His city manners, he felt, instinctively, must be
unlearned, or at least laid aside for a time. Yet it was not easy
for him to assume, at such short notice, those of his hosts.
Happening to address Asenath as "Miss Mitchenor," Eli turned to him
with a rebuking face.
"We do not use compliments, Richard," said he; "my daughter's name
is Asenath.
"I beg pardon. I will try to accustom myself to your ways, since
you have been so kind as to take me for a while," apologized
Richard Hilton.
"Thee's under no obligation to us," said Friend Mitchenor, in his
strict sense of justice; "thee pays for what thee gets."
The finer feminine instinct of Abigail led her to interpose.
"We'll not expect too much of thee, at first, Richard," she
remarked, with a kind expression of face, which had the effect of
a smile: "but our ways are plain and easily learned. Thee knows,
perhaps, that we're no respecters of persons."
It was some days, however, before the young man could overcome his
natural hesitation at the familiarity implied by these new forms of
speech.
Pages:
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334