Volume Ii Part 5 (1/2)
”He doos not,” said Philetus ? ”he doosn't keep to hum for a long spell.”
”Who does send them, then?” said Constance.
”Who doos? It's Miss Fliddy Ringgan.”
”Mamma!” exclaimed Constance, looking up.
”What does she have to do with it?” said Mrs. Evelyn.
”There don't n.o.body else have nothin' to deu with it ? I guess she's pretty much the hull,” said her coadjutor. ”Her and me was a-picking 'em afore sunrise.”
”All that basketful?”
” 't aint all strawberries ? there's garden sa.s.s up to the top.”
”And does she send that, too?”
”She sends that teu,” said Philetus, succinctly.
”But hasn't she any help in taking care of the garden?” said Constance.
”Yes, Marm ? I calculate to help considerable in the back garden ? she wont let no one into the front where she grows her posies.”
”But where is Mr. Hugh?”
”He's to hum.”
”But has he nothing to do with all this? Does he leave it all to his cousin?”
”He's to the mill.”
”And Miss Ringgan manages farm, and garden, and all?” said Mrs. Evelyn.
”She doos,” said Philetus.
And receiving a gratuity, which he accepted without demonstration of any kind whatever, the basket-bearer, at length released, moved off.
”Poor Fleda!” said Miss Evelyn, as he disappeared with his load.
”She's a very clever girl,” said Mrs. Evelyn, dismissing the subject.
”She's too lovely for anything!” said Constance. ”Mr.
Carleton, if you will just imagine we are in China, and introduct a pair of familiar chopsticks into this basket, I shall be repaid for the loss of a strawberry by the expression of ecstasy which will immediately spread itself over your features. I intend to patronize the natural mode of eating in future. I find the ends of my fingers decidedly odoriferous.”
He smiled a little as he complied with the young lady's invitation, but the expression of ecstasy did not come.
”Are Mr. Rossitur's circ.u.mstances so much reduced?” he said, drawing nearer to Mrs. Evelyn.
”Do you know them?” exclaimed both the daughters at once.
”I knew Mrs. Rossitur very well some years ago, when she was in Paris.”