Lou was tearful and depressed over the death of the old woman, whom she had loved, who indeed was as a gentle grandmother to her, and going home from the burial had but little to say; and Tom, respecting what to him was a strange grief, walked along in silence. And for the most part Jim was silent, too, but Mrs. Mayfield was aroused by what she had seen and heard. "Every day this rugged world up here presents something new, Mr. Reverend. Instead of becoming more able to compare it with other places I have known, it is further and further removed as time passes. Of course I had read books and heard songs, but never before coming here did I believe that in real slavery had there existed poetry." "They tell me, ma'm, that the greatest poetry has come out of the dark," he replied, walking with his eyes cast down. "Then even as a Southerner you don't believe that slavery was right." "No, ma'm, for slavery must dwarf the soul and the Book teaches that the Ethiopian had a soul to save." "But some of the slaves must have been kindly treated." "Yes, ma'm, but the true way to be kind to ignorance is to enlighten it." "The old man who preached had known enlightenment and yet he holds no bitterness against the people who kept his race in the dark." "Ma'm, as a general thing the negro is not revengeful. Sometimes he is a beast and he commits terrible crimes, but he is often like an animal--a dog. Kindness makes him forget an injury. With his strong animal nature his affection is warm, and sometimes when he forgets revenge he has also forgotten gratitude." He fell into silence and they walked slowly along, now far behind the others. She strove to lead him back into a discussion, but he would not talk, and when they reached the house, she sat down alone, and he stood out at the fence, looking up and down the road. A man came along and asked him how much longer he expected to remain in the neighborhood, and glancing round at the house, at the woman who sat near the door, he replied: "Don't think I'm going to stay much longer. Have you had any news from over my way?" "None except they are anxious for you to come on back." "Well, you may tell them that they may expect me soon." That night the household went early to bed, with the exception of Old Jasper who, with a candle, sat at his table, not reading the story paper, but attempting to write. CHAPTER XV. THE GIRL AND THE CHURN. The next morning Lou was churning out in the yard and near her Mrs. Mayfield sat, sewing. The scene was inspiring. Off to the right flowed the blue creek, and everywhere were the hills, softly purple in the distance. "Things look so lonesome since poor mammy died," said the girl. "But her passing away was beautiful," the city woman made reply, sewing, thinking, glancing up with a sigh and then permitting her gaze to wander off among the hills. "You were very fond of her, weren't you?"