The Creature Was Dressed In A Ragged, Dirty Purple Stuff Gown, Cut Very Low In The Neck, With An Old Red Cotton Handkerchief Tied Over Her Head; Her Uncombed, Tangled Locks Falling Over Her Thin, Inquisitive Face, In A State Of Perfect Nature.

Her legs and feet were bare, and, in her coarse, dirty red hands, she swung to and fro an empty glass decanter.

"What can she want?" I asked myself. "What a strange creature!"

And there she stood, staring at me in the most unceremonious manner, her keen black eyes glancing obliquely to every corner of the room, which she examined with critical exactness.

Before I could speak to her, she commenced the conversation by drawling through her nose, "Well, I guess you are fixing here."

I thought she had come to offer her services; and I told her that I did not want a girl, for I had brought one out with me.

"How!" responded the creature, "I hope you don't take me for a help. I'd have you to know that I'm as good a lady as yourself. No; I just stepped over to see what was going on. I seed the teams pass our'n about noon, and I says to father, 'Them strangers are cum; I'll go and look arter them.' 'Yes,' says he, 'do - and take the decanter along. May be they'll want one to put their whiskey in.' 'I'm goin to,' says I; so I cum across with it, an' here it is.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 97 of 670
Words from 26309 to 26562 of 181664