Janice Meredith | Page 7

whose indentures are to be disposed of by Cauldwell & Wilson, or the master on board the Vessel off Market Street Wharff-- Said Cauldwall & Wilson will give the highest prices for good Pot-Ashes and Bees-Wax."
III MISS MEREDITH DISCOVERS A VILLAIN
Breakfast at Greenwood was a pleasant meal at a pleasant hour. For some time previous to it, the family were up and doing, Mr. Meredith riding over his farm directing his labourers, Mrs. Meredith giving a like supervision to her housekeeping, and Janice, attired in a wash dress well covered by a vast apron, with the aid of her guest, making the beds, tidying the parlour, and not unlikely mixing cake or some dessert in the kitchen. Before the meal, Mr. Meredith replaced his rough riding coat by one of broadcloth, with lace ruffles, while the working gowns of the ladies were discarded for others of silk, made, in the parlance of the time, "sack fashion, or without waist, and termed "an elegant negligee,"-- this word being applied to any frock without lacing strings.
Thus clothed, they gathered at seven o'clock in the pleasant, low-ceiled dining-room whose French windows, facing westward, gave glimpses of the Raritan, over fields of stubble and corn-stacks, broken by patches of timber and orchard. On the table stood a tea service of silver, slender in outline, and curiously light in weight, though generous in capacity. Otherwise, a silver tankard for beer, standing at Mr. Meredith's place beside a stone jug filled with home brew, balanced by another jug filled with buttermilk, was all that tended to decoration, the knives and forks being of steel, and the china simplicity itself. For the edibles, a couple of smoked herring, a comb of honey, and a bunch of water-cress, re-enforced after the family had taken their seals by a form of smoking cornbread, was the simple fare set forth. But the early rising, and two hours of work, brought hunger to the table which required nothing more elaborate as a fillip to tempt the appetite.
While the family still lingered over the meal one warm September morning, as if loth to make further exertion in the growing heat, the Sound of a knocker was heard, and a moment later the coloured maid returned and announced:--
"Marse Hennion want see Marse Meredith."
"Bring him in here, Peg," said Mr. Meredith. "Like as not the lad 's not breakfasted."
Janice hunched her shoulders and remarked, "Never fear that Master Hennion is not hungry. He is like the roaring lion, who 'walketh about seeking whom he may devour.'"
"Black shame on thee, Janice Meredith, for applying the Holy Word to carnal things," cried her mother.
"Then let me read novels," muttered Miss Meredith, but so indistinctly as not to be understood.
"Be still, child!" commanded her mother.
"And listen to Philemon glub-glub-bing over his victuals?"
"Philemon is no pig," declared Mrs. Meredith.
"No," assented Janice. "He 's too old for that,"--a remark which set Mr. Meredith off into an uproarious haw-haw.
"Lambert," protested his wife, "I lose patience with thee for encouraging this stiff-necked and wayward girl, when she should be thankful that Providence has made one man who wants so saucy a Miss Prat-a-pace for a wife."
Miss Meredith, evidently encouraged by her father's humour, made a mouth, and droned in a sing-song voice: "'What doth every sin deserve? Every sin deserveth God's wrath and curse, both in this life and that which is to come.'" Such a desecration of the Westminster Assembly of Divines' "Shorter Catechism" would doubtless have produced further and severer reproof from Mrs. Meredith, but the censure was prevented by the clump of heavy boots, followed by the entrance of an over-tall, loosely-built fellow of about eighteen years, whose clothes rather hung about than fitted him.
"Your servant, marms," was his greeting, as he struggled to make a bow. "Your servant, squire. Mr. Hitchins, down ter Trenton, where I went yestere'en with a bale of shearings, asked me ter come araound your way with a letter an' a bond-servant that come ter him on a hay-sloop from Philadelphia. So--"
"Having nothing better to do, you came?" interrupted Janice, with a gravely courteous manner.
"That 's it, Miss Janice; I'm obleeged ter you for sayin' it better nor I could," said the young fellow, gratefully, while manifestly straining to get a letter from his pocket.
"Hast breakfasted, Phil?" asked the squire.
Producing the letter with terrible effort, and handing it to Mr. Meredith, Hennion began, "As for that--"
Here Janice interrupted by saying, "You breakfasted in Trenton--what a pity!"
"Janice!" snapped her mother, warningly. "Cease thy clack and set a chair for Philemon this instant."
That individual tried to help the girl, but he was not quick enough, except to get awkwardly in the way, and bring his shins in sharp contact with the edge of the chair. Uttering an exclamation of pain, he dropped his hat,--a proceeding