"There, don't try," she said cheerily; "an' I found cousin Mirandy's
weddin' cake receet, for--"

"Did you?" cried Polly; "oh! I'm so glad!" feeling as if that were
comfort enough for a good deal.

"Yes, 'twas in my Bible," said Mrs. Bascom; "I remember now; I
put it there to be ready to give John's folks when they come in;
they wanted it; so you'll go all straight now; and I must get home,
for I left some meat a-boilin'." So grandma put on her shawl, and
waddled off, leaving a great deal of comfort behind her.

"Now, says I," said Polly to Phronsie, when the little foot was
snugly tied up in the wet wormwood, "you've got to have one of
mamsie's old slippers."

"Oh, ho," laughed Phronsie; "won't that be funny, Polly!"

"I should think it would," laughed Polly, back again, pulling on the
big cloth slipper, which Joel produced from the bedroom, the two
boys joining uproariously, as the old black thing flapped dismally
up and down, and showed strong symptoms of flying off. "We
shall have to tie it on."

"It looks like a pudding bag," said Joel, as Polly tied it securely
through the middle with a bit of twine; "an old black pudding
bag!" he finished.

"Old black pudding bag!" echoed Phronsie, with a merry little
crow; and then all of a sudden she grew very sober, and looked