FOLKS FROM DIXIE
alone, and he was her heart and the hope of her life.
"Yes," he said, "I've got a little mother up there in Ohio."
"Well, I 's gwine to be yo' mothah down hyeah; dat is, ef I ain't too rough an' common fu' you."
"Hush!" exclaimed the preacher, and he got up and took the old lady's hand in both of his own. "You shall be my mother down here; you shall help me, as you have done to-day. I feel better already."
"I knowed you would;" and the old face beamed on the young one. "An' now jes' go out de do' dah an' wash yo' face. Dey's a pan an' soap an' watah right dah, an' hyeah's a towel; den you kin go right into yo' room, fu' I knows you want to be erlone fu' a while. I'll fix yo' suppah while you rests."
He did as he was bidden. On a rough bench outside the door, he found a basin and a bucket of water with a tin dipper in it. To one side, in a broken saucer, lay a piece of coarse soap. The facilities for copious ablutions were not abundant, but one thing the minister noted with pleasure the towel, which was rough and hurt
36
