a supper philosopher, one who
talks learnedly at supper, either about cookery or about other things."

"I see it very clearly now. In town, of course, supper is taken by gas
light, so that the talker at supper is a talker by gas-light?"

"Yes, but the word gas, even the idea of it, has gone out of fashion,
through its figurative use to designate empty, vapouring talk;
therefore, when deipnosophist and gastronomer are spoken, the former is
employed to denote learned talkers at supper, such as we were half an
hour ago, and the latter, to signify one who enjoys the culinary
pleasures of the table."

"I am sure I am very much indebted to you, sir, for taking the trouble
to correct an old woman far behind the age, and to save her the
mortification of making mistakes in conversation with those who might
know better."

"Do not mention it, I beg. Should I, do you think, say anything of this
to Mr. Hill?"

"Oh, no," replied the old lady, laughingly; "he has forgotten all about
these new words already; and, even if he had not, he would never dare to
make use of them, unless they were in Shakespeare or the Bible or the
School Readers."

By this time the milking was over, and the lawyer, relieved in part, yet
with not unclouded conscience, carried pail and stool to the milkhouse.

The old man and Coristine sat down on a bench outside the house and
smoked their pipes. Mrs. Hill occupied a rocking-chair just inside the
doorway, and the dominie sat on the doorsill at her feet.

"Mother," called Mr. Hill to his spouse, "whatever has become of Rufus?"

"You know very well, Henry Cooke, that Rufus is helping Andrew Hislop
with his bee, and will not be back before morning. The young people are
to have a dance after the bee, and then a late supper, at which the
deipnosophists will do justice to Abigail's gastronomy." This was said
with an approving side glance at the lawyer. When Wilkinson looked up,
his friend perceived at once that his offence was forgiven. The husband,
without removing the pipe from between his teeth, mumbled, "Just so, to
be sure."

"Is your son's name William Rufus, Mrs. Hill?" enquired the dominie.

"No; it is simply Rufus. William, you know, is not a Scripture name. We
thought of baptizing him Narcissus, which comes just before Tryphena,
but my husband said, as he was the youngest, he should come lower down
in the chapter, and after Persis, which is my name."

"I was tayching school, and a bachelor,"