By this time Diddie’s eyes were swimming in tears, and Dumps was sobbing aloud; seeing which, Tot began to cry too, though she hadn’t the slightest idea what was the matter; and Diddie, going to the side of the bed, smoothed the woman’s long black hair, and said,

“We’ll take you home with us, an’ we’ll be good to your little boy, me an’ Dumps an’ Tot, an’ I’ll give ’im some of my marbles.”

“An’ my little painted wagin,” put in Dumps.

“An’ you shall live with us always,” continued Diddie; “an’ Mammy’ll put yer feet into hot water, an’ rub turkentine on yer ches’, an’ give yer ‘fermifuge’ ev’y mornin’, an’ you’ll soon be well.  Papa, sha’n’t she go home with us?”

Major Waldron’s own eyes moistened as he answered,

“We will see about it, my daughter;” and, telling the woman, whose name was Ann, that he would see her again, he left the tent, and presently the camp.

That night, after the little folks were asleep, Major Waldron and his wife had a long talk about the sick woman and her little boy, and it was decided between them that Major Waldron should go the next morning and purchase them both.

The children were delighted when they knew of this decision, and took an active part in preparing one room of the laundry for Ann’s reception.  Their mother had a plain bedstead moved in, and sent down from the house a bed and mattress, which she supplied with sheets, pillows, blankets, and a quilt.  Then Uncle Nathan, the carpenter, took a large wooden box and put shelves in it, and tacked some bright-colored calico all around it, and made a bureau.  Two or three chairs were spared from the nursery, and Diddie put some of her toys on the mantel-piece for the baby; and then, when they had brought in a little square table and covered it with a neat white cloth, and placed upon it a mug of flowers, and when Uncle Nathan had put up some shelves in one corner of the room, and driven some pegs to hang clothes on, they pronounced the room all ready.

And Ann, who had lived for several months in the camp, was delighted with her new home and the preparations that her little mistresses had made for her.  The baby, too, laughed and clapped his hands over the toys the children gave him.  His name was Henry, and a very pretty child he was.  He was almost as white as Tot, and his black hair curled in ringlets all over his head; but, strange to say, neither he nor his mother gained favor with the negroes on the place.

Mammy said openly that she “nuver had no ’pinion uv wite niggers,” and that “marster sholy had niggers ’nuff fur ter wait on ’im doutn buyen ’em.”

But, for all that, Ann and her little boy were quite happy.  She was still sick, and could never be well, for she had consumption; though she got much better, and could walk about the yard, and sit in front of her door with Henry in her lap.  Her devotion to her baby was unusual in a slave; she could not bear to have him out of her sight, and never seemed happy unless he was playing around her or nestling in her arms.