r,--laws, sakes, it'll a'most stan' alone! de kind's
all done gone out of it."

"Never had much," said Tidy, laughing. "It's most straight, see;" and
she pulled one of the short ringlets out with her fingers. "And I isn't
sick, neither; 'tis my 'plexion."

"'Plexion!" repeated Frances, with a tone of derision; "'tis white folks
has 'plexion; niggers don't hab none. Don't grow white skins in dese yer
parts."

"White's as good as black, I s'pose, a'n't it?" answered Tidy, diverted
by the droll manners of her new acquaintance. "I don't see no odds
nohow."

"'Ta'n't 'spectable, dat's all. Brack's de fashion here on dis yer
plantation. 'Tis tough, b'ars whippin's and hard knocks. Whew! Hi! Ke!
Missus'll cut ye all up to slivers fust time."

"Does missus whip?"

"Reckon she does jest dat ting. Reckons you'll feel it right smart 'fore
you're much older. Hi! she whips like a driver,--cuts de skin all off
de knuckles in little less dan no time at all. Yer'll see; make yer curl
all up."

It was not a very pleasant prospect for Tidy, to be sure; but, more
amused than frightened, she went on with her inquiries.

"What does she whip ye for?"

"Laws, sake, for noffin at all; jest when she takes a notion; jest for
ex'cise, like. Owes me one, now," said the girl. "I breaked de pitcher
dis mornin', and, ho, ho, ho! how missus flied! I runned and 'scaped
her, though."

"She'll catch ye some time."

"No, she don't, not for dat score. Specs I'll dodge till she's got
suffin' else to tink about. Dat's de way dis chile fix it. Shouldn't hab
no skin leff, ef I didn't. Laws, now, ye ought to seen toder day, when
I's done stept on missus' toe. Didn't do it a purpose, sartain true, ef
ye do laugh," said she, shaking her head at the tittering tribe at her
heels. "Dat are leetle Luce pushed, and missus jest had her hand up to
gib Luce an old-fashioned crack on the head wid dat big brack key of
hern. Hi! didn't she fly roun', and forgot all 'bout Luce, a tryin' to
hit dis nig--and dis nig scooted and runned, and when missus' hand
come down wid de big key, thar warn't no nigger's head at all thar--and
missus was gwine to lay it on so drefful hard, dat she falled ober
hersef right down into de kitchen, and by de time she picked hersef up,
bof de nigs war done gone. Ho, ho, ho! I tells ye she was mad enough ter
eat 'em. 'Pears as ef sparks comed right out of dem brack eyes."

The girl's loud voice, as she grew animated in telling her ex