shet him up for a lie he never told; Miss Margaret interferes jest as
she or'to, takes Willie away, and shets up madam; while that
ill-marnered Lenora jumps and screeches loud enough to wake the dead.
Madam busts the door down, and pitches into the varmint, who jumps
spang over a four-foot table, which Lord knows _I_ never could have
done in my spryest days."

"But how can I help all this?" asked Mr. Hamilton.

"Help it?" returned Polly. "You needn't have got into the fire in the
fust place. I hain't lived fifty-odd year for nothin', and though I
hain't no larnin', I know too much to heave myself away on the fust
nussin' woman that comes along."

"Stop, Polly; you must not speak so of Mrs. Hamilton," said Mr.
Hamilton; while Polly continued:

"And I wouldn't nuther, if she could hold a candle to the t'other one;
but she can't. You'd no business to marry a second time, even if you
didn't marry a nuss; neither has any man who's got grow'd-up gals, and
a faithful critter like Polly in the kitchen. Stepmothers don't often
do well, particularly them as is sot up by marryin'."

Here Mr. Hamilton, who did not like to hear so much truth, left the
kitchen, while Aunt Polly said to herself, "I've gin it to him good,
this time."

Lenora, who always happened to be near when she was talked about, had
overheard the whole, and repeated it to her mother. Accordingly, that
very afternoon word came to the kitchen that Mrs. Hamilton wished to
see Polly.

"Reckon she'll find this child ain't afeared on her," said Polly, as
she wiped the flour from her face and repaired to Mrs. Hamilton's
room.

"Polly," began that lady, with a very grave face, "Lenora tells me
that you have been talking very disrespectfully to Mr. Hamilton."

"In the name of the Lord, can't he fight his own battles?" interrupted
Polly. "I only tried to show him that he was henpecked--and he is."

"It isn't of him alone I would speak," resumed Mrs. Hamilton, with
stately gravity; "you spoke insultingly of me, and as I make it a
practise never to keep a servant after they get insolent, I have----"

"For the dear Lord's sake," again interrupted Polly, "I 'spect we's
the fust servants you ever had."

"Good!" said a voice from some quarter, and Mrs. Hamilton continued:
"I have sent for you to give you twenty-four hours' warning to leave
this house."

"I shan't budge an inch until marster says so," said Polly. "Wonder
who's the best title deed here? Warn't I he