94 CAROLINE.

 

 

Arrangement of the supper-room. The children assemble.

 

den to the house. When they came in, they found the
company all assembled in the hall for tea.

The room had been very judiciously arranged for the
ceremony of taking tea. The apartment itself was pretty
long, and near one end of it was a small table, with tea-
pots and a large number of cups and saucers upon it.
Caroline was seated at this table ready to pour out the tea.
She sat in a chair which was considerably higher than
a common chair, and was*without arms. It was made
expressly for a lady to sit In In pouring out tea. Susan
stood by her side, holding a large waiter in her hands.
The waiter had-a sugar-bow] and a cream-pitcher upon it.

Near the other end of the room was a large table, set
out on the floor, with plates upon it. Seven or eight of
the smaller children were seated around this table. In
fact, it had been placed there expressly for those children
who were too small to hold their cups and plates in their
hands when taking their tea. Alli the older boys and
girls of the party were seated around the room upon sofas
and chairs. For all these, of course, the tea and cake
were to be carried round by Susan.

As soon as Annie came in, she left Livingston and
went directly to EYen. Ellen led her to a vacant chair
at the large table, and placed her there. ‘Then she went
back to her own seat, which was upona chair in a
window, next to Rodolphus. Livingston took a seat next
to Wallace. Wallace had reserved the seat for him.
As soon as all were thus seated, Caroline began to pour
out tea.

As fast as Caroline poured out the tea, which, by the
way, Caroline’s mother had taken care should be of no
more than the proper strength for guests so young, she