cakes
on the kitchen table.

"Grace--Grace--Grace, I say! What is all this here flummery for?"

"Why, it is _to eat_, father," said Grace, with a good-natured look of
consciousness.

Uncle Lot tried his best to look sour; but his visage began to wax
comical as he looked at his merry daughter; so he said nothing, but
quietly sat down to his dinner.

"Father," said Grace, after dinner, "we shall want two more candlesticks
next week."

"Why, can't you have your party with what you've got?"

"No, father, we want two more."

"I can't afford it, Grace--there's no sort of use on't--and you sha'n't
have any."

"O, father, now do," said Grace.

"I won't, neither," said Uncle Lot, as he sallied out of the house, and
took the road to Comfort Scran's store.

In half an hour he returned again; and fumbling in his pocket, and
drawing forth a candlestick, levelled it at Grace.

"There's your candlestick."

"But, father, I said I wanted _two_."

"Why, can't you make one do?"

"No, I can't; I must have two."

"Well, then, there's t'other; and here's a fol-de-rol for you to tie
round your neck." So saying, he bolted for the door, and took himself
off with all speed. It was much after this fashion that matters commonly
went on in the brown house.

But having tarried long on the way, we must proceed with the main story.

James thought Miss Grace was a glorious girl; and as to what Miss Grace
thought of Master James, perhaps it would not have been developed had
she not been called to stand on the defensive for him with Uncle Lot.
For, from the time that the whole village of Newbury began to be wholly
given unto the praise of Master James, Uncle Lot set his face as a flint
against him--from the laudable fear of following the multitude. He
therefore made conscience of stoutly gainsaying every thing that was
said in his behalf, which, as James was in high favor with Aunt Sally,
he had frequent opportunities to do.

So when Miss Grace perceived that Uncle Lot did not like our hero as
much as he ought to do, she, of course, was bound to like him well
enough to make up for it. Certain it is that they were remarkably happy
in finding opportunities of being acquainted; that James waited on her,
as a matter of course, from singing school; that he volunteered making a
new box for her geranium on an improved plan; and above all, that he was
remarkably particular in his attentions to Aunt Sally--a stroke of
policy which showed