Page:Scarlet Sister Mary (1928).pdf/262

 a-lookin like e looks, I would a been so shame I couldn' a held up my head to hear what e was a-sayin."

Maum Hannah made room on the bench and beckoned to Mary to come sit beside her.

"Come set down, Si May-e, I'm glad to see you. I need you to walk home wid me dis mawnin. I'm dat weakened down, I couldn' go dat far by mysef."

The old voice quivered pitifully and a lump came in Mary's own throat as she saw how the drops trickled out from under the shriveled eyelids and rolled down the wrinkled old cheeks.

"What de matter all you, Auntie? Who dat hurted you feelins so you got to cry? You don' like de new way you got to catch chillen?"

As she sat down beside Maum Hannah the narrow bench creaked sharply with the added weight. Mary jumped with a startled laugh, in which all the others but Doll joined. "Do Jedus! Don' let dis bench fall down wid me to-day!" she cried out.

"Fo Gawd's sake, don' make no mistake in dis church to-day, Si May-e. Dis is Gawd's house," Doll warned, but Mary declared there was no danger.

"Dat bench don' like to hold up sich a heavy load o sin, Si May-e," Doll suggested