“Yes, I reckon you’d better do that! It’s getting dangerous in your case, you know! As for me, I am fat enough; but never too fat. I always wariate betwixt a hund’ed and twenty-five to a hund’ed and thirty. But I never go beyond a hund’ed and thirty. Moderation is a jewel, sez I! Lord! here’s somebody a-coming! Who is it, I wonder?” exclaimed Miss Sibby, breaking off in her discourse and going to the front window. “Why, it’s Tommy Grandiere! And he and Jake a-bringin’ in of a big box!” she continued, as the “carryall” stopped before the door, and the farmer and the servant lifted down a box.
“It’s new curtains, or rugs, or something for the house. They’re alluss a-coming,” observed Mrs. Anglesea.
As she spoke the door opened, and Jake’s head appeared, while Jake’s voice said:
“’Ere’s Marse Tom Grander, mum.”
Mr. Grandiere entered the room.
“Good-day, Mrs. Anglesea! Miss Sibby, glad to see you! I was up at Charlotte’s Hall this morning, and saw a box at the express office for you. As I was coming down this way, and thought maybe it would be a convenience to you for me to fetch it along, I just gave a receipt for it and fetched it. So here it is in the hall.”
“I thank you, sir, which it is a convenience! Not knowing as there was a box there for me, I might have left it for a week. Thanky’, sir! Won’t you sit down?” inquired Mrs. Anglesea, placing a chair for the newcomer.
“No, I thank you, ma’am. I have to go. But I would like to ask: Have you heard from Mr. and Mrs. Force lately?”
“Not for ’most a fortnight. But they are coming down in June.”
“In June? Yes, so I heard. Good-morning, Mrs. Anglesea. Good-morning, Miss Sibby.”