One night Sally found out she was not asleep.
"I'm a rare hand at talking folks to sleep," said she. "I'll try
on thee, for thou must get strength by sleeping and eating. What
must I talk to thee about, I wonder. Shall I tell thee a love
story or a fairy story, such as I've telled Master Thurstan many
a time and many a time, for all his father set his face again
fairies, and called it vain talking; or shall I tell you the
dinner I once cooked, when Mr. Harding, as was Miss Faith's
sweetheart, came unlooked for, and we'd nought in the house but a
neck of mutton, out of which I made seven dishes, all with a
different name?"
"Who was Mr. Harding?" asked Ruth.
"Oh, he was a grand gentleman from Lunnon, as had seen Miss
Faith, and been struck by her pretty looks when she was out on a
visit, and came here to ask her to marry him. She said, 'No, she
would never leave Master Thurstan, as could never marry;' but she
pined a deal at after he went away. She kept up afore Master
Thurstan, but I seed her fretting, though I never let on that I
did, for I thought she'd soonest get over it and be thankful at
after she'd the strength to do right. However, I've no business
to be talking of Miss Benson's concerns. I'll tell you of my own
sweethearts and welcome, or I'll tell you of the dinner, which
was the grandest thing I ever did in my life, but I thought a
Lunnoner should never think country folks knew nothing; and, my
word, I puzzled him with his dinner.
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