Mr. Mosbey. Don't
you suppose she--that--is--there must be some one down in the City whom
she likes a lot."

"Yes'm, I reckon they is. Then I'll just take Sam myself when I grow up
if nobody else wants him," answered Eliza comfortably. "I'm sorry to be
glad that your throat didn't get well, but Mis' Peavey says that you
never in the world woulder tooken Doctor Tom if you coulder gone away
and made money singing to people. I don't know what me or him or Mother
Mayberry woulder done without you, but we couldn'ter paid you much to
stay. You won't never go now, will you?"

"Never," answered the singer lady, as she drew the little ingenue close
to her side. "And let me whisper something to you, Eliza--I
never--would--have--gone--any--way. I love you too much, you and Mother
Mayberry--and Doctor Tom."

"And Mis' Bostick and Deacon," exclaimed the loyal young raven. "Miss
Elinory, I get so scared about Mis' Bostick right here," she added,
laying her hand on her little throat. "She won't eat nothing and she
can't talk to me to-day. Maw and Mis' Nath Mosbey are there now and
waiting for Doctor Tom to come back. They said not to tell Mother
Mayberry until the rain held up some, but they want her, too. Can't
loving people do nothing for 'em, Miss Elinory?" and with big, wistful
eyes the tiny woman put the question, which has agonized hearts down
the ages.

"Oh, darling, the--loving itself helps," answered the singer lady
quickly with the mist over her eyes.

"I believe it do," answered Eliza thoughtfully.

"I hold the Deacon's other hand when he sets by Mis' Bostick! He wants
me, and she smiles at us both. I don't like to leave 'em for one single
minute. I have to wait now for Cindy to get the dinner done, but then
I'm a-going to run. Why, there goes Mother Mayberry outen the gate
under a umbrella! And Aunt Prissy asked me to get a spool of number
fifty thread from her to sew some lace on a petticoat Mis' Hoover have
done finished for her. If I was to go to get married I'd make some
things for my husband, too, and not so much for myself. I wouldn't want
so many skirts unless I knewed he had enough shirts."

"But, Eliza," remonstrated Miss Wingate, slightly shocked at this
rather original idea of providing a groom with a trousseau, "perhaps he
would rather get things for himself."

"No'm, he wouldn't," answered Eliza positively. "I ain't a-going to say
anything to Aunt Prissy about it 'cause you never can tell what will