Part 6 (1/2)
”No so'les? Huh, _I'se_ seen many a corpo'ration dat hatter have good thick _leather_ soles fer ter tote 'em round. Well, well, times is sho' 'nough changed an' dese hyer Norf ways don't set well on my bile; dey rises it, fer sure. So dey ain't gwine _trus'_ you, Baby? Where dey live at who has de sesso 'bout it all?”
”The main office is in the city, Mammy, but they have, of course, a local agent here.”
”Wha' yo' mean by a loc.u.m agen', honey?”
”A clerk who has an office at 60 State street, and who attends to any business the firm may have in Riveredge.”
”Is yo' writ yo' letter ter him? Who _is_ he?”
”No, I have written to the New York office, because Mr. Carruth always transacted his business there. I thought it wiser to, for this Mr.
Sniffins is a very young man, and would probably not be prepared to answer my question.”
”Wha' yo' call him? Yo' don' mean dat little swimbly, red-headed, white-eyed sumpin' nu'er what sets down in dat bas.e.m.e.n' office wid his foots c.o.c.ked up on de rail-fence in front ob him, an' a segyar mos' as big as his laig stuck in he's mouf all de time? I sees _him_ eve'y time I goes ter market, an' he lak' ter mek me sick. Is _he_ de agen'?”
”Yes, Mammy, and I dare say he is capable enough, although I do not care to come in contact with him if I can avoid it.”
”If I ketches yo' in dat 'tater sprout's office I gwine smack yo'
sure's yo' bo'n. Yo' heah _me_? Why _his_ ma keeps the _sody_-fountain on Main street. Wha-fo you gotter do wid such folks, Baby?”
”But, Mammy, they are worthy, respectable people,”--protested Mrs.
Carruth.
”Hush yo' talk, chile. _I_ reckon I knows de diff'rence twixt quality an' de _yether_ kind. Dat's no place fer yo' to go at,” cried Mammy, all her instincts rebelling against the experiences her baby was forced to meet in her altered circ.u.mstances. ”Gimme dat letter. I'se gwine straight off ter markit dis minit and I'll see dat it get sont off ter de right pusson 'for I'se done anudder ting.”
”But what did you wish to ask me, Mammy?”
”Nuffin'. 'Taint no 'count 'tall. I'll ax it when I comes back. Go 'long up-stairs and mek yo' bed if yo pinin' for occerpation,” and away Mammy flounced from the room, leaving Mrs. Carruth more or less bewildered. She would have been completely so could she have followed the old woman.
CHAPTER VII
Mammy Generalissimo
Half an hour later a short, stout colored woman in neat, print gown, immaculate white ap.r.o.n, gorgeous headkerchief and gray plaid shawl, entered the office of the Red Star Fire Insurance Company, at No. 60 State street, and walking up to the little railing which divided from the vulgar herd the sacred precincts of Mr. Elijah Sniffins, representative, rested her hand upon the small swinging gate as she nodded her head slightly and asked:
”Is yo' Mister Sniffins, de loc.u.m agen' fer de Fire Insur'nce Comp'ny?”
”I am,” replied that gentleman,--without removing from between his teeth the huge cigar upon which he was puffing until he resembled a small-sized locomotive, or changing his position--”Mr. Elijah Sniffins, representative of the Red Star Insurance Company. Are you thinkin' of taking out a policy?” concluded that gentleman with a supercilious smirk.
Mammy's eyes narrowed slightly and her lips were compressed for a moment.
”No, sir, I don' reckon I is studyin' 'bout takin' out no pol'cy. I jist done come hyer on a little private bisness wid yo'.”
Mammy paused, somewhat at a loss how to proceed, for business affairs seemed very complicated to her. Mr. Elijah Sniffins was greatly amused and continued to eye her and smile. He was a dapper youth of probably twenty summers, with scant blond hair, pale blue, s.h.i.+fty eyes, a weak mouth surmounted by a cherished mustache of numerable hairs and a chin which stamped him the toy of stronger wills. Mammy knew the type and loathed it. His smirk enraged her, and rage restored her self-possession. Raising her head with a little sidewise jerk as befitted the a.s.surance of a Blairsdale, she cried:
”Yas--sir, I done come to ax yo' a question 'bout de 'surance on a place in Riveredge. I hears de time fer settlin' up gwine come day atter to-morrer an' if 'taint settled up de 'surance boun' ter collapse. Is dat so?”
”Unless the policy is renewed it certainly _will_ 'collapse,'” replied Mr. Sniffins breaking into an amused laugh.