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The negress pushed the table out of the way, and, in her flurry, nearly
fell over the armchair.

"Golly, such excitement!" she exclaimed. "Wheah yuh goin', Miss Laura?"

"Never mind where I'm going," snapped her mistress. "I haven't any time
to waste now talking. I'll tell you later. This is one time, Annie,
that you've got to move. Hurry up!"

Giving the maid a push, she hustled her out of the room, and followed
closely behind herself. Presently they returned with a smaller trunk.

"Look out fo' yo' dress, Miss Laura," exclaimed the maid.

The trunks were set down, side by side. Laura opened one and commenced
to throw the things out, while Annie stood watching her. Soon the
actress was down on her knees in front of the trunk, humming "_Bon Bon
Buddy_" packing for dear life, while the maid watched her in amazement.

"Ah nevah see you so happy, Miss Laura."

"I never was so happy!" cried Laura almost hysterically. Giving the
girl a push, she exclaimed impatiently: "For Heaven's sake, girl, go
get something! Don't stand there looking at me. I want you to hurry."

Thus admonished, Annie ran helter-skelter in the direction of her
mistress' room.

"I'll bring out all de fluffy ones first," she cried as she
disappeared.

"Yes, everything!" cried Laura, who was on her knees busy laying the
things neatly away in the trunk.

Presently the maid returned laden with an armful of dresses and a
hat-box. The box she placed on the floor, the dresses on top of the
trunk. Going out again for more, she asked:

"Yuh goin' to take dat opera cloak?"

"Yes, everything--everything!" answered Laura, breathless from the
speed at which she was working.

Annie reentered with more dresses. There seemed no end to them, each
more beautiful and costly than the other. The maid put them on the
sofa; then, picking up the opera cloak, she laid it out on top of the
dresses in the trunk. Even the humble colored menial was spellbound by
the beauty of these adjuncts of feminine loveliness.

"My, but dat's a beauty! I jest love dat crushed rosey one."

Laura looked up impatiently. The girl's chatter made her nervous.
Sharply, she said:

"Annie, go and put the best dresses on the foot of the bed. I'll get
them myself. You heard what I said?"

The girl ran. She stood in awe of her mistress when she was in
ill-humor.

"Yassum!"

While the negress was in the inner room taking the garments from the
cupboards, La