CHAPTER X. THE PREPARATION.

TheexcitementproducedbythearrivalofTiff,andthefittingoutofMillytothecottage,hadproducedamostfavorablediversioninNina'smindfromherownespecialperplexities. Activeandbuoyant,shethrewherselfatonceintowhateverhappenedtocomeuppermostonthetideofevents.So,havingseenthewagondispatched,shesatdowntobreakfastinhighspirits. "AuntNesbit,IdeclareIwassointerestedinthatoldman!Iintendtohavethepony,afterbreakfast,andrideoverthere." "Ithoughtyouwereexpectingcompany." "Well,that'sonereason,now,whyI'dliketobeoff.DoIwanttositallprimmedup,smilingandsmirking,andrunningtothewindowtoseeifmygraciouslordiscoming?No,Iwon'tdothat,topleaseanyofthem.IfIhappentofancytobeoutriding,Iwillbeoutriding." "Ithink,"saidAuntNesbit,"thatthehovelsofthesemiserablecreaturesarenoproperplaceforayoungladyofyourpositioninlife." "Mypositioninlife!Idon'tseewhatthathastodowithit.MypositioninlifeenablesmetodoanythingIplease—alibertywhichItakeprettygenerally.And,then,really,Icouldn'thelpfeelingrathersadlyaboutit,becausethatOldTiff,there(Ibelievethat'shisname),toldmethatthewomanhadbeenofagoodVirginiafamily.VerylikelyshemayhavebeenjustsuchanotherwildgirlasIam,andthoughtaslittleaboutbadtimes,andofdying,asIdo.SoIcouldn'thelpfeelingsadforher.ItreallycameovermewhenIwaswalkinginthegarden.Suchabeautifulmorningasitwas—thebirdsallsinging,andthedewallglitteringandshiningontheflowers!Why,aunt,theflowersreallyseemedaliveitseemedasthoughIcouldhearthembreathing,andheartheirheartsbeatinglikemine.And,allofasudden,Iheardthemostwild,mournfulsinging,overinthewoods.Itwasn'tanythingverybeautiful,youknow,butitwassowild,andstrange!'Sheisdeadandgonetoheaven!—sheisdeadandgonetoheaven!'AndprettysoonIsawthefunniestoldwagon—Idon'tknowwhattocallit—andthisqueeroldblackmaninit,withanoldwhitehatandsurtouton,andapairofgreat,funny-lookingspectaclesonhisnose.Iwenttothefencetoseewhohewasandhecameupandspoketome,madethemostrespectfulbow—yououghttohaveseenit!Andthen,poorfellow,hetoldmehowhismistresswaslyingdead,withthechildrenaroundher,andnobodyinthehouse!Thepooroldcreature,heactuallycried,andIfeltsoforhim!Heseemedtobeproudofhisdeadmistress,inspiteofherpoverty." "Wheredotheylive?"saidMrs.Nesbit. "Why,hetoldmeoverinthepinewoods,neartheswamp." "Oh,"saidMrs.Nesbit,"Idaresayit'sthatCrippsfamily,that'ssquattedinthepinewoods.Amostmiserableset—allofthemliarsandthieves!IfIhadknownwhoitwas,I'msureIshouldn'thaveletMillygoover.Suchfamiliesoughtn'ttobeencouragedthereoughtn'tathingtobedoneforthemweshouldn'tencouragethemtostayintheneighborhood.Theyalwayswillstealfromofftheplantations,andcorruptthenegroes,andgetdrunk,andeverythingelsethat'sbad.There'sneverawomanofdecentcharacteramongthem,thateverIheardofand,ifyouweremydaughter,Ishouldn'tletyougonearthem." "Well,I'mnotyourdaughter,thankfortune!"saidNina,whosegracesalwaysrapidlydeclinedincontroversieswithheraunt,"andsoIshalldoasIplease.AndIdon'tknowwhatyoupiouspeopletalksoforforChristwentwithpublicansandsinners,I'msure." "Well,"saidAuntNesbit,"theBiblesayswemustn'tcastpearlsbeforeswineand,whenyou'velivedtobeasoldasIam,you'llknowmorethanyoudonow.Everybodyknowsthatyoucan'tdoanythingwiththesepeople.Youcan'tgivethemBiblesnortractsfortheycan'tread.I'vetriedit,sometimes,visitingthem,andtalkingtothembutitdidn'tdothemanygood.Ialwaysthoughtthereoughttobealawpassedtomake'emallslaves,andthentherewouldbesomebodytotakecareofthem." "Well,Ican'tsee,"saidNina,"howit'stheirfault.Thereisn'tanyschoolwheretheycouldsendtheirchildren,iftheywantedtolea