“Come, ’Lena, catch hold and help me untie this rope, I b’lieve the crockery’s in here,” said Mrs. Nichols to ’Lena, who soon opened the chest, disclosing to view as motley a variety of articles as is often seen.
Among the rest was the “blue set,” a part of her “setting out,” as his grandmother told John Jr., at the same time dwelling at length upon their great value. Mistaking Carrie’s look of contempt for envy, Mrs. Nichols chucked her under the chin, telling her “May be there was something for her, if she was a good girl.”
“Now, Cad, turn your nose up clear to the top of your head,” said John Jr., vastly enjoying his sister’s vexation.
“Where does your marm keep her china? I want to put this with it,” said Mrs. Nichols to Anna, who, uncertain what reply to make, looked at Carrie to answer for her.
“I reckon mother don’t want that old stuff stuck into her china-closet,” said Carrie, elevating her nose to a height wholly satisfactory to John Jr., who unbuttoned one of his waistband buttons to give himself room to laugh.
“Mortal sakes alive! I wonder if she don’t,” returned Mrs. Nichols, beginning to get an inkling of Carrie’s character, and the estimation in which her valuables were held.
“Here’s a nice little cupboard over the fireplace; I’d put them here,” said ’Lena.
“Yes,” chimed in John Jr., imitating both his grandmother and cousin; “yes, granny, put ’em there; the niggers are awful critters to steal, and like enough you’d ’lose ’em if they sot in with marm’s!”
This argument prevailed. The dishes were put away in the cupboard, ’Lena thinking that with all his badness John Jr., was of some use after all. At last, tired of looking on, Anna suggested to ’Lena, who did not seem to be helping matters forward much, that the should go and be dressed up as had been first proposed. Readily divining her sister’s intention, Carrie ran with it to her mother, who sent back word that “’Lena must mind her own affairs, and let Anna’s dresses alone!”
This undeserved thrust made ’Lena cry, while Anna declared “her mother never said any such thing,” which Carrie understood as an insinuation that she had told a falsehood. Accordingly a quarrel of words ensued between the two sisters, which was finally quelled by John Jr., who called to Carrie “to come down, as she’d got a letter from Durward Bellmont.”