nter
into her feelin's, bein' left by myself, though not a widow-woman."

Betty thought of the contrast between the Queen's life, with its
formality and crowded households, and its retinues and solemn pageantry
and this empty little New England farm-house on a long hillside that
sloped eastward. It was so funny to hear the Queen discussed and to find
her a familiar personage, just as one might in old England, where one
was always hearing about "our dear Queen." But to sister Sarah the Queen
was only another woman who lived alone, and had many responsibilities.

"I expect you're a regular little Britisher by this time, ain't you,
Miss Betty?"

"Indeed, I'm not," answered our friend with spirit. "Papa would be
ashamed of me. I'm a great American. What made you think so?" Sister
Sarah looked pleased, but did not have anything more to offer on the
subject. "We're all English to start with, but with the glory of America
added on," said Betty with girlish enthusiasm. "You can't take away our
English inheritance. I used to be always insisting upon that with the
girls, that Shakespeare and King Arthur were just as much ours as
theirs."

"I expect you know a sight o' things I never dreamt of," said sister
Sarah, "but to me what takes place in this neighborhood is just as
interesting as foreign parts. Folks is folks, I tell 'em. There ain't
but a few kinds, neither, but they're put into all sorts of places,
ain't they?"

Betty found that her hostess had a great many entertaining things to
say, but presently there was a fear expressed lest Serena might be
beguiled into staying too long at the cousin's, and so delay the dinner.

"Let me begin; oh please let me," said Betty, springing up. She had a
sudden delighted instinct that it would be charming to wait upon Serena
to-day and sister Sarah, and take her turn at making them comfortable.
As quick as thought she turned up her skirt and pinned it behind her and
said, "What next, if you please, ma'm," in a funny little tone copied
from that of a precise London damsel in Mrs. Duncan's employ, who always
amused the family very much.

Sister Sarah was fond of a joke, and to tell the truth this was one of
her aching days and she had been dreading to take so many steps. She saw
how pleased Betty was with her kind little plan.

"To lay the table and step lively," she answered, shaking with laughter.
And Betty followed her directions until the square dinner-table stood in
the middl