and grease. The knives and forks were iron, with bone handles, the

spoons appeared to be iron or sheet iron or something of the sort.

The tea and coffee cups were of the commonest and heaviest and most

durable stone ware. All the furniture of the table was of the commonest

and cheapest sort. There was a single large thick slice of bread by each

boarder's plate, and it was observable that he economized it as if he

were not expecting it to be duplicated. Dishes of butter were

distributed along the table within reach of people's arms, if they had

long ones, but there were no private butter plates. The butter was

perhaps good enough, and was quiet and well behaved; but it had more

bouquet than was necessary, though nobody commented upon that fact or

seemed in any way disturbed by it. The main feature of the feast was a

piping hot Irish stew made of the potatoes and meat left over from a

procession of previous meals. Everybody was liberally supplied with this

dish. On the table were a couple of great dishes of sliced ham, and

there were some other eatables of minor importance--preserves and New

Orleans molasses and such things. There was also plenty of tea and

coffee of an infernal sort, with brown sugar and condensed milk, but the

milk and sugar supply was not left at the discretion of the boarders, but

was rationed out at headquarters--one spoonful of sugar and one of

condensed milk to each cup and no more. The table was waited upon by

two

stalwart negro women who raced back and forth from the bases of supplies

with splendid dash and clatter and energy. Their labors were

supplemented after a fashion by the young girl Puss. She carried coffee

and tea back and forth among the boarders, but she made pleasure

122

The American Claimant