Mrs. Gray could scarcely restrain an amused smile as Mary replied in a low voice,
“Perhaps I’ll do something—I’ll see”—and then had to steal out of the room for fear she might add,—
“Yes, indeed I’m going to do more than all the rest of you put together. And if mamma’s willing, I shall teach Pecy her letters too!”
The young lady under discussion was now seen approaching the house.
“Why, this can’t be the little savage you’ve said so much about,” exclaimed Mrs. Gray, looking out of the rainbow-window. “But what a thin, old looking face!”
Pecy was in holiday attire. Miss Pike’s calico dress fitted her well, and it seems she did possess a pair of whole shoes, and had borrowed her mother’s pink sun-bonnet. To say she was modest and well-behaved would be incorrect; but Mrs. Gray did not find her as bold and impudent as had been at first represented.
Though twelve years old, she had never dined at a really civilized table; so now, when she found herself seated before an array of brown linen tablecloth, clean dishes, and tolerably bright silver, she was obviously quite bewildered. In her eyes, Dr. Gray was a wonderful man, while his wife and daughters were no less than queen and princesses. As for Miss Pike, she would probably have classed her among angels, if she had ever heard of such beings, which is hardly likely.
She could not manage a fork, and in attempting it, often dropped her food upon the tablecloth. But it was worst of all when the pie was served. Lucy, annoyed by her shocking manners, refrained from looking at her, as she said with cool politeness,—
“Pecielena, will you have a piece of pie?”
Now Miss Pancake, painfully aware of her awkwardness, was resolved for once to show her quickness and dexterity. Never stopping to see that Lucy was about to put the pie into a little plate, she held out her hand for a piece! You can hardly believe it, but that was the fashion at home. She always held out her hand when she wanted a piece of pie, and her mother flung it into her outstretched palm. How should she know that this was not the custom that prevailed in polite society? But when Lucy passed her a little plate with freezing dignity, she understood her mistake in a moment. She saw, too, that Mary and Fanny were exchanging glances of surprise and amusement. They would have laughed aloud if they had dared.