WYLDER'S HAJVD.
89
young lady, with a laugh, sat down, looking so pleased,
and good-natured, and merry, that even old Tamar was
fain to smile a glimmering smile; and little Margery ac-
tively brought the tea-caddy; and the kettle being in a
skittish, singing state, quickly went off in a boil, and Ta-
mar actually made tea in her brown tea-pot.
"Oh, no; the delft cups and saucers;—it will be
twice as good in them; " and as the handsome mistress of
the mansion, sitting in the deal chair, loosened her cloak
and untied her bonnet, she chatted away, to the edifica-
tion of Margery and the amusement of both.
This little extemporised bivouac, as it were, with her
domestics, delighted the young belle. What saloon was
ever so cheery as this, or flashed all over in so small a
light so splendidly, or yielded such immortal nectar from
chased teapot and urn, as this brewed in brown crockery
from the roaring kettle?
So .Margery sitting upon her stool in the back-ground
— for the queen had said it. and sit she must — and grin-
ning from ear to ear, in a great halo of glory, partook of
tea.
"Well, Tamar, where's your story?" said the young
lady.
"Story! La! bless you, dear Miss Radie, where
should I find a story? My old head's a poor one to re-
member," whimpered white Tamar.
"Anything, no matter what — a ghost or a murder."
Old Tamar shook her head.
"Or an elopement?"
Another shake of the head.
"Or a mystery— or even a dream?"
"Well — a dream! Sometimes I do dream. I dreamed
how Master Stanley was coming, the night before."
"You did, did you? Selfish old thing! and you
meant to keep it all to yourself. What was it?"