There was quite a company gathered together at one farmhouse, and we were among the number. When mealtime came not all of the people could be seated around the table, for it was too small, so eight of the number took places and the rest waited to eat at the second table. There was no nice white tablecloth to be seen, and not a fine display of nice dishes either; no silverware decorated that table, and, indeed, the whole house seemed void of an unnecessary thing. But I’m going to tell you about the meal, so will pass by a description of the house and its furniture. On the table were a plate of black bread, a small dish of butter, and two earthen dishes filled with milk. The dishes were placed at the ends of the table, so that four persons could have easy access to them when the dipping-in time came. There were knives and spoons, but not enough to go around. Now what was to be done? Well, they were used a while by some, then passed on to be used by those who had none. We were strangers in the company, therefore the favored ones, so had the happy privilege of having a spoon all to ourselves. Now they were not of silver, as you might suppose, but bone. They were short in the handle and large in the bowl. Just look at your mother’s kitchen spoons and I think the size will correspond very well with the bone ones we used. Instead of having bread and milk, which most of the boys and girls like, we took the milk first, dipping into the earthen dish and placing the milk in the mouth spoonful by spoonful; and then we ate the bread afterward. Now that was no style of our own, for we followed the example of those around us, and the custom seemed indeed a very strange one. When the slices of black bread were gone, and the dishes of milk emptied, all stopped eating and thanks were returned to the Father above who provides so liberally. After this all retired from the table. We were not made comfortable by sitting on sofas and easy chairs. Oh no; but instead of that we had the privilege of standing until those at the second table were through eating, and even then we had the pleasure of being seated upon narrow benches, or possibly on an uncomfortable chair. Those people had a novel way of cleaning the spoons used in eating. I noticed with astonishment that after each person had finished the milk, and needed the spoon no longer, he took the bowl of the spoon between the thumb and fingers of the left hand, wiping it clean; after which the spoon was put away, to be used sometime in the future. Now, little girls,—you who do not fancy washing dishes, and especially spoons,—you must not adopt this method of cleaning them. But probably you will think about it as I do,—that the custom is not a nice one, and hardly worth following.