Now Mammy had some peculiar ideas of her own as to the right and
proper way for ladies to conduct themselves, and one of her theories
was that no white lady should ever eat heartily in company; she might
eat between meals, if desired, or even go back after the meal was over
and satisfy her appetite; but to sit down with a party of ladies and
gentlemen and make a good "square" meal, Mammy considered very
ungenteel indeed. This idea she was always trying to impress upon the
little girls, so as to render them as ladylike as possible in the
years to come; and on this occasion, as there were quite a number of
the families from the adjacent plantations present, she was horrified
to see Dumps eating as heartily, and with as evident satisfaction, as
if she had been alone in the nursery at home. Diddie, too, had taken
her second piece of barbecued squirrel, and seemed to be enjoying it
very much, when a shake of Mammy's head reminded her of the
impropriety of such a proceeding; so she laid aside the squirrel, and
minced delicately over some less substantial food. The frowns and
nods, however, were thrown away upon Dumps; she ate of everything she
wanted until she was fully satisfied, and I grieve to say that her
papa encouraged her in such unladylike behavior by helping her
liberally to whatever she asked for.
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