The board now fairly groaned with American profusion, and Caesar,
glancing his eye over the show with a most approving conscience, after
readjusting every dish that had not been placed on the table with his
own hands, proceeded to acquaint the mistress of the revels that his
task was happily accomplished.
Some half hour before the culinary array just recorded took place, all
the ladies disappeared, much in the same unaccountable manner that
swallows flee the approach of winter. But the springtime of their return
had arrived, and the whole party were collected in an apartment that, in
consequence of its containing no side table, and being furnished with a
chintz coverlet settee, was termed a withdrawing-room.
The kind-hearted spinster had deemed the occasion worthy, not only of
extraordinary preparations in the culinary department, but had seen
proper to deck her own person in garments suited to the guests whom it
was now her happiness to entertain.
On her head Miss Peyton wore a cap of exquisite lawn, which was
ornamented in front with a broad border of lace, that spread from the
face in such a manner as to admit of a display of artificial flowers,
clustered in a group on the summit of her fine forehead.
The color of her hair was lost in the profusion of powder with which it
was covered; but a slight curling of the extremities in some degree
relieved the formality of its arrangement, and gave a look of feminine
softness to the features.
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