But Annawillee sat on the floor and sang about the papoosh, a song of a poor Klootchman deserted by her man and left with her child:
"Oh, nika tenas
Hyas nika klahowyam,
Hyu keely,
Konaway sun,
Nika tenas.
"Ah, my little one,
Sad am I——
I mourn and weep,
Ah, still must cry,
Ah, my little one, every day!"
Annie screamed at her.
"Pelton Annawillee, halo mamook Jenny keely, make her not mournful, pelton, oh, fool!"
"I love papoosh," said Annawillee. She burst into tears.
"Take heem, Jenny, take yo' papoosh. Mine mimaloose, is dead."
Jenny took the baby to her bosom, and sat down desolately on the edge of Annie's bed. Her body shivered at the foulness of things, even as her soul shivered for fear about George. An hour ago she had been happy, happy, happy! Now——
"Oh, God," she prayed. But she could not weep.
"Jenny, you have dlink, you tak' one dlink, tenas toketie?" said Annie. What else was there but "dlink" for misery, for the loss of a home, for the loss of her man?