“Bring me the yellow mixin’ bowl, Prue,” called Mrs. Weston. Into the closet darted Prue, and over to the table with the big bowl she hastened. “Now what shall I do to help the apple-bee?” said she.
“Perhaps the apple-bee would like to have you pull all the stems off these raisins,” said her mother, laughing. So Prue sat down upon the large braided rug near the door and began to stem the raisins with all her might. Soon Mrs. Hodgkins arrived and imperiously ordered her husband to “lug in that crock from the wagon.”
“For mercy’s sake!” ejaculated Mrs. Weston, “whatever have you got there?” as, puffing and blowing, Joel Hodgkins landed an immense stone crock upon the kitchen table.
“Well, I’ll tell ye,” said Mrs. Hodgkins; “I know this is no donation party, but I had this big crock er doughnuts, and I says, says I, ‘Somebody will eat ’em ef I take ’em over,’ so here they be.”
“Sophrony wouldn’t think she was takin’ part in the bee if some of her prize doughnuts wasn’t in the treat.”
Every one laughed at Joel Hodgkins’s speech, and the doughnuts were very kindly received.
“We all know that your doughnuts are the best in town,” said Mrs. Weston, “and I guess everybody’ll be glad to have one, I’m sure—” but the remark was left incomplete as she hastened to the door to admit Mrs. Jenks.
“How are ye, Mrs. Weston? I had Reuben drive me over, and I’ve brought a lot of those big red apples, ef ye don’t mind havin’ ’em. Reuben an’ I have rubbed and polished ’em ’til they shine like everything. I thought maybe they’d make the table look pretty,” and she flushed as she offered this first contribution of her life.
“They will look handsome,” said Mrs. Weston. “I declare it was real thoughtful in you to bring them. Why, for goodness’ sake! How many did ye bring?” as Reuben arrived with basket after basket, which he placed in a row upon the table, and then commenced to make another row upon the swing table on the opposite side of the room.
“I’ve no idee how many there is,” said Mrs. Jenks. “Reuben an’ I commenced rubbin’ and polishin’ ’em right after breakfast, and we never stopped rubbin’ ’til we was ready to start. Then we packed in the baskets, and here we be.”