"If you can stand it, Mr. Morgan." There was not the slightest embarrassment; the brown eyes were frank and encouraging; he placed his hands upon the fence and leaped lightly over. "What a family you have!" he said. She smiled, turning her face to him as she scattered dough and gently pushed away the troublesome birds. "Many birds' mouths to fill; and they will have to fill some mouths too, one of these days, poor things." "That is but fair." "I suppose so; but what a mission in life--just to fill somebody's mouth." "The mission of many poor men and women I have seen," he said, "is merely to fill mouths. And sometimes they get so poor they can't do that." "And sometimes chickens get the same way," she said, sagely, at which both laughed outright. Her face resumed its placid expression almost instantly. "It must be sad to be very poor; how I wish they could arrange for all of the poor people to come out here and find homes; there seems to be so much land wasted." "They would not stay long anywhere away from the city," he said; "but do you never sigh for city life?" "I prefer it," she replied, simply, "but we cannot afford it. And there is no one to take care of this place. It is harder on Annie, brother's wife. She simply detests the country. When I graduated--" "You graduated!" he exclaimed, almost incredulously. She looked at him surprised. "Yes, I am young, seventeen this month, but that is not extraordinary. Mamma graduated at the same age, sixteen, forty years ago." A servant approached, spoon in hand. "Want some more lard, missy." She took her bunch of keys, and selecting one that looked like the bastile memento at Mount Vernon, unlocked the smoke-house door and waited. "Half of that will do, Gincy," she said, not looking around as she talked with Morgan, and the woman returned half. "Now," she continued to him, "I must go see about the milking." "I will go, too, if you do not object! This is all new and enjoyable." They came to where the women were at work. As they stood looking on, a calf came up and stood by the girl's side, letting her rub its sensitive ears. A little kid approached, too, and bleated. "Aunt Mollie," Mary asked, "has its mother come up yet?" "No, ma'am. Spec' somep'n done cotch her!" "See if he will drink some cow's milk--give me the cup." She offered him a little, and the hungry animal drank eagerly. "Let him stay in the yard until he gets large enough to feed himself." Then turning to Morgan, laughing, she said: "I expect you are hungry, too; I wonder why papa does not come." "Is he up?" "Oh, yes; he goes about early in the morning--there he comes now!" The soldierly form of the old man was seen out among the pines. "Bring in breakfast, Gincy," she called, and presently several negroes sped across the yard, carrying smoking dishes into the cool basement dining-room. Then the bell rang.