Skillfully and firmly he kept her on the seat in the rear where she could not see the lawn. He said everything he could think of to please her. She would smile and kiss him in her old sweet way until his heart was full to bursting.
“Do you remember, Mama, how many times when you were so sick I used to slip up close and kiss your mouth and eyes?”
“I often dreamed you were kissing me.”
“I thought you would know. I’ll soon be a man. I’m going to be rich, and build a great house and you are going to live in it with me, and I am to take care of you as long as you live.”
“I expect you will marry some pretty girl, and almost forget your old Mama who will be getting grey.”
“But I’ll never love anybody like I love you, Mama dear!”
His little arms slipped around her neck, held her close for a moment, and then he tenderly kissed her.
After supper he sought Nelse.
“Nelse, we must work out the flowers in the lawn. Mama wants to see them. It was all I could do to keep her from going out there to-day.”
“Lawd chile, hit’ll take two niggers er week ter clean out dat lawn. Hits gone fur dis year. Yer Ma’ll know dat, honey.”