Bird, after he had entered the room.
"I hadn't anybody's direction to set him to work, but I thought you brought
him here to do odd jobs. You know, ma'am, I asked you some time ago to get
a boy, and I thought this was the one."
"And if he had been, you would have taken a great liberty in assigning him
any duties without first consulting me. But he is not a servant here, nor
do I intend him to be such; and let me inform you, that instead of his
cleaning your boots, it will be your duty henceforth to clean his. Now,"
continued she, "you know his position here, let me see that you remember
yours. You can go." This was said in so peremptory a manner, as to leave no
room for discussion or rejoinder, and Alfred, with a chagrined look, went
muttering down stairs.
"Things have come to a pretty pass," grumbled he. "I'm to wait on niggers,
black their boots, and drive them out, too, I suppose. I'd leave at once if
it wasn't such a good situation. Drat the old picture--what has come over
her I wonder--she'll be asking old Aunt Charity, the black washerwoman to
dine with her next. She has either gone crazy or turned abolitionist, I
don't know which; something has happened to her, that's certain."
"Now, Charlie," said Mrs. Bird, as the door closed upon the crest-fallen
gardener, "go to your room and dress yourself nicely.
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