of Mrs. Churchill while I went to wash my hands after milking the cow,
which these fine folk seemed to suppose could be done without soiling
a finger."

"That's the way with Chloe and Phyllida in Arcadia," said her father.

"But not here," said Betty. "In the house, I was detained a little
while, for the housekeeper wanted me to explain my recipe for taking
out the grease spots."

"A little while, sister?" said Harriet. "It was through the dancing
of three minuets, and the country dance had long been begun."

"I was too busy to heed the time," said Betty, "for I obtained the
recipe for those delicious almond-cakes, and showed Mrs. Waldron the
Vienna mode of clearing coffee. When I came back the fiddles were
playing, and Aurelia going down the middle with a young gentleman in
a scarlet coat. Poor little Robert Rowe was too bashful to find a
partner, though he longed to dance; so I made another couple with
him, and thus missed further speech, save that as we took our leave,
both Sir George and the Dean complimented me, and said what there
is no occasion to repeat just now, sir, when I ought to be fetching
your supper."

"Ha! Is it too flattering for little Aura?" asked her father. "Come,
never spare. She will hear worse than that in her day, I'll warrant."

"It was merely," said Betty, reluctantly, "that the Dean called her
the star of the evening, and declared that her dancing equalled her
face."