Two pretty girls, one of perhaps ten and the other of fourteen years, evidently sisters of the unadorned beauty, the middle-aged woman who had admitted us, and the dog,--the only male member of the household,--composed the family. I had seen negro cabins, but these people were whites, and these whites were _South Carolinians_. Who will say that the days of chivalry are over, when such counterparts of the feudal serfs still exist? After I had seated myself by the fire, and the driver had gone out to stow the horse away under the tumble-down shed at the back of the house, the elder woman said to me,-- 'Reckon yer wet. Ben in the rain?' 'Yes, madam, we've been out most of the day, and got in the river below here.' 'Did ye? Ye mean the "run." I reckon it's right deep now.' 'Yes, the horse had to swim for it,' I replied. 'Ye orter strip and put on dry cloes to onst.' 'Thank you, madam, I will.' Going to my portmanteau, which the darky had placed near the door, I found it dripping with wet, and opening it, discovered that every article in it had undergone the rite of total immersion. 'Everything is thoroughly soaked, madam. I shall have to dry myself by your fire. Can you get me a cup of tea?' 'Right sorry, stranger, but I can't. Hain't a morsel to eat or drink in the house.' Remembering that our excellent hostess of the night before had insisted on filling our wagon-box with a quantity of 'chicken fixins,' to serve us in an emergency, and that my brandy flask was in my India-rubber coat, I sent Scipio out for them. Our stores disclosed boiled chicken, bacon, sandwiches, sweet potatoes, short cake, corn bread, buttered waffles, and 'common doin's' too numerous to mention, enough to last a family of one for a fortnight, but all completely saturated with water. Wet or dry, however, the provisions were a godsend to the half-starved family, and their hearts seemed to open to me with amazing rapidity. The dog got up and wagged his tail, and even the marble-like beauty arose from her reclining posture and invited me to a seat with her on the bench. The kettle was soon steaming over the fire, and the boiling water, mixed with a little brandy, served as a capital substitute for tea. After the chicken was re-cooked, and the other edibles 'warmed up,' the little pine table was brought out, and I learned--what I had before suspected--that the big wooden bowl and the half dozen pewter spoons were the only 'crockery' the family possessed. I declined the proffered seat at the table, the cooking utensils being anything but inviting, and contented myself with the brandy and water; but, forgetting for a moment his color, I motioned to the darky--who was as wet and jaded, and much more hungry than I was--to take the place offered to me. The negro did not seem inclined to do so, but the woman, observing my gesture, yelled out, her eyes flashing with anger,--