CHAPTER X. THE PREPARATION.

ldren!Whycan'ttherebesomesuchthinghere?" "Oh,becausepeoplearesettledinsuchascatteringwaytheycan'thaveschools.Allthelandthat'sgoodforanythingistakenupforlargeestates.And,then,thesepoorfolksthatarescatteredupanddowninbetween,it'snobody'sbusinesstoattendtothem,andtheycan'tattendtothemselvesandsotheygrowup,andnobodyknowshowtheylive,andeverybodyseemstothinkitapitytheyareintheworld.I'veseenthosesometimesthatwouldbegladtodosomething,iftheycouldfindanythingtodo.Plantersdon'twantthemontheirplaces—they'dratherhavetheirownservants.Ifoneofthemwantstobeablacksmith,oracarpenter,there'snoencouragement.Mostofthelargeestateshavetheirowncarpentersandblacksmiths.Andthere'snothingforthemtodo,unlessitiskeepingdogstohuntnegroesortheselittlelowstoreswheretheysellwhiskey,andtakewhat'sstolenfromtheplantations.Sometimesasmartonegetsaplaceasoverseeronaplantation.Why,I'veheardoftheircomingsolowasactuallytoselltheirchildrentotraders,togetabitofbread." "Whatmiserablecreatures!Butdoyousupposeitcanbepossiblethatawomanofanyrespectablefamilycanhavemarriedamanofthissort?" "Well,Idon'tknow,MissNinathatmightbe.Yousee,goodfamiliessometimesdegenerateandwhentheygettoopoortosendtheirchildrenofftoschool,orkeepanyteachersforthem,theyrundownveryfast.Thismanisnotbad-looking,andhereallyisapersonwho,ifhehadhadanywayopenedtohim,mighthavebeenasmartman,andmadesomethingofhimselfandfamilyandwhenhewasyoungandbetter-looking,Ishouldn'twonderifanuneducatedgirl,whohadneverbeenoffaplantation,mighthavelikedhimhewasfullyequal,Idaresay,toherbrothers.Yousee,MissNina,whenmoneygoes,inthispartofthecountry,everythinggoeswithitandwhenafamilyisnotrichenoughtohaveeverythinginitself,itgoesdownverysoon." "Atanyrate,Ipitythepoorthings,"saidNina."Idon'tdespisethem,asAuntNesbitdoes." HereNina,observingthepathclearanduninterruptedforsomedistanceunderthearchingpines,struckherhorseintoacanter,andtheyrodeonforsomedistancewithoutspeaking.Soonthehorse'sfeetsplashedandpatteredonthecool,pebblybottomofasmall,shallowstream,whichflowedthroughthewoods.Thisstreamwentmeanderingamongthepineslikeaspangledribbon,sometimestyingitselfintoloops,leavingopenspots—almostislandsofgreen—gracedbyitswaters.Suchalittlespotnowopenedtotheviewofthetwotravellers.Itwassomethinglessthanaquarterofanacreinextent,entirelysurroundedbythestream,saveonlyasmallneckofaboutfourfeet,whichconnectedittothemain-land. Hereaplacehadbeenclearedandlaidoffintoagarden,which,itwasevident,wascarefullytended.Thelog-cabinwhichstoodinthemiddlewasfarfromhavingtheappearanceofwretchednesswhichNinahadexpected.Itwasalmostentirelyadensemassoffoliage,beingcoveredwiththeintermingleddraperyoftheVirginiacreeperandtheyellowjessamine.Twolittleborders,eachsideofthehouse,werebloomingwithflowers.Aroundthelittleislandthepine-treesclosedinunbrokensemicircle,andthebrookmeanderedawaythroughthem,toloseitselfeventuallyinthatvastforestofswampylandwhichgirdlesthewholeCarolinashore.Thewholeairoftheplacewassounexpectedlyinviting,initssylvanstillnessandbeauty,thatNinacouldnothelpcheckingherhorse,andexclaiming,— "I'msure,it'saprettyplace.Theycan'tbesuchveryforsakenpeople,afterall." "Oh,that'sallTiff'swork,"saidHarry."Hetakescareofeverythingoutsideandin,whilethemanisoffafternobodyknowswhat.You'dbeperfectlyastonishedtoseehowthatoldcreaturemanages.Hesews,andheknits,andworksthegarden,doesthehouse-work,andteachesthechildren.It'safact!You'llnoticethattheyhaven'tthepronunciationorthemannersofthesewildwhitechildrenandItakeittobeallTiff'swatchfu