It consisted almost
altogether of one room, called a living room, which answered all the
purposes of eating, sleeping and sitting. Outside were a summer kitchen
and a dairy or milk-house, and, a short distance off, were the barn and
the stable, the sole occupant of the latter at the time being a cow
that spent most of its leisure out of doors. Supper did not take long
preparing, and the travellers did ample justice to a very enjoyable
meal. The dominie engaged the hostess in conversation about German
cookery, Sauer Kraut, Nudeln and various kinds of Eierkuchen, which she
described with evident satisfaction.
"Mrs. Hill and Wilkinson are regular Deipnosophists," remarked Coristine
to the host.
"That's too deep for me," he whispered back. "But tell it to the
mistress now; she's that fond of jawbreakers she'll never forget it."
"We were remarking, Mrs. Hill, that you and Wilkinson are a pair of
Deipnosophists."
The old man looked quizically at his wife, and she glanced in a
questioning way at the dominie.
"My friend is trying to show off his learning at our expense," the
latter remarked.
Pages:
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175