"That's neither here nor there," said the judge. "It is your business to have her at school every morning and to see that she submits to the regulations. You are an able-bodied woman and have an able-bodied husband. Why don't you move into a decent house in a decent neighborhood?"
"There ain't nothin' the matter with our neighborhood. If you'd jes' git 'em to fix the house up some. The roof leaks something scandalous."
"Who is your landlord?"
"Well, they tell me he is," said Mrs. Snawdor, pointing a malicious finger at Mr. Clarke. This coup d'etat caused considerable diversion, and the judge had to call the court sharply to order.
"Is that your husband in the rear of the room?" he asked Mrs. Snawdor.
"Law, no; that's Mr. Burks, our boarder. I begged Snawdor to come, but he's bashful."
"Well, Mr. Burks, will you step forward and tell us what you know of this little girl?"
Uncle Jed cleared his throat, made a pass at the place where his front hair used to be, and came forward.
"Have you known this child long?" asked the judge.
"Eleven years, going on twelve," said Uncle Jed, with a twinkle in his small eyes, "me an' her grandpa fought side by side in the battle of Chickasaw Bluffs."