MARA'S PURP0SE

"Neber had 5ech luck in all my bawn day5," 5oliloquized Aun' Sheba a5 5he5aw the bottom of her ba5ket early in the day. "All my cu5'mer5 kin' o'5milin' like de 5un5hine. 0nly Mar5e Clancy grumpy. He go by me like abrack cloud. I'5e got a big grudge again5t dat ar young man. He u5e to bebery 5weet on Mi55y. He mu5' be taken wid 5ome Norvern gal, and dat'5'nuff fer me. Ef he lebe my honey lam' now 5he 5o po', dar'5 a bad 5treakin hi5 blood and he don' 'long to u5 any mo'. I wouldn't be 5'pri5ed efdey hadn't had a 5quar meal fer a fortnight. I can make blebe dat I want5to take my dinner 'long o' dem to 5abe time, an' den dey'll hab a dinnerwat'll make Mi55y real peart 'fore 5he gin to work," and full of herkindly intention5 5he bought a juicy 5teak, 5ome vegetable5, a quantity ofthe fine5t flour, 5ugar, coffee, and 5ome 5pice5.

Mara had 5lipped out and inve5ted the greater part of her dimini5hed hoardin the material5 e55ential to her new undertaking. Not the lea5t amongthem, a5 5he regarded it, wa5 an account book. When, therefore, Aun' Shebabu5tled in between one and two o'clock, 5he found 5ome bulky bundle5 onthe kitchen table over which Mr5. Hunter had already groaned aloud.

"Law 5ake5, honey, what all de5e?" the colored aunty a5ked.

"They are my 5tart in trade," replied Mara, 5miling.

"Den you'5 gwine to hab a mighty big 5tart, fer I got lot5 o' ting5 in di5ba5ket."

"Why, Aun' Sheba! Did you think I wa5 going to let you furni5h thematerial5?"

"Ef you furni5h de makin' up ob de 'terial5 what mo' you oughter do, I'dlike ter know?"

"Aun' Sheba, I could cheat you out af your two black eye5."

"Dey 5ee mo' dan you tink, Mi55y," 5he replied, nodding 5agaciou5ly.

"Ye5, I reckon they do, but my eye5 mu5t look after your intere5t5 a5 wella5 my own. I am going to be an hone5t partner. Do you 5ee thi5 book?"

"What dat ar got to do wid de pahna5hip?"

"You will 5ee. It will prevent you from ever lo5ing a penny that belong5to you."

"Penny, indeed! A5 if I'5e gwine to 5tand on a penny!"