She appeared at the open kitchen door basket in hand, and marched in without stopping to knock. "I heerd Miss Mildred was sick and couldn't eat nothin'," she said; "and I knowed you hadn't no garden sass o' your own; so I fetched over some tomats; we have a lot this year, real splendid big ones, and there ain't nothin' tastes better when you're gettin' over the agur, than tomats. "Just you cut 'em up with vinegar and pepper and salt, and if she don't say they're first-rate eatin'--I'm mistaken; that's all." "Thank you, you're very kind, Miss Nightcap," said Aunt Wealthy, looking so pleased and grateful that the girl could not take the misnomer as an intentional insult. "Pshaw!" she said, "it's nothin'; we've plenty of 'em." Having emptied her basket upon the table, she was starting for the door, but looked back. "Say, do you want a girl?" "Yes, indeed, if we can get one that's worth anything." "Well, Celestia Ann Hunsinger told me she wouldn't mind coming here for a spell; 'cause she wants money to git new clo'es." "What sort of a girl is she?" "Pretty high-strung and spunky, but some punkuns for work." "Thank you. I'll tell Mrs. Keith about it, and send you word directly after breakfast." "All right. I guess she'll come if you want her." She was scarcely gone when the door at the foot of the stairs opened, and Mildred's pale face appeared. "Aunt Wealthy, it is too bad to see you at work here. Let me get breakfast. I do think I can. The children are dressing each other, mother has the baby and won't let me do anything up there." "Well, you'll not find me a whit more tractable," returned Miss Stanhope. "Let you get breakfast, indeed! I'd be worse than a brute if I did. "Go into the sitting-room and lie down on the lounge," she continued taking up one of the finest tomatoes and beginning to divest it of its skin, "and I'll bring you something presently that I really hope will taste good to you. "That Miss Heavycap brought you a present. She's not over refined, but good-hearted, I think, in spite of her rude ways and rough talk." "Yes, they have been very kind and neighborly; I wish they were the sort of people one could enjoy being intimate with," Mildred said, languidly. "Auntie, let me skin those tomatoes." "Child, you look ready to drop." "Do I?" smiling faintly, "well, I'll sit down to it. I really can't let you do everything. How fine and large these are; are they what Rhoda Jane brought?" "Yes; for your breakfast. I hope you'll relish them; and the corn-pone I have in the oven, too." "See here! haven't I learned how?" cried Rupert exultingly, stepping in at the open door and holding up a foaming bucket of milk "Viny never persuaded old Suky to give us so much." "It's beautiful," said Aunt Wealthy, taking it from him with a congratulatory smile. "I'll strain it at once before the cream begins to rise." "I'll carry the pans down cellar. And what more can I do, auntie?"