RAFT-BUILDING. 67 
A comfortable sense of warmth stole through Lex's 
sturdy little frame, as he watched his mother going about 
the room in her preparations for supper. On the table, 
bare, but clean, were set three plates of different sizes, 
and in varied stages of repair ; a small teapot, a plate of 
hoe-cakes, and a cracked mug full of a dark liquid that 
Lex's critical eye told him was molasses. 
A cup and saucer for Chloe herself completed the tea- 
set, and Lex was told to take his place beside his mother 
and sister, the latter being a year or two younger than 
himself. His father had gone quietly away to another 
country five years before, leaving his poor black earth- 
clothes in the little burying-ground outside the city. 
"Be quiet, chilluns ! " said Chloe, softly, raising her 
hand. Then she proceeded to say grace — rather longer 
than common, Lex thought, sniffing the hoe-cakes with 
his eyes shut. 
" 0 Lo'd," she concluded, her voice beginning to trem- 
ble strangely, " bress dese yere chilluns ! 0 doan fergit 
yo' brack chilluns, what yo' led outen de wild'ness, 0 
Lo'd, an' don't let dese yere little ones freeze wid cold, or 
die fer want of food, an' doan, 0 Lord — Amen." 
Lex looked up, surprised at her abrupt close, and caught 
sight of two big tears rolling down her cheeks. 
"'0 mammy! mammy! what ye done cry fer?" he 
begged, laying his head again on her shoulder. " What 
makes y' ask Mass, Lo'd " (she never could break him of 
saying that) " ter keep us f'm freezin' ? " 
