was in a high good humor, she wanted everybody else to be
so, and in a few minutes even the sedate Miriam was chatting freely and
pleasantly.

"And so that graceless Phoebe has left you," said the old lady; "to board
the minister, indeed! I will see that minister, and give him a text for a
sermon. But you cannot keep up this sort of thing, my young friends; not
even with Dora's help." And she stroked the soft hair of Miss Bannister,
from which the sunbonnet had been removed.

"I will see Mike before I go, and send him for Molly Tooney. Molly is a
good enough woman, and if I send for her, she will come to you until you
have suited yourselves with servants. And now, my dear child, where did
you find that gay dress? Upstairs in some old trunk, I suppose. Stand
over there and let me look at you. It is a good forty years since I have
seen that gown. Do you know to whom it used to belong? But of course you
do not. It was Judith Pacewalk's teaberry gown."

"And who was Judith Pacewalk?" asked Dora; "and why was it teaberry? It
is not teaberry color."

"No," said Miss Panney; "the color had nothing to do with it, but I must
say it has kept very well. Let me see," taking out her watch, "it is not
yet eleven o'clock, and if you young people have time enough, I will tell
you the story of that gown. What does the master say?"

Ralph declared that they must have the story, and that time must not be
considered.

CHAPTER XVII

JUDITH PACEWALK'S TEABERRY GOWN

"Judith Pacewalk," said Miss Panney, "was Matthias Butterwood's cousin.
Before Matthias got rich and built this house, he lived with his Aunt
Pacewalk on her farm. That was over at Pascalville, about thirty miles
from here. He superintended the farm, and Judith and he were very good
friends, although he never showed any signs of caring anything for her
except in the way of a cousin; but she cared for him. There was no doubt
about that. I lived in Pascalville, then, and used to be a great deal at
their house, and it was as plain as daylight to me that Judith was in
love with her cousin, although she was such a quiet girl that few people
suspected it, and I know he did not.

"The Pacewalks were poor, and always had been; and it could not be
expected that a man like Matthias Butterwood could stay long on that
little farm. He had a sharp business head, and was a money-maker, and as
soon as he was able he bought a farm of his own, and this is the farm;
but there was