I'd always wash my own nice
dishes with my own fair hands."
"That shows your Southern breeding," said Laura. "Southern women always
look after their china and do a good deal of the dainty part of the
housekeeping. Mamma learned that when she was a little girl living in
Richmond."
"'Tisn't only Southern breeding," said Amy. "Our Holland-Dutch ancestors
had the same elegant ways of taking care of their property. I'm writing
a paper on 'Dutch Housewifery' for the next meeting of the
Granddaughters of the Revolution, and you'll find out a good many
interesting points if you listen to it."
"Amy Raeburn!" exclaimed Laura, admiringly, "I expect you'll write a
book one of these days."
"I certainly intend to," replied Amy, with dignity, handing down a fat
Dutch cream-jug, and at the moment incautiously jarring the step-ladder,
so that, cream-jug and all, she fell to the floor. Fortunately the
precious pitcher escaped injury; but Amy's sleeve caught on a nail, and
as she jerked it away in her fall it loosened a shelf and down crashed a
whole pile of the second-best dinner plates, making a terrific noise,
which startled the whole house.
Papa, in his study, groaned, and probably tore in two a closely written
sheet of notes. Mamma and the girls came flying in. Amy picked herself
up from the floor; there was a great red bruise and a scratch on her
arm.
"Oh, you poor child!" said mother, gauging the extent of the accident
with a rapid glance.
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