“I swar I never did feel so in all my born days. I didn’t know what to do.
“ ‘My Lord, Miss Mary,’ ses I, ‘I didn’t go to do it; jest tell me the way to the kitchen, and I’ll go and git a light.’
“But she never said nothin’, so I sot down agin, thinkin’ she’d gone to git one herself, for it was pitch dark, and I couldn’t see my hand afore my face.
“Well, I sot thar and ruminated, and waited a long time, but she didn’t come, so I begun to think maybe she wasn’t gone. I couldn’t hear nothin’, nor I couldn’t see nothin’; so bimeby ses I, very low, for I didn’t want to wake up the family, ses I:
“ ‘Miss Mary! Miss Mary!’ but nobody answered.
“Thinks I, what’s to be done? I tryed agin.
“ ‘Miss Mary! Miss Mary!’ ses I, but it was no use.
“Then I heard the gals snickerin’ and laughin’ in the next room, and I begun to see how it was; Miss Mary was gone, and left me thar alone.
“ ‘Whar’s my hat?’ ses I, pretty loud, so somebody might tell me; but they only laughed worse.
“I begun to feel about the room, and the fust thing I knew, spang! goes my head agin a dore that was standin’ open. The fire flew, and I couldn’t help but swar a little.