"At my age! 'Liphalet, you do talk as ef I was about fifty."
"Well, ef I do, I ain't a sayin' what I want to say, so I'd better hush. Where is the little fellow?"
For answer, Miss Prime pushed the door open and bade him peep. Freddie was still upon the floor, absorbed in his book. The man's face lighted up: he pulled the door to long enough to say, "I tell you, Miss Hester, that boy's a-goin' to make a great reader or a speaker or somethin'. Jest look how wrapped up he is in that book."
"Well, I do hope an' pray to goodness that he'll make somethin' better than his father ever made."
"Ef he don't under yore trainin', it'll be because there ain't nothin' in him.—Come here, Freddie," called Hodges, pushing the door open, and holding out his hand with a smile. The child got up from the floor and came and put his hand in the outstretched one.
"Well, I declare!" exclaimed Miss Hester. "I tried my level best to git that child to make up with me, an' he would n't."
"It's jest like I say, Miss Hester: you 'ain't never had no experunce in raisin' childern."
