as you do this and are contented, you shall be made welcome."

So they went with this gentleman. At once he took off their rough and
ragged garments, and clad them in a fine suit of clothes, suited to the
place, and put them into a spacious apartment, where for a time they
lived very happily.

One day this gentleman came to them, and said business of importance
would call him from home for some days. In the mean time he hoped they
would be happy and do every thing in their power to reflect honor upon
his hospitality till his return. He said he had but one other suggestion
to make, and that was, that _for his sake_ they would be very careful to
set a good example before his servants, and do every thing _cheerfully_
that they should direct, for up to this hour not one of his servants had
ever questioned the reasonableness of his commands.

They thanked him kindly for his generous supply of all their wants, and
promised implicit obedience.

They now had, if possible, more sumptuous meals, and in greater variety
than ever, and for a few days every thing went on well. At length, a
servant placed a covered dish in the center of the table, remarking that
he always had orders from his master, when that particular dish was
placed upon the table, that no one, on pain of his displeasure, should
touch it, much less lift the cover.

For a few days these guests were so occupied in examining the new dishes
that this order was obeyed.

But the woman at length began to wonder why that dish should be placed
on the table if it were not to be touched; she did not for her part see
any use in it.

Every meal she grew more and more discontented. She appealed to her
husband if he did not think such a prohibition very unreasonable. If it
were not to be touched, why was it placed on the table?

Her husband at length grew very angry; she would neither eat herself nor
allow him to eat in peace. She at length remonstrated, she threatened;
she used various arguments to induce him to lift the cover; said no one
need to know it, &c. Still her good-natured husband tried to reason her
out of this notion. She now burst into tears, and said her life was
miserable by this gentleman's singular prohibition, which could do no
one any good; and she was still more wretched by reason of her husband's
unkindness,--she really believed that he had lost all affection for her.

This remark made her husband feel very badly. He lifted the cover and
out ran a