ve got to turn around
'fore sundown for I've got 'most a day's work to straighten out the hen
house and settle the ruckus about nests. The whole sisterhood of 'em
have tooken a notion to lay in the same barrel and have to be persuaded
some. Now run on so as to be back as early as you can before Tom
comes." And as Mother Mayberry spoke, she began to gather together her
sewing, preparatory to a sally into the world of her feathered folk.

But before she had watched the singer lady out of sight down the Road,
with her spray of brown blossoms in her one hand and her garden hat in
the other, she espied young Eliza rapidly approaching from up the Road
and there was excitement in every movement of her slim, little body and
in every swish of her short calico skirts, as well as in the way her
long pigtail swung out behind.

"Mother Mayberry," she exclaimed, as she sank breathless on the top
step, "they is a awful thing happened! Aunt Prissy was 'most disgraced
'bout a box of soap and Bud and 'Lias and Henny might have got killed
and Buck too, because he sent one to Pattie and wrote what was on the
card. I've been so scared I am in the trembles now, but you said always
pray to the Lord and I did it while I was a-running down to the store
to beg Mr. Petway not to make her jump off from Bee Rock on the Nob
like the lady Mis' Peavey read about in the paper did because the man
wouldn't marry her that she was in love with. Fast as I were a-running
I reckon the Lord made out what I said and beat me to him and told
him--"

"'Liza, 'Liza, honey, stop this minute and tell me what you are
a-talking about," demanded Mother Mayberry, with almost as much
excitement in her voice as was trembling in that of the small talking
machine at her feet. "Now begin at the beginning and tell me just what
is the matter with your Aunt Prissy?"

"Nothing now," answered Eliza, taking a fresh breath, "she's a-going to
marry Mr. Petway, only she won't know it until to-night and I've
promised him not to tell her."

"What?" was all that Mother Mayberry managed to demand from the depths
of her astonishment as she sank back in her rocking-chair and regarded
Eliza with positive awe.

"Yes'um, and it were all about them two beautiful boxes of
sweet-smelling soap that he bought in town and have had in the store
window for a week. Buck bought one to send to Pattie for a birthday
present and he wrote, 'When this you see, remember me,' on a card and
put it in th