An old red waiter, which was only used on special occasions, was placed near Miss Grundy, and on it stood the phenomenon of a hissing coffee-pot: and what was stranger, still, in the place of the tin basin from which Mary had recently been accustomed to eat her bread and milk, there was now a cup and saucer, which surely must have been intended for her.

Her wonder was at its height when Miss Grundy entered from the back room, bearing a plate filled with snowy white biscuit, which she placed upon the table with an air of "There! what do you think of that ?"--then seating herself, she skimmed all the cream from the bowl of milk, and preparing a delicious cup of coffee, passed it to Mary, before helping the rest.
"Is the Millennium about to be ushered in ?" asked Sal in amazement; while Uncle Peter, reverently rising, said, Fellow-citizens, and ladies, for these extras let us thank the Lord, remembering to ask a continuation of the same!" "Do let your victuals stop your mouth," said Miss Grundy, "and don't act as though we never had coffee and biscuit for breakfast before." "My memory has failed wonderfully, if we ever did," was Uncle Peter's reply.
Breakfast being over, Mary as usual commenced clearing the table, but Miss Grundy bade her "sit down and _rest_ her," and Mary obeyed, wondering what she had done to tire herself.

About 9 o'clock, Mr.
Knight drove up alone, Mrs.Mason being sick with nervous headache.

"I should have been here sooner," said he, "but the roads is awful rough and old Charlotte has got a stub or somethin' in her foot But where's the gal?
Ain't she ready ?" He was answered by Mary herself, who made her appearance, followed by Billy bearing the box.

And now commenced the leave-takings, Miss Grundy's turn coming first.
"May I kiss you, Miss Grundy ?" said Mary, while Sal exclaimed aside, "What! kiss those sole-leather lips ?" at the same time indicating by a guttural sound the probable effect such a process would have upon her stomach! Miss 'Grundy bent down and received the child's kiss, and then darting off into the pantry, went to skimming pans of milk already skimmed! Rind and the pleasant-looking woman cried outright, and Uncle Peter, between times, kept ejaculating, "Oh, Lord!--oh, massy sake!--oh, for land!" while he industriously plied his fiddle bow in the execution of "Delia's Dirge," which really sounded unearthly, and dirgelike enough.
Billy knew it would be lonely without Mary, but he was glad to have her go to a better home, go he tried to be cheerful; telling her he would take good care of Tasso, and that whenever she chose she must claim her property.
Aside from him, Sally was the only composed one.