At last it seemed to her that it must be nearly twelve
o'clock; so returning to the house, and finding the lower rooms
deserted, she wandered into the kitchen, where she found Maum Winnie
broiling some birds and preparing some nice toast, while near by upon
the kitchen-table was a waiter ready to carry up the delicate lunch to
somebody. Nelly at once began,--
"Oh, Maum Winnie, who are those birds for? Where is the cook? What are
you in the kitchen cooking for?"
Winnie seemed wonderfully flurried and confused by all these questions,
and Nelly was equally disconcerted at finding the old woman so cross.
"Jes' listen to de chile!" cried Winnie. "Wot you makin' all dis
miration 'bout? I nebber seed nobody so inquisity as you is. De cook
she dun leff, an' I's cookin' ontwill yer grandmar git somebody. Ef
you don' belieb me, ax yer mar. Ennyhow, I's gwine to 'quaint yer mar
with yer conduck, axin' so many perterment questions."
"But, who are the birds for?" persisted Nelly. "I know mamma never
eats birds, and grandmamma isn't sick."
"I 'clar, Miss Nelly, _I's_ outdone wid you. Go outer heah, 'fore I
calls yer grandmar.
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