"  Now  Mammy  has  a  sort  of  goodness,"  said  Marie ;  "  she  's
smooth  and  respectful,  but  she's  selfish  at  heart.  Now,  she
never  will  be  done  fidgeting  and  worrying  about  that  husband
of  hers.  You  see,  when  I  was  married  and  came  to  live  here,
of  course,  I  had  to  bring  her  with  me,  and  her  husband  my
father  could  n't  spare.  He  was  a  blacksmith,  and,  of  course;
very  necessary ;  and  I  thought  and  said,  at  the  time,  that
Mammy  and  he  had  better  give  each  other  up,  as  it  was  n't
likely  to  be  convenient  for  them  ever  to  live  together  again.
I  wish,  now,  I  'd  insisted  on  it,  and  married  Mammy  to  some-
body else  ;  but  I  was  foolish  and  indulgent,  and  did  n't  want  to
insist.  I  told  Mammy,  at  the  time,  that  she  must  n't  ever  expect
to  see  him  more  than  once  or  twice  in  her  life  again,  for  the  ail
of  father's  place  does  n't  agree  with  my  health,  and  I  can't  go


LIFE  AMONG  THE  LOWLY.  189

there ;  and  I  advised  her  to  take  up  with  somebody  else ;  but
no  —  she  wouldn't.  Mammy  has  a  kind  of  obstinacy  about
her,  in  spots,  tha*  everybody  don't  see  as  I  do."

"  Has  she  children  ?  "  said  Miss  Ophelia.
