(Pressing it to her bosom and rocking it. Child cries on.)
Rose brought the paragoric, handed it, dodged, and got her expectations realized as before.
“Now go bring me the sugar, and some water.”
Rose brought them, and delivered both without the customary reward; for at that instant, the child being laid perfectly still on the lap, hushed.
The paragoric was administered, and the child received it with only a whimper now and then. As soon as it received the medicine, the mother raised it up and it began to cry.
“Why Lord help my soul, what’s the matter with the child! what have you done to him, you little hussy?”
(Rising and walking towards Rose.)
“ ’Cla’, Missis, I eint done nothin’ ’tall—was jis sittin’ down da by Miss Nancy’s bu—”
“You lie, you slut!” (hitting her a passing slap,) “I know you’ve hurt him. Hush, my baby,” (singing the Coquet,) “don’t you cry, your sweetheart will come by’m’by; da, de dum dum dum day, da de dum diddle dum dum day.”
(Child cries on.)