All day long, moreover, Samantha and Keziah and Pamela seemed to find themselves wonderfully busy, one way and another, so that they paid even less attention than usual to any of the ins and outs of their brother.

" "Only, mother," exclaimed Keziah, "he spent too much of his time with that sharp-tongued little Jenny Walters.

"So it is!" cried Keziah.

Even Keziah finally admitted, in her own mind, that such a change in Dabney's appearance might have its advantages.

" "But then, he does grow so!" remarked Keziah.

He remarked to Keziah, "It won't be of any use for anybody to try to sit on that sofa and play the piano.

" By the time their mother was fairly out of the room, however, Keziah and Pamela were also in it; and Annie thought she had rarely seen three girls whose appearance testified so strongly to the healthiness of the place they lived in.

But Annie's eyes had been furtively watching her baggage through the window, and saw it swinging upon a broad, red-shirted pair of shoulders, just then; and, before she could bring her mind to bear upon the crab question, Keziah Kinzer exclaimed, "If there isn't Mrs. Foster, coming through the garden gate!"

But then Samantha had insisted upon having a separate domain, and Keziah and Pamela had imitated their elder sister to a fraction.

He went no farther than the gate, to be sure, and then he returned for the rest of his rod: but before he got back with it, Keziah Kinzer hurried home from a call on Mrs. Foster, bringing a tremendous account of Dab's heroism; and then his own pride over what he had done was only a mere drop in the bucket, compared to that of his mother.

" "Why," said Keziah, "he's living in our old house now.

Bring Keziah's shawl.

Samantha, or Keziah, or Pamela could have been "made over" into two Almiras, in every thing but height; and Dab made up his mind at once that either of them could beat her at smiling,not so much, perhaps, as to mere quantity, but as to quality.

There wuz my mother's half-sister, Keziah,she that married Elder Swift for her second husband.

Ay, as I live, Keziah, you have let the limping beggar get seventeen and sixpence into arrears, and that for such trifles as morning-drams and night-caps!"

" Acie met and married Keziah Wright, who was the daughter of a woman his mother had known in slavery.

Everything I got done goneall 'cept Keziah.