“Well, I declare, if that isn’t the fifth customer Madame Jozain has had this morning,” said Pepsie to Tite Souris, a few days after the new arrival. “She must be doing a good business, for they all buy; at least they all come out with paper parcels.”
“An’ jes’ see dem chil’ren crowd ’roun’ dat do. Lor’, dey doant cum ter yer winner eny mo’, Miss Peps’,” said Tite, with an accent of disgust, as she brushed the pecan-shells from Pepsie’s table. “Dey jes stan’ ober dar ter git a glimge uv dat dar goslin’ de littl’ gal holes all day. Po chile! she might’ lunsum, setten dar all ’lone.”
“Tite, oh, Tite, can’t you coax her across the street? I want to see her near,” cried Pepsie eagerly; “I want to see what kind of a bird that is.”
“Dem chil’ren say how it’s a herin’. I doant believe dat—hit ain’t no ways lak dem herin’s in de sto, what dey has in pickl’. Sho! dat ain’t no herin’, hit’s a goslin’; I’se done see goslin’s on de plantashun, an’ hit’s a goslin’, shore nuff.”
“Well, I want to see for myself, Tite. Go there to the fence, and ask her to come here; tell her I’ll give her some pecans.”
Tite went on her mission, and lingered so long, staring with the others, that her mistress had to call her back. She returned alone. Lady Jane declined to accept the invitation.
“’T ain’t no use,” said Tite energetically. “She wunt cum. She on’ hugs dat dar long-legged bird, an’ looks at yer solum, lak a owel; ’t ain’t no use, she wunt cum. She might’ stuck up, Miss Peps’. She say she doan’t want peccuns. Ain’t dat cur’ous? Oh, Lor, doan’t want peccuns! Well, white chil’ren is der beatenes’ chil’ren!’ and Tite went to her work, muttering her surprise at the “cur-ousness” of white children in general, and Lady Jane in particular.
All day long Pepsie watched, hoping that the little girl might change her mind, and decide to be more neighborly; but she was doomed to disappointment. Near night, feeling that it was useless to hope, and noticing that madame’s customers were dropping off, she sought consolation in a game of solitaire.
Just as she was at the most exciting point, a slight rustling sound attracted her attention, and, looking up, she saw a little figure in a soiled white frock, with long yellow hair falling over her shoulders, and a thick, neglected bang almost touching her eyebrows. The little face was pale and sorrowful; but a faint smile dimpled the lips, and the eyes were bright and earnest. Lady Jane was holding the bird up in both hands over the iron railing, and when she caught Pepsie’s surprised glance she said very politely and very sweetly:
“Would you like to see Tony?”