Grandma had nearly succeeded in quieting them, when Madeline remarked to
Grandpa Keeler, in her lively and flippant style:--
"Come, pa, say your piece."
"How am I going to say anything?" inquired Grandpa, wrathfully, "in such
a bedlam?"
"Thar', now, thar'!" said Grandma Keeler, in her soothing tone; "It's all
quiet now and time we was eatin' breakfast, so ask the blessin', pa, and
don't let's have no more words about it."
Whereupon the old sea-captain bowed his head, and, with a decided touch
of asperity still lingering in his voice, sped through the lines:--
"God bless the food which now we take;
May it do us good, for Jesus' sake."
"Now, Dinnie," said Grandma Keeler, beguilingly; but it was not until
after much coaxing and threatening, and the promise of a spoonful of
sugar when it was over, that Dinslow was induced to solicit the same
blessing, in the same poetical terms, and with an expedition still more
alarming.
Then Gracie, with tears not yet dried from the late conflict, lifted up
her voice in a rapture of miniature delight; "Dinnie says, 'gobble the
food'! Dinnie says, 'gobble the food!'"
"Didn't say 'gobble the food!'" exclaimed Dinslow, blacker than a little
thunder-cloud.
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