transactions. He might be called a dignified machine. He had a very
exalted conception of his own position, and the respect which he felt to
be his due, not only from his own household, but from all who approached
him. If the President of the United States had called upon him, Squire
Newcome would very probably have felt that he himself was the party who
conferred distinction, and not received it.

Squire Newcome was a widower. His wife, who was as different from
himself as could well be conceived, did not live long after marriage.
She was chilled to death, as it was thought, by the dignified iceberg
of whose establishment she had become a part. She had left, however, a
child, who had now grown to be a boy of twelve. This boy was a thorn
in the side of his father, who had endeavored in vain to mould him
according to his idea of propriety. But Ben was gifted with a spirit of
fun, sometimes running into mischief, which was constantly bursting out
in new directions, in spite of his father's numerous and rather prosy
lectures.

"Han-nah!" again called Squire Newcome, separating the two syllables by
a pause of deliberation, and strongly accenting the last syllable,--a
habit of his with all proper names.

Hannah was the Irish servant of all work, who was just then engaged in
mixing up bread in the room adjoining, which was the kitchen.

Feeling a natural reluctance to appear before her employer with her
hands covered with dough, she hastily washed them. All this, however,
took time, and before she responded to the first summons, the second
"Han-nah!" delivered with a little sharp emphasis, had been uttered.