This house where Melanctha had always lived with her mother was a
little red brick, two story house. They had not much furniture to fill
it and some of the windows were broken and not mended. Melanctha did
not have much money to use now on the house, but with a colored woman,
who was their neighbor and good natured and who had always helped
them, Melanctha managed to take care of her mother and to keep the
house fairly clean and neat.
Melanctha's mother was in bed in a room upstairs, and the steps from
below led right up into it. There were just two rooms on this upstairs
floor. Melanctha and Dr. Campbell sat down on the steps, that night
they watched together, so that they could hear and see Melanctha's
mother and yet the light would be shaded, and they could sit and
read, if they wanted to, and talk low some, and yet not disturb 'Mis'
Herbert.
Dr. Campbell was always very fond of reading. Dr. Campbell had not
brought a book with him that night. He had just forgotten it. He had
meant to put something in his pocket to read, so that he could amuse
himself, while he was sitting there and watching. When he was through
with taking care of 'Mis' Herbert, he came and sat down on the steps
just above where Melanctha was sitting. He spoke about how he had
forgotten to bring his book with him. Melanctha said there were some
old papers in the house, perhaps Dr.
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