y way of commencement.

The order was immediately obeyed, and the family sat down to the table.
The thrifty overseer's wife had provided a sumptuous dinner in honor of
her nephew's return. The thriving overseer could afford to be
extravagant once in a while. Ah! very different were those days of
plenty at Woodside to those days of penury at the Hill hut. And Hannah
thought of the difference, as she dispensed the good things from the
head of her well-supplied table. The rock-fish with egg sauce was
followed by a boiled ham and roast ducks with sage dressing, and the
dinner was finished off with apple pudding and mince pies and new cider.

Ishmael tried his best to do justice to the luxuries affection had
provided for him; but after all he could not satisfy the expectation of
Hannah, who complained bitterly of his want of appetite.

After dinner, when the young man had gone upstairs to arrange his books
and clothes in his own room, and had left Hannah and Reuben alone,
Hannah again complained of Ishmael's derelictions to the duty of the
dinner-table.

"It's no use talking, Hannah; he can't help it. His heart is so full--so
full, that he aint got room in his insides for no victuals! And that's
just about the truth on't. 'Twas the same with me when I was young and
in love long o' you! And wa'n't you contrairy nyther? Lord, Hannah, why
when you used to get on your high horse with me, I'd be offen my feed
for weeks and weeks together. My heart would be swelled up to my very
throat, and my stomach wouldn't be nowhar!"

"Reuben, don't be a fool, it's not becoming in the father of a family,"
said Mrs. Hannah, proudly glancing at the twins.

"Law, so it isn't, so it isn't, Hannah, woman. But surely I was only
a-telling of you what ailed Ishmael, as he was off his feed."

"But what foolishness and craziness and sottishness for Ishmael to be in
love with Miss Merlin!" exclaimed Hannah impatiently.

"Law, woman, who ever said love was anything else but craziness and the
rest of it," laughed Gray.

"But Miss Merlin thinks no more of Ishmael than she does of the dirt
under her feet," said Hannah bitterly.

"Begging your pardon, she thinks a deal more of him than she'd like
anybody to find out," said honest Reuben, winking.

"How did you find it out then?" inquired his wife.

"Law, Hannah, I haven't been fried and froze, by turn, with all sorts of
fever and ague love fits, all the days of my youth, without knowing of
the