144 BRAGGADOCIO.

appetite, and never before had he so keenly
enjoyed a dinner.

“You look like a different being from the
pale-faced gentleman who leaned over the
fence this morning. There’s nothing like work
to bring color into the face,” said Bessie; “a
good dark brown sometimes,” she continued,
pointing at Tom.

‘“ Now, I suppose I ought to take away the
plates before I give you pie; for Molly, who
made the pie, told me that was the way at the
Lawn.”

“‘ Never mind that ceremony,” said Howard ;
“T am sick of style and ceremony.”

The peach-pie was pronounced excellent, and
Howard inquired who the Molly was that
proved herself so skilful a pastry cook.

“Oh, Molly is our black cook, washer-
woman, ironer, scourer, white-washer, baker,
brewer, and adviser,” said Bessie, laughing.
“* Molly comes every Monday and performs
some or all of these things for us.”

** And after Molly has set the machine in
motion, it is like an eight-day clock; it goes
regularly till she comes again,” said Tom.