dfield invited to the wedding, do you know, Dan?"

"Oh, Lor'! yes'm. Ebrybody is 'wited, an' de church all dessicated full o'
holly an' ebbergreens, like Chris'mas!"

"Decorated, you mean, Dan."

"Yes'm, desecrated."

"Now then, Dan, give the horse some water, and let him rest while you get
something to eat. We have just now done dinner, and the servants are
taking theirs in the kitchen. Aunt Moll will give you yours, and by the
time you have finished we shall be ready to start. Come, Rosemary."

And taking her niece by the hand, Miss Grandiere stepped from the porch
into a plainly furnished bedchamber, which was her own private
apartment--sitting room by day, bedroom by night--and which she shared
with her favorite niece whenever the little girl happened to be staying
with her, which was, indeed, most of the time.

"Aunt Sukey's room" was the best bedchamber in the farmhouse, being on the
first floor, in the rear of the building, and opening upon the vine-shaded
porch on the outside, and into the common hall on the inside.

On a line with the porch was the best parlor, and on the other side of the
hall there was a front dining room and a back sitting room.

Although "Aunt Sukey's room" was the best, it was a very plain apartment,
with whitewashed walls and bare floor.

On each side of the door, as you entered from the porch, was a window,
making the place very light and cheerful. This was the east side. On the
south side was an open fireplace, with a bright, oak-wood fire burning in
it, defended by a wire fender. Above it was a mantelpiece, adorned by a
fine engraving of the Nativity in a plain, wooden frame, and flanked by
two brass candlesticks. In the corner was a triangular cupboard with glass
doors reaching from floor to ceiling, and filled with a collection of rare
old china which would have been the envy and despair of a wealthy and
fashionable collector; for one of Aunt Sukey's grandfathers and two of her
uncles and one of her brothers had been captains of East India
merchantmen.

On the west side stood a high, old-fashioned chest of drawers, whose top
was covered with a fair, white, linen cloth, and adorned by an old-time
looking glass mounted on its own box of small dressing drawers. On each
side of this glass were two round bandboxes of blue paper, containing two
poke bonnets, as common then as now.

Finally, on the north side of the room, with its head against the wall,
stood the pride of the ch