of the love and esteem in which she
was held--and when brought face to face with them was almost overcome,
so that tears of joy and gratitude streamed from her aged eyes,

They were soon wiped away, however, and she was again her own bright,
cheery self, full of thought and care for others--the kindest and most
genial of hostesses.

She took the head of the breakfast-table herself, and poured the coffee
for her guests with her own hands, entertaining them the while with
cheerful chat, and causing many a merry laugh with the old-time tripping
of her tongue--a laugh in which she always joined with hearty relish.

"There is too much butter in this salt," she remarked. "It is some John
Hencle brought in this morning. I must see him after breakfast and bid
him caution his wife to use less."

But as they rose from the table John came in unsummoned, and carrying a
fine large goose under each arm.

Bowing low: "I ish come to pring two gooses to de von hundredth
birthday," he announced; "dey pees goot, peaceable pirds: I ish know dem
for twenty years, and dey nefer makes no droubles."

A smile went round the little circle, but Miss Stanhope said, with a
very pleased look, "Thank you, John; they shall be well fed, and I hope
they will like their new quarters. How is Jake doing? I haven't seen
him for some time."

"No; Shakey is go to school most days. I vants Shakey to knows
somedings."

"Yes, indeed; I hope Jakey is going to have a good education. But what
do you mean to do with him after he is done going to school?"

"Vy, I dinks I prings mine Shakey to town and hangs him on to Sheneral
Shmicdt and makes a brinting-office out of him."

"A printer, John? Well, that might be a very good thing if you don't
need him to help you about the farm, or our grounds. I should think you
would, though."

"Nein, nein," said John, shaking his head; "'tis not so long as I vants
Shakey to makes mit me a fence; put I tash! Miss Stanhope, he say he
ton't can know how to do it; and I says, 'I tash! Shakey, you peen goin'
to school all your life, and you don't know de vay to makes a fence
yet.'"

"Not so very strange," remarked Edward, with unmoved countenance, "for
they don't teach fence-making in ordinary schools."

"Vell, den, de more's de bity," returned John, taking his departure. But
turning back at the door to say to Miss Stanhope, "I vill put dose
gooses in von safe place."

"Any place where they can do no mischief, John,"