grocery over t' the Corners."

"Why, I did not know he was dead!" said Hildegarde.

"Not yet he ain't, dear!" said Mrs. Lankton. "But he's doomed to die,
and the doctors don't give him more than a few hours. I'm one that likes
to be beforehand in such matters,--there's them that looks to me to do
what's right and proper,--and I shouldn't want to be found without a
bunnit provided. Well, dear, I must be goin'. Ah! 'twill seem nat'ral to
be goin' to a funeral again, Miss Grahame. I ain't b'en to one for as
much as five months. I've seen the time when three funerals a week was
no uncommon thing round these parts, and most all of 'em kin to me by
blood _or_ marriage. Yes, no one knows what I've b'en through. You're
gettin' fleshy, ain't you, dear? I hope the Lord'll spare you _and_ your
ma,--she's like a mother to me, I allers say,--through _my_ time. It
ain't likely to be long, with these spells that ketches me. _Good_-by,
dear!"

With a tender smile, and another sidelong duck, the widow took herself
off; and Hildegarde drew a long breath, and felt like opening all the
windows, to let the sunshine come in more freely. The door of her room
being still open, she became aware of sounds from below; sounds as of
clashing metal, and rattling crockery.

What could Auntie be about? she would wake Mamma at this rate.

Running down-stairs, Hildegarde went into the kitchen, and was
confronted by the sight of Auntie, perched on top of a tall step-ladder,
with the upper part of her portly person buried in the depths of a
cupboard.

"Auntie, what _are_ you about?" she cried. "Do you know what a noise you
are making? Mamma is asleep, and I don't want her to wake till tea-time,
for her head has ached all day."

Auntie did not seem to hear at first, but continued to rattle tins in an
alarming way; till Hildegarde, in despair, grasped the step-ladder, and
shook it with some force. Then the good woman drew her head out of the
depths, and looked down in astonishment.

"Why, for goodness sake, honey, is dat you?" she said. "I t'ought 'twas
dat old image cacklin' at me still. She gone, is she? well, dat's mercy
enough for one day!"

She sat down on the top of the ladder and panted; and Hildegarde burst
out laughing.

"Auntie, did you go up there to get rid of Mrs. Lankton?"

"For shore I did, chile! I'd ha' riz through de roof if I could, but dis
was as fur as I could git. She was in hyar an hour, 'most, 'fore she
went up-stairs,