178 UNCLE TOM’S CABIN; OR,

“Law, missis, it gets sot so full of dishes, and one thing and

nother, der an’t no room, noways.” '

* But you should wash your dishes, and clear them away.”

‘Wash my dishes!” said Dinah, in a high key, as her wrath
began to rise over her habitual respect of manner; “ what does
ladies know ‘bout work, I want to know? When’d mas’ ever
get his dinner, if I was to spend all my time a washin’ and
puttin’ up dishes? Miss Marie never telled me so, nohow.”

‘* Well, here are these onions.”

“ Laws, yes!”’ said Dinah; “thar is whar I put ’em, now. I
couldn’t ‘member. Them’s particular onions I was a savin’ for
dis yer very stew. Id forgot they was in dat ar old flannel.”

Miss Ophelia lifted out the sifting paper of sweet herbs.

‘*‘] wish missis wouldn't touch dem ar. I likes to keep my
things where I knows whar to go to ’em,” said Dinah, rather
decidedly.

‘But you don’t want these holes in the paper.”

“'Them’s handy for siftin’ on’t out,” said Dinah.

“ But you see it spills all over the drawer.”

“Laws, yes! if missis will go a tumblin’ things all up so it will.
Missis has spilt lots dat ar way,” said Dinah, coming uneasily to
the drawers. ‘If missis only will go up stars till my clarin’ up

time comes, I’ll have everything right; but I can’t do nothin’
when ladies is round, a henderin’. You, Sam, don’t you give the
baby dat ar sugar-bowl! I'll crack ye over, if you don’t mind!”

‘“‘T'm going through the kitchen, and going to put everything
in order, once, Dinah; and then I'll expect you to keep it so.”

* Lor, now! Miss Phelia; dat ar an’t no way for ladies to do.
I never did see ladies doin’ no sich; my old missis nor Miss
Marie never did, and I don’t see no kinder need on't;’’ and
Dinah stalked indignantly about, while Miss Ophelia piled and
sorted dishes, emptied dozens of scattering bowls of sugar into
one receptacle, sorted napkins, table-cloths, and towels for wash-
ing; washing, wiping, and arranging with her own hands, and
with a speed and alacrity which perfectly amazed Dinah.

“ Lor, now! if dat ar’s de way dem northern ladies do, dey an’t
ladies, nohow,” she said to some of her satellites, when at a safe
hearing distance. “I has things as straight as anybody, when
my clarin’ up time comes: but I don’t want ladies round, a
henderin’, and getting my things all where I can’t find ’em.”

To do Dinah justice, she had, at regular periods, paroxysms of
reformation and arrangement, which she called “‘ clarin’ up times,”
when she would begin with great zeal, and turn every drawer and
closet wrong side outwards, on to the floor or tables, and make
the ordinary confusion seven-fold more confounded. Then she
would light her pipe, and leisurely go over her arrangements,
looking things over, and discoursing upon them; making all the
young fry scour most vigorously on the tin things; and keeping