"How big you are, Burleigh!" she said, glancing admiringly over his breadth of shoulder and chest, the strong head, and the firm, large hands. "You told me that the other day," he said ruefully; "but I can't help it." "Help it? Of course not. What makes you think I meant any thing but praise?" "I thought I was so big and clumsy, that you must be making fun of me." "Oh, no! I was only thinking what a mere morsel Flossy looked beside you at the picnic." He blushed, and pulled at his hat, after his usual awkward fashion; and at that moment, as if summoned by a call-boy for her part in the play, Flossy herself appeared in the doorway, bowl of pop-corn, and all. "Good-morning, Mr. Blood," she said. "Can you tell why mutton always tastes catty? As if it were cats, I mean." "I--I never tasted any cats," he said with the utmost earnestness. "No? Well, I wouldn't. But why didn't you come to inquire how I felt after the picnic? Montfield manners and bonnets both need to be issued in a revised edition." "Montfield manners are perfect," Patty said, coming to the rescue of the guest. "They cannot be improved. But you remember, Flossy, what you had to ask Burleigh." "Of course you understand, Mr. Blood," Flossy said, "that a lady's request is a command." "Yes, certainly." "Very well. It is this I spoke to you about the other day, you know." "I don't remember what you mean." "You are to be my lover in this play." "What?" "You don't look over-charmed at the prospect," Flossy remarked coolly. "You ought to feel honored. So saying, I will eat a few kernels of corn. Have some, Patty?" "But of course I can't act." "Of course you can. I'll get the book for you now, so you can be studying your part. We don't have rehearsal until next week." "You are to be Jonathan Cowboy in the play," Flossy continued, having produced the book. "Will is Mr. Bramble, and Ease Apthorpe his daughter. I'm to be Waitstill Eastman. I chose that because she has things to eat." "Shall you eat pop-corn?" asked Patty. "Really, I couldn't think of taking a part," Burleigh said. "Nobody wants you to think of it," Flossy returned placidly. "It is settled that you are to have it. It is a bashful part, and, if you make any mistakes, people will think it is part of the play." "'Vanity of vanities,'" said the voice of Bathalina Clemens, who had approached unperceived. "'All is vanity.'" "So are you," Flossy retorted. "How came you home so soon?" Patty asked. "Didn't they have the funeral?" "No," the doleful servant answered. "Emma ain't dead: so they had to put it off. Jane concluded to do her churning, after all; but she says she's in hopes to get through the burying by next Wednesday. And I should think she'd want to; for that'll finish up all the first wife's children. It'll naturally give her more time to look after her own."