"Fo' de Lawd!" Minna-Lu turned upon him fiercely, for she was superstitious to the very marrow. "Wa' fo' yo' come hyar, skeerin' de bref out a mah bones wif yo' sp'r'ts! Yo' go long home wha' yo' b'long."
But Wilkins was not to be repulsed in this manner. "Nebber see sech ha'r, an' jes' lillum-white--"
"Oh, go 'long! Lillum-white ha'r," interrupted Minna-Lu, with scathing sarcasm. "Huccome yo' know de angels hab lillum-white ha'r?"
"Huccome I know?--'Case I see de shine, jes' lake yo' see in de dror'n-room."
"De shine ob lillum-white ha'r in de dror'n-room! 'Pears lake yo' head struck ile--"
"Yo' hol' yo' tongue, Minna-Lu," retorted Wilkins, irritated at the continued evidence of disbelief on the part of his coadjutor. "Jes' yo' hide back ob de dumb-waitah to-morrah ebenin' when de dessert comes on, an' see fo' yo'se'f!" He departed in high dudgeon, and Minna-Lu gurgled long and low to herself, but, in her turn, was interrupted by the sound of tripping steps on the basement flight.
Minna-Lu hastily put her fat hands up to her turban to see if it were on straight, and smoothed her apron, muttering:
"Clar to goodness, ef it ain't jes' mah luck to hab little Missus come into dis yere hen-roost?" she rapidly surveyed her immaculate kitchen with anxious eye.
"Minna-Lu, this is my friend, Miss Rose; the one who did up those lovely preserves, and here are some new-laid eggs and some cheeses that Miss Maria-Ann Simmons--you know I told you all about her and the hens--has sent papa."
Minna-Lu gazed at Rose in open admiration. The faithful colored retainer had her thorny side and her blossom one.