nurses an' bein' washed an' dressed an' took out
to walk as if they was puppies!"

"It is different in India," said Mistress
Mary disdainfully. She could scarcely stand this.

But Martha was not at all crushed.

"Eh! I can see it's different," she answered
almost sympathetically. "I dare say it's because
there's such a lot o' blacks there instead o' respectable
white people. When I heard you was comin'
from India I thought you was a black too."

Mary sat up in bed furious.

"What!" she said. "What! You thought I
was a native. You -- you daughter of a pig!"

Martha stared and looked hot.

"Who are you callin' names?" she said.
"You needn't be so vexed. That's not th' way
for a young lady to talk. I've nothin' against th'
blacks. When you read about 'em in tracts they're
always very religious. You always read as a
black's a man an' a brother. I've never seen a
black an' I was fair pleased to think I was goin'
to see one close. When I come in to light your
fire this mornin' I crep' up to your bed an' pulled
th' cover back careful to look at you. An' there
you was," disappointedly, "no more black than
me -- for all you're so yeller."

Mary did not even try to control her rage and
humiliation.

[[34]]

p033 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p034w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p035

v?