Page:Salem - a tale of the seventeenth century (IA taleseventeenth00derbrich).pdf/48

 a great deal better now. 'I'm glad to hear it,' says she; 'but your grandmother is only a child to me. Why, I'm threescore and ten, and five over,' says she. Only think, grannie; did you think she was as much as that?"

"An' did ye bide till the supper, Allie?"

"Yes, indeed, and there was a tableful. There was Landlord Nurse and Goody, and two of their sons; and there was Thomas Preston and Rebecca, and Mary and John Tarbell, and Elizabeth Russel and her husband, and Sarah Nurse and her bachelor from Marblehead, and I. Only think, what a family—thirteen of us to sit down to supper!"

"Thirteen! Oh, my bairnie! tha's an uncanny number—I dread tha's an unlucky thing. We wad say at hame one of the number wad be deed afore anither year. I dinna like the thirteen."

"Oh! well, grannie, I guess I did not count them right; and, besides, there were ever so many of the little grandchildren running in and out all the time. I guess that won't hurt us; and we were as gay as larks."