This was too much for the boys.
"Oh, whatever shall I do with ye?" moaned the unhappy mother; "I
suppose I've got to learn it to yer!" which she did, word for
word, until Sarah Maud thought she could stand on her head and
say it backwards.
"Now, Cornelius, what are YOU goin' ter say ter make yerself good
comp'ny?"
"Dunno!" said Cornelius, turning pale.
"Well, ye ain't goin' to set there like a bump on a log 'thout
sayin' a word ter pay for yer vittles, air ye? Ask Mis' Bird how
she's feelin' this evenin', or if Mr. Bird's havin' a busy
season, or somethin' like that. Now we'll make b'lieve we've got
ter the dinner--that won't be so hard, 'cause yer'll have
somethin' to do--it's awful bothersome ter stan' round an' act
stylish. If they have napkins, Sarah Maud down to Peory may
put 'em in their laps 'n the rest of ye can tuck 'em in yer
necks. Don't eat with yer fingers--don't grab no vittles off one
'nother's plates; don't reach out for nothin', but wait till yer
asked, 'n if yer never GIT asked don't git up and grab it--don't
spill nothin' on the table cloth, or like's not Mis' Bird 'll
send yer away from the table.
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