Fannie A. Beers, Memories: a record of personal exeperience and adventure during four years of war.

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[261] looks which passed between the ladies. At last Winnie put her head in the door, evidently to deliver some message, for she began, ‘Mars——,’ when Mrs. Grey started up suddenly, saying,—

‘Oh, Winnie, here is our Nelly,’ while the child sprang forward to throw herself on the breast of her astonished nurse.

‘De Lawd er Massy I Whar dat chile cum from dis time oa nite?’

‘Why, Winnie,’ explained grandmamma, ‘she has run away from the farm, and here she is. Did you ever hear of such badness?’

‘Dab, now!’ cried the negro, ‘didn't I tole you dat? I jest know dat chile wasn't gwine to stay nowhar ‘dout her mar an‘ me. Po‘ chile, she look mity bad, ‘deed she do.’

‘Well, Winnie, never mind that now, she is only tired; let her eat her supper and go tobed.’

Nelly had expected, at the very least, to be sent supperless to bed, but instead, grandma gave her all she could eat, and, but for the strange preoccupied manner which so puzzled her, the child would have been very comfortable. When, led by her mamma and attended by Winnie, she went up-stairs she found that her couch had been removed into her grandmamma's room. ‘You will be better here,’ explained Mrs. Grey, ‘for I am very restless and might disturb you.’

Nelly was just conscious of an unusual bustle in the passage outside, and of hearing voices and footsteps going up to the third story; but, too sleepy to pay attention, she soon ceased to hear anything.

When she awoke the morning was far advanced, and her grandmamma was not in the room. While she lay thinking over the strange events of the day before, Maum Winnie appeared with some fresh, clean clothes upon her arm.