"Unfortunately, he objected to the children, but, thinking the mother could board them out, told her to 'get rid of the children' and he would employ her.
"The next day he came to me with a face of horror. 'Captain,' he said, 'the cook you sent me has murdered both her children!'
"'Murdered them?' I cried.
"'Yes. She is in the office, and you will have to see her, I suppose. It is awful!'
"I found the woman waiting my coming with a face of perfect composure.
"'Hannah,' I said, after I had heard the accusation of the people in the house where the crime was committed, 'what have you to say?'
"'Nuffin', Mars' Cap'n. Mars' T—— done sed I mus' git rid o' de picaninnies; and dey was bothersome, anyway—allers eatin', 'deed dey was, Mars' Cap'n'—this very earnestly, as if to defend herself—' allers a-hollerin' for suffin' to eat.'
"'But, Hannah, Mr. T—— wanted you to leave them with some of the women to board.'
"'Nebber sed so. Jes' sed—'deed he did—"You get rid o' dem chillens an' come here to cook." So I jes' waited till dey was asleep, an' cut deir throats. Dey nebber screeched.'
"I was sick with horror, but through the whole of the examination the woman showed no sign of emotion, though we all went to the house where the two pretty babies lay, stone dead."