t a present of half-a-dozen bottles of currant
wine, and these were attacked without any hesitation.

All the males at the table were in their shirt-sleeves. No man
thought of risking his Sunday coat by wearing it, even though the
viands were cold.

Jonas seemed to thoroughly enjoy himself. He looked about and
laughed, and rubbed his hands together under the table.

"Beware!" whispered Sally to her husband. "I can't understand
Bideabout. There's some joke as tickles his in'ards tremendous. Wot
it is, I don't see."

"He'll let it out presently," said Thomas.

As soon as every appetite was satisfied, and the guests had thrust
their plates from them into the midst of the table, Giles Cheel
stood up, and looking round cleared his throat, and said, "Ladies
and gem'men, neighbors all. I s'pose on such an occasion as this,
and after such a feed, it's the dooty of one of us to make a
speech. And as I'm the oldest and most respected of the Broom-Squires
of the Bowl, I think it proves as I should express the gen'ral
feelin' of satisfaction we all have. That there rabbit pie might
ha' been proud to call itself hare. The currant wine was comfortin',
especially to such as, like myself, has a touch of a chill below
the ribs, and it helps digestion. There be some new-fangled notions
comin' up about taytotallin. I don't hold by 'em. The world was
once drownded with water, and I don't see why we should have Noah's
Floods in our insides. The world had quite enough taytotallin'
then."

Giles was pulled backwards by the hand of his wife, which grasped
the strap of his waistcoat.

"Sit down, you're ramblin' from the p'int."

"Betsy, let go. I be ramblin' up to it."

"Sit down, they've had enough o' yer."

"They've hardly had a taste."

"Everyone be laughin' at yer."

"I'm just about bringin' tears into their eyes."

"If you go on, I'll clap my hand over yer mouth."

"And then I'll punch yer head."

The daily broil in the Cheel house was about to be produced in
public. It was stopped by Jonas, who rose to his feet, and with a
leer and chuckle round, he said, "Neighbors and friends and all.
Very much obliged for the complerment. But don't think it is all
about a baby. Nothin' of the kind. It is becos I wanted all,
neighbors and friends, to be together whilst I made an announcement
which will be pleasant hearin' to some parties, and astonishin' to
all. I ain't goin' to detain you very long, for what I've got to
say might