"Ruth," she affirmed, "has a touch," and she contemplated the board with
great satisfaction.

"Pray," said Miss Ruth, as she quietly put back in its place a fruit dish
which Miss Deborah had "straightened," "pray where are Mr. Dale's
comfits? They must be on the tray to be taken into the parlor."

"Sarah will fetch them," answered Miss Deborah; and at that moment Sarah
entered with the candy and a stately and elaborate dish, which she placed
upon the sideboard.

"Poor, dear man," said Miss Ruth. "I suppose he never gets all the candy
he wishes at home. I trust there is plenty for to-night, sister? But what
is that Sarah just brought in?"

"Well," Miss Deborah replied, with anxious pride in her tone, "it is not
Easter, I know, but it does look so well I thought I'd make it, anyhow.
It is Sic itur ad astra."

This dish had been "composed" by Miss Deborah many years ago, and was
considered by all her friends her greatest triumph. Dr. Howe had
christened it, declaring that it was of a semi-religious nature, but in
Miss Deborah's pronunciation the Latin was no longer recognizable.

It consisted of an arrangement of strips of candied orange and lemon
peel, intended to represent a nest of straw. On it were placed jellied
creams in different colors, which had been run into egg-shells to
stiffen. The whole was intended to suggest a nest of new-laid eggs. The
housekeeper will at once recognize the trouble and expense of such a
dish, as the shells which served for moulds had first to be emptied of