"Who, me? No, 'deed! I takes my native home along with me when I takes Miss Claudia and Jim and Sally! For what says the catechism?-- 'tis home where'er de heart is!' And my heart is 'long o' de chillun. 'Sides which I don't want to be allus stuck down in one place like an old tree as can't be moved without killing of it. I'm a living soul, I am, and I wants to go and see somethin' of this here world afore I goes hence and bees no more," said Katie briskly. Evidently Katie was a progressive spirit, and would not have hesitated to emigrate to Liberia or any other new colony where she could better herself or her children, and begin life afresh at fifty. At last Katie got up to go, and bade them all a patronizing farewell. Sally, and Jim, who as usual was spending his evening with her, arose to accompany Katie. And Ishmael took his hat and walked out after them. Very much embarrassed they were at this unusual honor, which they could in no wise understand, until at length when they had gone some little way into the woods Ishmael said: "I have something to say to you three." "Yes, sir," said Katie, speaking for the rest. "Katie, you are acquainted with that psychological mystery called presentiment, for I have heard you speak of it," said Ishmael, smiling half in doubt, half in derision of his present feelings. "Ye-es, sir," answered Katie hesitatingly, "I believe in persentiments; though what you mean by sigh-what's-its-name, I don't know." "Never mind, Katie, you believe in presentiments?" "Indeed do I! and got reason to, too! Why, law! the month before Mrs. Merlin, as was Miss Claudia's mother, died. I sperienced the most 'stonishing--" "Yes, I know. You told me all about that before, Katie." "Why, so I did, to be sure, sir, when you were lying wounded at the house!" "Yes. Well, Katie, some such feeling as that of which you speak, vague, but very strong, impels me to say what I am about to say to you all." "Yes, sir. Listen, chillun!" said Katie, in a voice of such awful solemnity that Ishmael again smiled at what he was inclined to characterize as the absurdity of believing in presentiments. "You three are going to Europe in attendance upon Lady Vincent." "Yes, sir. Listen, chillun!" again said Katie, keeping her eyes fixed upon Ishmael and nudging her companions right and left with her elbows. "You will be all of her friends, all of her native country, all of her past life that she will take with her." "Yes, sir. Listen, chillun!" and another elbow dig, right and left. "She is going among strangers, foreigners, possibly rivals and enemies." "Yes, sir. Listen, chillun--now it's a-comin'!" "She may need all your devotion. Be vigilant, therefore. Watch over her, care for her, think for her, pray for her; let her honor and happiness be the one charge and object of your lives." "Yes, sir. Listen, chillun! you hears, don't you?" A sharp reminder right and left brought out the responses "yes" and "yes" from Jim and Sally.