"I pride myself on 'em. A lot goes to a tea beside the good food, in my
opinion. Some human pigs don't notice my touches and only want to stuff;
but the bettermost have an eye for everything sweet and clean about 'em.
Such nicer characters don't like poultry messing round and common things
in sight while they eat and drink. I know what I feel myself about a
clean cloth and a bunch of fine flowers on the table, and many people
are quite as particular as me. I train the girls up to take a pride in
such things, and now and again a visitor will thank me for it."

"I could have brought a bunch of flowers from our little garden," said
Sarah.

"It would be coals to Newcastle, my dear. We make a feature of 'em. Job
Legg understands the ways of 'em, and you see the result. You can pick
all day from my herbaceous border and not miss what you take."

"Nobody grows sweet peas like yours."

"Job again. He's mastered the sweet pea in a manner given to few. He'll
bring out four on a stalk, and think nothing of it."

"Mister Best, our foreman, is wonderful in a garden, too," answered
Sarah. "And a great fruit grower also."

"That reminds me. I've got a fine dish of greengages for this party. In
the season I fling in a bit of fruit sometimes. It always comes as a
pleasant surprise to tea people that they ain't called to pay extra for
fruit."

She went her way and Sarah turned to a lesser entertainment under