They said mother had said I was to." "Um! Did your mother think so much of them, then ?" "No, ma'am.

They was always too rough for mother, they drinks a lot, and--and swears terrible, and they'm always fighting." "I wonder at your mother leaving you to such people to be took care of." "I don't believe mother ever did," said Huldah, "she never told me so, anyway," and she burst into bitter sobs; "but there wasn't anybody else there, and they told the parish orf'cer that I was their little girl, and then they went away as fast as they could, and took me with them." "Are they kind to you ?" "They beat me--they're always beating me, or Dick, or Charlie,-- Charlie is the old horse that draws the van,--and I'd sooner be beaten myself than see them being knocked about.

We don't ever get enough to eat, but that isn't so bad as the beatings." "Poor child! You both look as if you had never had enough to eat in your lives.

Did they make baskets too ?" "No, ma'am, they can't.

They make clothes-pegs, and they sell brushes and mats, but my baskets brought them in as much as a pound a week sometimes, and oh!" and she gasped at the thought, "Uncle Tom will be angry, when he finds I don't come back!" and her eyes were full of terror as she thought of his passion.
Mrs.Perry disappeared into the little scullery behind the kitchen, and opened the door of the safe where she kept her scanty store of food.