can live in it as long as it suits you and grow all the
flowers you've a mind to. Nobody has lived in it for years and years
but I used to play down here when I was a little girl and had time to
play. Every now and then I give it a good cleaning, though, and you
won't have to do much to start with."

It was a rough, two-roomed cabin, with shabby furniture, but it seemed
like a palace to the old darkey.

"I reckon I'll put me up a red curtain," he sighed. "I been always a
wantin' a red curtain, an' bless Bob, if they ain't already a row of
skillets an' cookin' pots by the chimbly. I am moughty partial ter a
big open fiah place wha' you kin make yo' se'f a ol' time ash cake."

"Can you cook, Uncle Billy?"

"Sho' I kin cook, but I ain't git much chanct ter cook, what with
livin' roun' so much."

"Well, you can help me sometimes when I get pushed for time," and
Judith told the old man of the task she had undertaken of feeding the
motormen.

"Sholy! Sholy!" he agreed and then the thought came to him as it had
to Miss Ann--When before had he been asked to help?

Judith found the two ladies busily engaged in paring peaches. She was
amused to discover that Miss Ann was quicker than her mother and more
expert. The old lady's fingers were nimble and dainty and she handled
her knife with remarkable skill.

"My goodness! You go so fast I can begin to can," cried Judith. Miss
Ann's face beamed with happiness as she watched her young cousin
weighing sugar and fruit and then lighting the kerosene stove which
stood behind a screen in the corner of the porch.

Judith kept up a lively chatter as she sterilized glass jars and
dipped out the cooked fruit. Miss Ann worked faster and faster and
even Mrs. Buck hurried in spite of herself. Uncle Billy's amazement
was ludicrous when he came upon his mistress making one of this busy
family group. But in an instant the old man was helping, too.

The morning was gone but the peaches were all canned, the table filled
with amber-colored jars. Billy must carry them to the storeroom and
place them on the shelves. He ran back and forth looking like a little
brown gnome and actually