"Oh, yes; but really, you seem to have a great many mysterious visits
on hand!" observed Helen, rather sharply.

"You shall come with me soon, if you wish to;" replied May. Then they
separated; Helen dissatisfied, and a little angry, and May rejoicing
like a miser who goes to visit his treasure. Full of happy thoughts,
she went on until she came to old Mabel's cottage, at the door of which
stood a small, close carriage. The door was ajar, and she went in.
There were two ladies in silks, velvets, and plumes, standing before
Aunt Mabel, and both were speaking in an excited tone.

"A Roman Catholic!" they exclaimed.

"Yes, misses," was the meek reply.

"Why, don't you know you peril your eternal salvation, by becoming a
papist?"

"No, misses, I don't know it, neither does you. I been living on and
on, and never was a professor, and I'm gwine to do jest what is right
at the 'leventh hour. It's a 'ligion that's older than all, and was
know'd and practised afore any of yourn was ever thought on."

"Did you ever hear such preposterous ignorance!" exclaimed one; "why,
old aunty, _who_ has been tampering with you?"

"Nobody, honey, only them that's got a 'ligion that larns them to give
bread to the hungry, warm clothes to the freezing, and fire to keep
life in their bodies; and tells the poor ole nigger that God loves her
soul as well as he do buckra folks. So I'm gwine to be one," replied