III.

LUCY'S CUP OF TEA.


Mr. Van Buren's home was on Milton Hill. It overlooked Boston and the
harbor. The upper windows commanded a glorious view in the morning.
Before it glittered the sea with its white sails, and behind it rose the
Blue Hills with their green orchards and woods. The house was colonial,
with gables and cupola, and was surrounded by hour-glass elms, arbors,
and evergreen trees. It had been built by Mr. Van Buren's father in the
days of the China trade and of the primitive mandarin merchant, Hoqua.

Mr. Van Buren, a tea-merchant of Boston, received his goods through
merchant vessels, and not through his own ships as his father had done.

The next morning Mrs. Van Buren went down early into her kitchen to
assign Sky-High his work.

Nora, in a loud whisper that the birds in the apple-boughs might have
heard, informed Mrs. Van Buren that the new Chinese servant was "no good
as a sweeper," and asked what he did with his pigtail when he slept. "It
must take him a good part of to-morrer to comb his hair, it is that long,"
she said. "And wouldn't you better use him up-stairs for an errand-boy
altogether now? Sure, you wouldn't be after teaching him any cooking at
all?" Nora was an old servant and had many privileges of speech.

Mrs. Van Buren smiled, and arranged that little Sky-High should wash and