his white apron, and the pitcher
seemed to be in imminent danger of falling; but he smiled and showed his
white teeth.

"I come fer ter fetch dish yer pitcher er water, ma'm. Miss 'Ria say
she speck you lak fer have 'im right fresh from de well."

"Aren't you afraid you'll drop it?" said Miss Eustis.

"Lor', no'm!" exclaimed the boy, emphasizing his words by increasing his
grin. "I been ca'um dis away sence I ain't no bigger dan my li'l' buddy.
Miss 'Ria, she say dat w'at make I so bow-legged."

"What is your name?" inquired Miss Tewksbury, with some degree of
solemnity, as the boy deposited the pitcher on the wash-stand.

"Mammy she say I un name Willum, but Mars Maje en de turrer folks dey
des calls me Bill. I run'd off en sot in de school-'ouse all day one
day, but dat mus' 'a' been a mighty bad day, kaze I ain't never year um
say wherrer I wuz name Willum, er wherrer I wuz des name Bill. Miss
'Ria, she say dat 'taint make no diffunce w'at folks' name is, long ez
dey come w'en dey year turred folks holl'in' at um."

"Don't you go to school, child?" Miss Tewksbury inquired, with dignified
sympathy.

"I start in once," said William, laughing, "but mos' time I git dar de
nigger man w'at do de teachin' tuck'n snatch de book out'n my han' en
say I got 'im upper-side down. I tole 'im dat de onliest way w'at I kin
git my lesson, en den dat nigger man tuck'n lam me side de head. Den
atter school bin turn out, I is hide myse'f side de road, en w'en dat
nigger man come 'long, I up wid a rock en I fetched 'im a clip dat
mighty nigh double 'im up. You ain't never is year no nigger man holler
lak dat nigger man. He run't en tole Mars Peyt dat de Kukluckers wuz
atter 'im. Mars Peyt he try ter quiet 'em, but dat nigger man done
gone!"

"Don't you think you did wrong to hit him?" Miss Tewksbury asked.

"Dat w'at Miss 'Ria say. She say I oughter be shame er myse'f by good
rights; but w'at dat nigger man wanter come hurtin' my feelin' fer w'en
I settin' dar studyin' my lesson des hard ez I kin, right spank out'n de
book? en spozen she wuz upper-side down, wa'n't de lesson in dar all de
time, kaze how she gwine spill out?"

William was very serious--indeed, he was indignant--when he closed his
argument. He turned to go out, but paused at the door, and said:

"Miss 'Ria say supper be ready 'mos' 'fo' you kin turn 'roun', but she
say ef you too tired out she'll have it sont up." William paused, rolled
his eyes toward the ce