"Yo' Titus--yo' Glory--Indianna--all yo' niggahs come hyere. De new
massa and missus am comin'," she called.

Out from the house, from the fields, from the quarters, they came
trooping; old and young; weazened and pretty; black and yellow; all
rolling their gleaming black eyes in the direction of the carriage
which they saw come to a sudden standstill.

"What's de mattah?" they cried, and one young darky started down the
road to see. He beheld January descend from the carriage, and walk to
a persimmon tree and pluck some of the fruit.

The darky wondered what was to be done with the fruit that he knew was
still green. His curiosity made him sneak up within earshot.

January returned to the carriage, and handed the fruit to Beth. The
darky heard him say:

"I wouldn't eat dem, Missy Beth, if I wuz yo'. Dey am powerful green."

To her the little round fruit looked very tempting, especially the
light yellow ones. Therefore she did not heed him. She selected one,
but, instead of taking a dainty nibble, she put the whole fruit into
her mouth, and bit down on it. Immediately, she set up a cry, and spit
out the persimmon. "Ow-ow-ow, how it puckers!"

January chuckled, and, before driving on, he said: "I tole yo' so,
Missy Beth."

Marian laughed until she was tired. "Beth, if you are drawn up inside