“I don’t need to think at all,” Elsie returned, with a happy little laugh. “I have only to ask papa what he will choose to have me wear; and sometimes he saves me even that trouble by telling me unasked.”
“I don’t know whether I’d quite prefer that or not,” Annis said; “but good-night, I’ll go now, for I see you are ready for bed.”
Annis fell asleep that night and woke again next morning full of pleasing anticipations of the coming festivities; but wisely determined to give her whole mind to her lessons until after recitation.
Her toilet was almost finished when Elsie came in, her eyes shining and her face full of some pleasurable excitement. She had been up for more than an hour, had had her morning Bible reading with her father and a little chat afterward.
“Good-morning, Annis,” she said. “Oh, make haste and come with me. I’ve something to show you!”
“Have you? Well I’m ready now.”
Elsie led the way to a part of the house Annis had never seen, bringing her at length into a large room where two mulatto women were busily at work, one sewing by hand, the other on a machine. Both faces brightened noticeably at sight of their little mistress.
“Good-morning, Aunt Kitty,” she said in her sweet, gentle tones, addressing the older woman, who hastily laid down her sewing to hand a chair for each little lady. “I’ve brought my cousin to see you and some of the pretty things kept here.”
“Is you, honey? Well, you knows Ise always pow’ful glad to see yo’ lubly face in hyar. An’ what’s yo’ cousin’s name, Miss Elsie?”
“Annis Keith, Aunt Kitty. Rachel,” turning to the younger servant, “how are you to-day? is that bad cold quite gone?”