An' I'll do somethin' fer Missy
sometime, I will. An' she give me dis fine dress too." She bent over and
smoothed out one of the little ruffles, and chuckled happily.
Her mammy was busy preparing breakfast when Estralla slid quietly into
the kitchen. When she did look around and saw the child wearing the pink
dress she nearly dropped the dish of hot bacon which Jennie was waiting
to take to the dining-room.
"Wha' on earth did you get you' pink dress? Did Missy give it to you?
Well, you step out to the cabin and take it off. This minute! Put you'
blue frock right on. Like as not her mammy won't let you keep it," and
Aunt Connie hurried Jennie off to the dining-room with the breakfast
tray.
Estralla did not know what to do. Her blue dress was hung over a syringa
bush behind the cabin. And at the dreadful thought that Mrs. Fulton
might take away the pink dress she began to cry.
"Missy Sylvia said 'twas faded. She said to put it on," whimpered
Estralla.
Aunt Connie began to be more hopeful. If the dress was faded--and she
turned and looked at it more closely.
"Well, honey, 'tis faded. An' I guess Missy Sylvia's mammy won' take it
back. An' it's the Sabbath day, so you jes' wear it," she said, patting
the little woolly head. "Mammy's glad to have you dressed up; but you
be mighty keerful."
"Yas, Mammy. I jes' love Missy Sylvia," replied the little girl, now all
smiles, and forgetting how nearly she had come to serious trouble.
Nothing more was said to Sylvia about the broken pitcher; but when
Jennie put the room in order, and brought down the broken pieces, Aunt
Connie exclaimed: "Good massy! It's a good thing my Estralla didn't do
that! I'd 'a' cuffed her well, I su'ly would.
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