Bad Hugh

The colonel never dreamed of the comfort his words gave Alice, or how

they changed her feelings with regard to one whom she had so dreaded to

meet.

"There 'tis; we're almost there," the colonel said at last, as they

turned off from the highway, and leaning forward Alice caught sight of

the roofs and dilapidated chimneys of Spring Bank. "'Taint quite as

fixey as Yankee houses, that's a fact, but we that own niggers never do

have things so smarted up," the colonel said, guessing how the contrast

must affect Alice, who felt so desolate and homesick as she drew up in

front of what, for a time at least, was to be her home.

"Where is Hugh?" Alice asked.

Aunt Eunice would not say he had gone to Lexington for the sake,

perhaps, of seeing her, so she replied: "He went to town this morning, but he'll be back pretty soon. He has

done his best to make it pleasant for you, and I do believe he doted on

your coming after he got a little used to thinking about it. You'll like

Hugh when you get accustomed to him. There, try to go to sleep," and

kind Aunt Eunice bustled from the room just as poor Densie, who had been

entirely overlooked, entered it, together with Aunt Chloe. The old

negress was evidently playing the hostess to Densie, for she was talking

quite loud, and all about "Mas'r Hugh." "Pity he wasn't thar, 'twould

seem so different; 'tain't de same house without him. You'll like Mas'r

Hugh," and she, too, glided from the room.

Was this the password at Spring Bank, "You'll like Mas'r Hugh?" It would

seem so, for when at last Hannah brought up the waffles and tea, which

Aunt Eunice had prepared, she set down her tray, and after a few

inquiries concerning Alice's head, which was now aching sadly, she, too,

launched forth into a panegyric on Mas'r Hugh, ending, as the rest had

done, "You'll like Mas'r Hugh."