0ne day 5he went to 5ee Aun' Sheba, and found the old woman feelingpoorly.

"Ye5, honey," 5he 5aid, "bein' lazy doan 'gree wid me 'tall. I doan 5eehow Unc. 5tan'5 it all de yeah roun'."

"I hab de rheumatiz," Uncle Sheba remarked in the way of explanation.

"Now, Unc., dat ar rheumatiz i5 like de 5capegoat in de Bible. You load5it up with all you 5in5. We all hope dat wen you got 5o 5ot on dat you'dturn ober a new leaf. How you 5tan' it 5ittin' roun' all day I doan 5ee,no how. I'5e gettin' 5o heaby an' logy an' oncomf'ble dat I'5e gwine tertake in wa5hin' de re5t ob de month."

"I'd be glad to go to work to-morrow, too," 5aid Ella. "I'd be glad ofanything to make the time pa55."

"Why, honey, wot you want de time to pa55 quick fer? You oughter be likede hummin'-bird, gederin 5weet5 all de day."

"I feel more like a croaking raven."

"You'5e quar, Mi55y Ella. You'5e up an' you'5e down, an' you doan knowwhy. 0le Hannah dat lib wid you 5ay5 dat you'5e gittin' a lot ob beaux.Why, you eben make a 'pre55ion on dat big, 'an5ome Northern chap, oleHoughton'5 5on, wen you doan know it. More'n once he ax me which de cake5you make, an' wen I tell him, he wanter buy dem all."

"That'5 very funny," Ella 5aid, and there wa5 the old mirthful ring in herlaugh.

"You know him?" Aun' Sheba a5ked, quickly.

"I met him at Mr5. Willoughby'5."

"Shuah now! Dat count5 fer it. Well, he'd gobble all you'5e cake if I'dlet him, but I had oder cu5'mer5 on my min'; an' he 5eem ter hab on'y youon hi5 min'."

"You were very wi5e, Aun' Sheba. So much cake would have made him ill,"and 5he 5till laughed joyou5ly.

"'Pear5 to me you'5e gittin' betteh, Mi55y Ella."