pply him with the
choicest bits, and engaged him to eat, with the most endearing kindness;
but, to the astonishment of everybody, he neither appeared pleased nor
surprised at anything he saw. Mrs Merton could not conceal her
disappointment; for, as she had always been used to a great degree of
finery herself, she had expected it should make the same impression upon
everybody else. At last, seeing him eye a small silver cup with great
attention, out of which he had been drinking, she asked him whether he
should not like to have such a fine thing to drink out of; and added,
that, though it was Tommy's cup, she was sure he would with great
pleasure, give it to his little friend. "Yes, that I will," says Tommy;
"for you know, mamma, I have a much finer one than that, made of gold,
besides two large ones made of silver." "Thank you with all my heart,"
said little Harry; "but I will not rob you of it, for I have a much
better one at home." "How!" said Mrs Merton, "does your father eat and
drink out of silver?" "I don't know, madam, what you call this; but we
drink at home out of long things made of horn, just such as the cows
wear upon their heads." "The child is a simpleton, I think," said Mrs
Merton: "and why is that better than silver ones?" "Because," said
Harry, "they never make us uneasy." "Make you uneasy, my child!" said
Mrs Merton, "what do you mean?" "Why, madam, when the man threw that
great thing down, which looks just like this, I saw that you were very
sorry about it, and looked as if you had been just ready to drop. Now,
ours at home are thrown about by all the family, and nobody minds it."
"I protest," said Mrs Merton to her husband, "I do not know what to say
to this boy, he makes such strange observations."

The fact was, that during dinner, one of the servants had thrown down a
large piece of plate, which, as it was very valuable, had made Mrs
Merton not only look very uneasy, but give the man a very severe
scolding for his carelessness.

After dinner, Mrs Merton filled a large glass of wine, and giving it to
Harry, bade him drink it up, but he thanked her, and said he was not
dry. "But, my dear," said she, "this is very sweet and pleasant, and as
you are a good boy, you may drink it up." "Ay, but, madam, Mr Barlow
says that we must only eat when we are hungry, and drink when we are
dry: and that we must only eat and drink such things are as easily met
with; otherwise we shall grow peevish and vexed when w