"If breakfast's agoing to warm you," said he, "make haste and get something down; or drink a cup of coffee you're as blue as skim milk."
"Am I?" said Ellen, laughing; "I feel blue, but I can't eat such a pile of cakes as that, Mr. Van Brunt."
As a general thing, the meals at Miss Fortune's were silent solemnities; an occasional consultation, or a few questions and remarks about farm affairs, being all that ever passed. The breakfast this morning was a singular exception to the common rule.
"I am in a regular quandary," said the mistress of the house, when the meal was about half over.
Mr. Van Brunt looked up for an instant, and asked, "what about?"
"Why, how I am ever going to do to get those apples and sausage-meat done? If I go to doing 'em myself, I shall about get through by spring."
"Why don't you make a bee?" said Mr. Van Brunt.
"Ain't enough of either on 'em to make it worth while. I ain't agoing to have all the bother of a bee without some thing to show for't."
"Turn'em both into one," suggested her counsellor, going on with his breakfast.
"Both?"