"I think I won't stay," she said to Lucinda, "but you must write me twice
a week and I'll write the others."
Then Arethusa departed and Lucinda remained alone to superintend things
and be superintended by Aunt Mary.
Aunt Mary's superintendence waxed extremely vigorous almost at once. She
had out her writing desk, and wrote Jack a letter, as a consequence of
which everything published in New York was mailed to his aunt as soon as
it was off the presses. Lucinda was set reading aloud and, except when the
mail came, was hardly allowed to halt for food and sleep.
"My heavens above," said the slave to Joshua, "it don't seem like I can
live with her!"
"You'll live with her," said Joshua.
"It's more as flesh and blood can bear."
"Flesh and blood can bear a good deal more'n you think for," said Joshua,
and then he delivered up two letters and drove off toward the barn.
"If those are letters," said Aunt Mary from her pillow the instant she
heard the front door close, "I'd like 'em. I'm a great believer in readin'
my own mail, an' another time, Lucinda, I'll thank you to bring it as soon
as you get it an' not stand out on the porch hollyhockin' with Joshua for
half an hour while I wait."
Lucinda delivered up the letters without demanding what species of
conversational significance her mistress attached to the phrase,
"holly-hocking."
Aunt Mary turned the letters through eagerly.
"My lands alive!" she said suddenly, "if here isn't one from Mitchell,--the
dear boy.
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