Page:Scarlet Sister Mary (1928).pdf/282



, we had a time!" Mary said to Maum Hannah when all was over. Then she looked at her two new-born sons and said gently, "Dat picture o' Hell scared me so bad I couldn' wait for de moon to change, enty? An' de pain hit me so hard, I couldn' pray not to save my life! No, Jedus!"

Maum Hannah did not go to bed, but sat by the fire and smoked. She never slept in any bed but her own. Whenever she stayed from home at night she sat by the fire and nodded and smoked without even taking off her shoes.

Mary and the new-born babies were in the big room bed. Mary was too tired even to talk to Seraphine who had unexpectedly come to the landing on the boat that afternoon but could not get home until after the storm. Maum Hannah was mortified for the girl to find Mary lke this. She had been away with fine town people trying to make something of herself, while her mother lived in sin. Mary ought to quit her ways. She had a daughter almost grown now. Maum Hannah talked until the storm had