AUNT MANDY'S INVESTMENT
"Yes, 'way down South — she 's ve'y ol'."
"I reckon some o' us ol' folks does live too long past dey times."
"No, you don't; you could n't. I wish God the world was full of jest sich ol' people as you an' my mothah is."
"Bless you, honey, I laks to hyeah you talk dat way 'bout yo' mammy. I ain' 'fred to trus' my money wif no man dat knows how to 'spect his mothah." The old woma rose to go. Ruggles followed her to the door. He was trembling with some emotion. He shook the investor warmly by the hand as he bade her good-bye. "I shall do the ve'y bes' I kin fu' you," he said.
"How soon kin I hyeah 'bout it?"
"I've took yo' address, an' you kin expect to hyeah from me in a week's time — that's sooner than we do anything fu' most of ouah customers."
"Thanky, sir, fu' the favour; thanky, an' good-bye, Mistah Ruggles."
The head of the company went in and sat for a long time dreaming over his table.
A week later an angry crowd of coloured investors stood outside the office of the Coloured
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