We found breakfast prepared in a much smaller and snugger room than the great dining-room, hung with cheerful tapestry representing various pastoral scenes, where Corydon in cross-stitch made love to a satin-stitch Phillis herding her French knotted sheep on the worsted green. We were given to understand that Mrs. Deborah's grandmother had worked this tapestry from her own designs to illustrate her favorite book, "The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia," and we looked on it with respect accordingly.
Mrs. Chloe had a tea equipage at her end of the table—there were jugs of milk and bowls of cream, and more kinds of hot cakes and cold cakes than ever I saw before. Each of the old ladies gave us a kiss, wished us good morning and hoped we had rested well. Then Mrs. Deborah rang a bell and the servants came in, bringing their stools with them and took their places near the door while Mrs. Deborah read prayers. Our little Mary was among the number, and I was glad to see that she looked quite cheerful. We ought to have called her to dress us, but a maid was a luxury we were not used to and we forgot all about her till we were quite ready.
"Your little maid looks bright and cheery this morning, nieces! I am glad to see it. Did she sleep in your room?" asked Mrs. Deborah.
Amabel told Mrs. Deborah how Mary had been determined to conquer her fears. The old lady looked well-pleased.
"That speaks well for her. I was afraid she was going to mope, and I hate moping people. If a thing is to be done, why do it, I say, or else let it alone, but don't go about it with a long face, as though you were a martyr. Well, nieces, and what will you eat? Here are oat cakes and barley scones and milk scones—and wheaten bread, you see! Or will you share my sister's pot of tea? I am no tea drinker, but I am willing that other people should take it, if they like it!"
"Yes, Sister Deborah is no tea drinker, but she makes no objection to my having it!" observed Mrs. Chloe. "Won't you take a cup, niece Corbet? This is very good."
I was no more a tea drinker than Mrs. Deborah, but I had been taught never, if I could help it, to refuse any thing offered in kindness, so I accepted one of the little cups, and liked it very well. The new milk was delicious, and Mrs. Thorpe had taught me to like fresh toasted oat cakes, so I made an excellent breakfast. Mrs. Deborah breakfasted heartily on porridge and milk, observing that she had been up long enough to get a good appetite.
"Yes, Sister Deborah has been up a long time!" said Mrs. Chloe, who ate scarcely anything. "Sister Deborah is very fond of the dairy and always oversees it herself. That is the reason we have such nice butter. Lady Thurston's butter does not compare with ours. Do you think it does, Sister Deborah?"
"Lady Thurston is become too fine a lady to know a cow's head from its tail!" returned Mrs. Deborah.
"Oh, but sister, I hardly think that can be the case, for she was dreadfully afraid when a cow looked at her the day we were out walking!" returned Mrs. Chloe, who always took everything literally. "Don't you remember?"