that is what I don’t want him to do.  I can’t say that I have positively anything to report, but I can say that I have strong hopes of success, considering where I am.  As soon as I found that Junius had really left the North, I concluded that this would be the best place to come to for him.  And now, Freddy, there’s nothing for us to do but to wait, and if we can make ourselves useful here I’m sure we will be glad to do it.  We both hate being lazy, and a little housekeeping and farm managing will be good practice for us during our honeymoon.”

Putting on her hat, she went down into the garden where uncle Isham was at work.  She could find little to do there, for he was merely pulling turnips, and she could see nothing to suggest in regard to his method of work.  She had found, too, that the old negro had not much respect for her agricultural opinions.  He attended to his work as if his mistress had been at home, and although, in regard to the ploughing, he had carried out the orders of Mrs Null, he had done it because it ought to be done, and because he was very glad for some one else to take the responsibility.

“Uncle Isham,” said she, after she had watched the process of turnip pulling for a few minutes, “if you haven’t anything else to do when you get through with this, you might come up to the house, and I will talk to you about the flower beds, I suppose they ought to be made ready for the winter.”

“Miss Null,” said the old man, slowly unbending his back, and getting himself upright, “dar’s allus sumfin’ else to do.  Eber sence I was fus’ bawn dar was sumfin else to do, an’ I spec’s it’ll keep on dat ar way till de day I dies.”

“Of course there will be nothing else to do then but to die,” observed Mrs Null; “but I hope that day is far off, Uncle Isham.”

“Dunno ’bout dat, Miss Null,” said he.  “But den some people do lib dreffle long.  Look at ole Aun’ Patsy.  Ise got to live a long time afore I’s as ole as Aun’ Patsy is now.”

“You don’t mean to say,” exclaimed Mrs Null, “that Aunt Patsy is alive yet!”

“Ob course she is.  Miss Null,” said Uncle Isham.  “If she’d died sence you’ve been here we’d a tole you, sartin.  She was gwine to die las’ week, but two or free days don’ make much dif’rence to Aun’ Patsy, she done lib so long anyhow.”

“Aunt Patsy alive!” exclaimed Mrs Null again.  “I’m going straight off to see her.”

When she had reached the house, and had informed Letty where she was going, the rotund maid expressed high approbation of the visit, and offered to send Plez to show Miss Null the way.

“I don’t need any one to go with me,” said that lady, and away she started.

“She don’ neber want nobody to show her nowhar,” said Plez, returning with looks of much disapprobation to his business of peeling potatoes for dinner.