Evening star., 1935-10-15
INSTALLMENT iii.

against the gate a few seconds to
catch her breath.
Her knees felt as though they would
buckle under her, and her trim little
legs as though they had turned to
water. Using all her willpower. she
went up the front walk and rang the
bell
Black Eurasia answered the door,
and Sugar was thankful when she
saw the lanky old white-haired darky
smiling down at her from her great
height.
"Yo all is de new nuss dat come
take keer little Skeeter, I bet?" Eura-
sia grinned when she saw the blue
orphanage uniform.
Sugar nodded, and sighed with re-
lief
Come roun' by de back do let
you in" Eurasia lowered her voice.
Ain no nep lowed in de front way.
Miz jamie Lee don low dat"
She pointed to the walk leading to
the back and closed the door. Sugar
walked down the steps slowly. a puz-
zled expression in her brown eyes.
The black woman was mistaken, Of
course. They wouldn't treat her like
the Negroes.
III show yo all to you room befo'
20 goes to see lii Skeeter," EuraSia
held the back door open and Sugar
walked into the big, shiny kitchen.
'"It downstairs"
Eurasia opened a door off the
kitchen and started down the steps.
Sugar followed her, wondering where
they were going. The old Negro
woman opened another door and they
were in large dark cellar
What are we down here for?"
Sugar asked uncertainty.
Bless yo' heart, chile. this where
you goin' live Eurasia sighed.
She crossed the basement and
opened another door. 1t led to a
little room partitioned of with wall
board. Silently Sugar looked in.
There was cot, an old dresser and
a chair. One cobwebbed window,
above the bed. was almost without
light because OF the little pine tree in
front Of it.
Sugar turned pale.
But There must be some mis-
take. Why should I stay here? It's
such a big house. There must be
room, some place. for me-"
Eurasia's old wrinkled black face
worked sympathetically.
'Yasm. they is, honey, an tha's
what said. But Miz jamie Lee, she
say ain no orphan goip sleep in her
upstairs. Lawd knows who dey is or
where dey come from, she say. Jes
po' white trash"
"What?" Sugars mouth opened
with astonishment. "She-didn't say
that?"
Deed she did" Eurssia shook her
head emphatically. She say CANT
put you in de servants house to live
wild de niggers, and dis de ony place.
I ups and tells her ain no way treat
lii white chile. Even fore I seed how
purity yo' is. But she got heart stone,
dat woman. Jes like her Uncle Zeb.
He meanes' white man evah set foot
in Virginny."
Sugar walked slowly into the room
and laid the little shoe box contain
ing her worldly possessions on the
cot Then she sat down and stared
around. When she looJ ed up at Eu-
rasia standing in the doorway. the old
darky was wiping tears from her eyes
on her big white apron
The sympathy warmed Sugars heart
20 much she wanted to weep with her.
But. in spite of her disappointment,
and shock, she summoned a little
smile.
Don't worry" her voice shook a
little, Il guess I can stand it, Any
way, it's a roof over my head. And
maybe if I work hard and take good
care Of little Skeeter Mrs. LIE Masters
may decide I'm not contagious"
"Yo' got grit" Eurasia declared
admiringly. II wouldr' STAN foh no
such hateful doin's eft"n I purity lii
white girl"
II have to-" Sugar shrugged. "Beg-
kars can't be choosers'
'Miz jamie Lee tell NE say yo' SAL
ary dollah week an cen" the old