fi4 F O R T Y - F O IT R V E A R K O P 



Stay at. home. She will not better herself much by it ; for 

 she will have all to attend to, and no one to help her ex- 

 cept that old sleepy negro ; as Pappy swears he won't hire 

 a girl. But fsirewell, Browning ; you will not be long 

 here." And off she went, at a rapid pace. 



I watched her receding form as long as I could see her , 

 for 1 was very sorry that she had left. From what she 

 had said to me during a minute or two, I concluded that 

 the old lady was suspicious that our friendship was be- 

 coming too warm ; and I thought then, and have always 

 since thought, that something of that kind was the reason 

 why her daughter left home. That was the last I ever 

 saw of Nancy ; who, in my opinion, was as fine a girl as 

 Western Virginia contained. 



After Nancy had gone, I went to the stone-quarry, in 

 which I, with others, was engaged in preparing stone for 

 building a very large house. Hands of all trades were 

 also gathered there to finish the building. 



Several days passed by before I understood why Nancy 

 said to me, " You will not be long here." The very morn- 

 ing on which my four months were up, I was lying on my 

 bear-skin in the shavings, with my blanket thrown over 

 ray head to keep off the mosquitoes, when I felt it drawn 

 off ray face, and presently down carae a laigo bucket of 

 cold water all over me. I bounded to my feet, and in- 

 quired of the old lady what that was done for. She re- 

 plied, because I should not be lying there till that time in 

 the morning, and receiving high wages ; and she said that 

 she would do the same thing every time she caught me so 

 late in bed ; though at that time there was no one up but 

 herself. 



I said to her, " I have been at all times ready to do all 

 in my power to keep you in a good humor ; but you will 

 never again have an opportunity of treating me thus ; 

 for I will never strike another stroke on your farm while 



