(Child continues crying.)
“Why what upon earth ails the child? Rose, you’ve hurt this child, somehow or other!”
“No m’m, ’cla’ I didn’t—I was jist sitt’n down dar in the rock’n chair long side o’ Miss Nancy’s bureau, an’ want doin’ nothin’ ’tall to him, jis playin’ wid him, and he jis begin to cry heself, when nobody wa’n’t doin’ nothin’ ’tall to him, and nobody wa’nt in dar nuther sept jis me and him, and I was—”
“Nhing—nhing—nhing—and I expect you hit his head against the bureau.”
“Let Muddy see where ole bad Yosey knocky heady ’gin de bureaus. Muddy will see,” taking off the child’s cap, and finding nothing.
(Child cries on.)
“Muddy’s baby was hongry. Dat was what ails muddy’s darling, th’sweety ones. Was cho hongry, an’ nobody would givy litty darling any sings ’tall for eaty?” (loosing her frock bosom.) “No, nobody would gim t’shweety ones any sings fo’ eat ’tall”—(offers the breast to the child, who rejects it, rolls over, kicks, and screams worse than ever.)
“Hush, you little brat! I believe it’s nothing in the world but crossness. Hush! (shaking it,) hush, I tell you!”
(Child cries to the ne plus ultra.)
“Why surely a pin must stick the child. Yes, was e bad pin did ticky chilluns. Let muddy see where de uggy pin did ticky dear prettous creter,” (examining.) “Why no, it isn’t a pin. Why what can be the matter with the child! It must have the cholic surely. Rose, go bring me the paragoric off the mantle-piece. Yes, muddy’s baby did hab e tolic. Dat was what did ail muddy’s prettous darly baby.”