Friendship had prospered in the lower regions, for Hepsey had amotherly heart, and Christie soon won her confidence by bestowingher own. Her story was like many another you find limited; yet, being the firstChristie had ever heard, and told with the unconscious eloquence ofone who had suffered and escaped, it made a deep impression on her,bringing home to her a sense of obligation so forcibly that shebegan at once to pay a little part of the great debt which the whiterace owes the black.
Christie loved books; and the attic next her own was full of them.
To this store she found her way sure asthat which leads a fly to a honey-pot, and, finding many novels, sheread her fill. This amusement lightened many heavy hours Cloud Hosting, peopledthe silent house with troops of friends, and, for a time, was thejoy of her life.
Hepsey used to watch her as she sat buried in her book when theday’s work was done, and once a heavy sigh roused Christie from themost exciting crisis of “The Abbot.””What’s the matter? Are you very tired, Aunty?” she asked, using thename that came most readily to her lips.
“No, honey; I was only wishin’ I could read fast like you does. I’sberry slow ’bout readin’ and I want to learn a heap,” answeredHepsey, with such a wistful look in her soft eyes that Christie shuther book, saying briskly autism treatment:
“Then I’ll teach you. Bring out your primer and let’s begin atonce.””Dear chile, it’s orful hard work to put learnin’ in my ole head,and I wouldn’t ‘cept such a ting from you only I needs dis sort ofhelp so bad, and I can trust you to gib it to me as I wants it.”Then in a whisper that went straight to Christie’s heart, Hepseytold her plan and showed what help she craved.
For five years she had worked hard, and saved her earnings for thepurpose of her life. When a considerable sum had been hoarded up,she confided it to one whom she believed to be a friend, and senthim to buy her old mother. But he proved false, and she never saweither mother or money. It was a hard blow, but she took heart andwent to work again, resolving this time to trust no one with thedangerous part of the affair, but when she had scraped togetherenough to pay her way she meant to go South and steal her mother atthe risk of her life dermes.