“I think I shall have to leave that as a riddle to be worked out at our leisure.” “Oh, the terrible infant! What did you say? what could you say?” “I scarcely know what I did or did not say. He spoke first, saying something about the originality of Laura’s mode of introducing people, and I made some confused, meaningless reply, and then, after we had exchanged a few commonplaces—” “Miss Lucy!” broke in a voice; and, looking up, we saw, thrust in at the partly-open parlor-door, the face of Molly, the nurse. “Miss Lucy, won’t you please, ma’am, step here a minute?” The broad grin on her face excited curiosity, while it allayed alarm. “Why, what’s the matter, Molly?” “Dat gent’mun say—” And Molly was straightway overcome by an acute attack of the giggles. “What?” “Dat ’ere gent’mun he axed me to ax de lady o’ de house ef he mought’n take Laura round to Pizzini’s for some ice-cream.”[1] This was before the days of the Charley Ross horror; but the proposition threw all the young ladies into a ferment, and ejaculation followed ejaculation in rapid succession. At last Alice rose, flew up-stairs, and presently returned with her mother. “What’s all this?” began Mrs. Carter. “Yes, ma’am, dis is adzactly how ’twas. Laura and me, we was a-standin’ on the cornder a-lookin’, and here comes de gent’mun dat’s always a-bringin’ her de candy, and, says he, ‘Good-evenin’, little Rosebud,’ says jess so, and ‘Howdy do, my gal,’ says he, polite-like, and says I, ‘Sarvant, mahster,’ says I, ‘I’m about,’ says I; and den Marse Jack he comed up, and Laura, she called Marse Jack out o’ he name. ‘Lor’ me,’ says I, ‘chill’un don’t know no better.’ Howsomdever, I told her, I did, ‘Heish!’ says I, easy-like, and ‘Mind your raisin,’ says I, jess as I tell you, and Marse Jack will say de same; and Marse Jack he comed on here to de house, and we was a-standin’ on de cornder, and de gent’mun says, ‘Laura,’ says he, ‘I ain’t got no candy for you to-day, but I want you to go wid me to Pizzini’s to get some ice-cream and cake; and won’t you go, my gal,’ says he, ‘an’ ax de lady of the house, down yonder, ef I mought’n take little Laura to Pizzini’s?’ Dat’s jess what he said, he did, jess as I tell you, mum; and Laura she clap her hands, she did, and ‘Come on, less go,’ says she, widout waitin’ for nothin’ nor nobody, she did.” A brisk discussion, with opinions about equally divided, now sprang up as to the propriety of acceding to the request of the stranger; but upon Molly’s stating that the gentleman expected her to accompany Laura, a strong majority voted in the affirmative; and when the little lady herself, unable to control her impatience, came bustling into the parlor, her curls dancing, her cheeks glowing, her eyes sparkling with expectancy, the proposition was carried unanimously; to the obvious satisfaction of Molly, who lost no time in sallying forth with her little charge.