Page:An Old English Home and Its Dependencies.djvu/228

214 Being of a hospitable and kindly turn, he sent invitations to all the farmers in the neighbourhood who were within the purlieu of the borough to dine with him on a certain evening, and at the bottom of the invitation put the conventional R. S. V. P.

To his surprise he received no answers whatever. The invitation, however, was much discussed at the ordinary, and the mysterious letters at the close subjected to scrutiny and debate. "Now what do you makes 'em out to mane?" asked one farmer. "Well, I reckon," answered he who was addressed, "tes what we're to ate at his supper. Rump Steak and Veal Pie."

"Git out for a silly," retorted the first, "muster bain't sach a vule as to have two mates on table to once. Sure enough them letters stand for Rump Steak and Viggy (plum) Pudden'." "Ah! Seth! you have it. That's the truth," came in assent from the whole table. But what a fine man the old farmer is—the very type of John Bull. That he is being