omy.

Ephraim and Chloe were "tidying up;" and only little Methuselah and
Billy-mule gave the visitor a word of welcome. These two were fast
becoming friends, and both were prone on the ground; one suffering
from a surfeit of grass--the other of water-melon.

Metty looked up and sat up--with a groan:

"Say, Mister, 'd you evah hab de tummy-ache?" while Billy's sad bray
seemed to be asking the same question.

"Heaps of times. When I'd eaten too much green stuff. Got it?"

"Yep. Dey's a orful misery all eroun' me yeah! I'd lak some peppymin'
but Mammy she ain' done got none. Oh! my!"

"Get a _rollin'_. Nothing cures a colic quicker than that. And,
look-a-here? How's this for medicine?"

Metty considered this the "mos' splendides' gemplemum" he had ever
met. A gentleman made to order, indeed, with a paper bag in his
pocket, chock full of beautiful red and white "peppymin's" which he
lavishly dealt out to the small sufferer--a half one at a time! But
many halves make several wholes, and Metty's now happy tones, in place
of complaints, brought Chloe to the spot, and to the knowledge of the
stranger's real errand.

"Come right erway in, suh. I sure gwine tell Miss Betty you-all ain'
none dem peddlah gemplemums, but a genuwine calleh. Dis yeah way, suh.
Metty, yo' triflin' little niggah! Why ain' yo' tote one dese yeah
bastics?"

A familiar, not-too-heavy, cuff on the boy's ear set him briskly
"toting" one basket while his mother carried the other. Mr. Stillwell
followed his guide to where Mrs. Calvert sat and explained himself and
his visit so simply and pleasantly that she was charmed and exclaimed:

"This is delightful, to find neighbors where we looked for strangers
only. How kind and how generous of your wife! I wish I could see and
thank her in person."

Chloe had uncovered the daintily packed baskets and Mrs. Bruce fairly
glowed in housewifely pleasure over the contents.

"Looks as if an artist had packed them," said Aunt Betty; and it did.

Tomatoes resting in nests of green lettuce; half-husked green corn
flanked by purple eggplant and creamy squashes; crimson beets and
brown skinned potatoes; these filled one basket. The other was packed
with grapes of varying colors, with fine peaches, pears, rosy apples
and purple plums. Together they did make a bright spot of color on the
sunny deck and brought a warm glow to Mrs. Calvert's heart. The
cheerful face of the farmer and his open-hearted neighborliness