Her ready answers to all questions were most discreet. A friend of mine asking her what she had seen in her short stop in Washington said, "Did you see the President?"
"No, ma'am, I ain't see de Presidence, but I see de gold pianner," that piece of furniture of the White House seeming the full equal in interest and grandeur of the head of the nation.
Chloe's face during Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show was a study. She would not give way to surprise of any sort, but occasionally I felt a violent punch in my back when Chloe's excitement had reached a point where some action was necessary and she was afraid I might miss something—we were in a box. The presence of none but white servants was very unexpected and unaccountable to Chloe, but she made no sign. She spoke with pride of the table she had to herself and how attentive every one was. She said:—
"Miss Pashuns, I never hurry fu' eat. I look 'roun' en enjoy meself. Fust thing I had fu' brekfust, I had a oringe. I jes' wait en res' meself till I see de lady to de nex' table cut she oringe een half en tek de spoon en eat um wid de spoon, den I dun de same, but I neber let um see I watch um.
"Den de gentleman tek dat plate way, en bring some hom'ny een a saucer. Den I watch de lady en see um put shuger on de hom'ny en por milk on, en I done de same. Den de gen'leman tek dat 'way en bring me sum aig, but I tell um 'Thank yo', sah, but yu needn't truble yo'self to bring me no aig, kase I don't eat aig, neither no mutton kase I don't eat dat needer.' I didn't like him to hav' de trubble fo' bring um en tek um back."
The second day she was there she was quite agitated.
"Miss Pashuns," she said, "I 'most had a accidence. W'en I git een de allivatu de nyung man staat off mos' too quick, un lik' to t'row me down, en 'e was dat skeer till 'e trimble en 'e ketch me a'm en 'e say 'Is yu hurt?' en I mek ansuh, 'No, sa, I ain't hurt,' den 'e say, 'Please don't tell no one. I hope yu ain't hurt, fu' dat would git me in big trubble.' Den I promise I wouldn't tell."
On the way home Chloe stopped several days with my sister in Washington, who took her all over the public buildings. She saw a great deal that I never have seen because I always have so many other things I want to do while in Washington.
When she was being taken through the Capitol and saw in the great hall the statues of distinguished men she went round and examined each one very carefully, then came to where L. was sitting waiting for her, and said in a low tone very wistfully:—
"Miss Luise, Ole Maussa ain't yere."