t,' nor
'Send Round the Bowl,'--nor--My suz, child! What be you doin'?"

"Just, 'Sendin' Round the Bowl,' since you like it!" cried Kate,
hilariously spinning the receptacle which had been given her for the
"stunned raisins" across the table to where Susanna sat; then adding,
mischievously, "And that's the first time that I knew that 'Old Lang
Syne' was good English; I thought it was Scotch. As for 'rag-time,' all
papa's friends said I could do it excellently well. You see, I was
brought up with the coons and can mimic them easily. And you should see
me do a cake-walk. I will after I've helped you awhile."

Susanna looked rather foolish at being herself set right. She had never
aspired to much literary knowledge, but she did know that the words
Katharine had sung were senseless, though they might sound funny. To
cover her annoyance she demanded, rather crisply:

"What do you mean by 'coon' and 'duck'? Your pa always had odd notions,
but I never 'lowed his daughter'd be raised with coons and ducks and
animals of that natur'. I give him credit for some sense, even if he did
paint pictures for a living."

Katharine's eyes flashed, then softened till they were on the verge of
tears, and she announced with a finality that brooked no contradiction:

"My father was the sensiblest, cleverest, dearest gentleman that ever
lived. If I didn't come 'up' as I was 'brought' it wasn't his fault. And
I'd rather not talk about him--not yet. Not to-day. 'Coons' are the
colored people. Baltimore's full of them. They're our servants.
Stepmother says they're worthless, nowadays, and I know she was always
changing them. But they're the only kind we have down there. We couldn't
get nice white ones like you. Why--what's the matter?"

The Widow Sprigg had risen very suddenly. Her face had flushed and a
glitter come into the eyes behind the big spectacles, while her lips had
closed with a sort of cluck. Leaning across the table, she demanded:

"Give me that bowl, please. I don't need no more your help."

Katharine extended the bowl, as desired, her own face clouding again at
sight of the other's darkened one. And she fairly jumped as the
housekeeper asked:

"Where's the raisins?"

"Oh! the raisins? Why--I hadn't begun yet. I ate the few I seeded. I'll
begin now. I can work right smart if I try."

"Huh! go clean yourself an' clear out. I like to have my kitchen to
myself."

Kate leaped from the table, having that odd homesickness ste