A scant mile of cottonfields lay between the two
plantations, and, Christmas over, Uncle Noah had but to trudge across
the fields to deliver himself to the Major's guest.
"And, Ruth," concluded Major Verney in laughing reprimand, "you have
kept me waiting. Why, child, the Northern Express came in fifteen
minutes ago."
Uncle Noah did not catch the girl's reply as Major Verney assisted her
into the carriage and they drove rapidly away.
The old darky beamed happily after the retreating carriage; then, with
his hand tightly clasped about the precious roll of greenbacks for
which he had so willingly bartered his freedom, he began a tour of the
Cotesville stores. When at length he staggered into the big grocery
store for his final purchases he was laden with a miscellaneous
collection of Christmas packages from which he was cheerfully
disentangled by the bulky proprietor himself. Uncle Noah made a
critical pilgrimage about the store, pausing at last before a counter
where the proprietor had laid out a number of turkeys for the careful
inspection of this beaming shopper about to select an understudy for
the incomparable Job.
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