Father Van Hove bowed his head, and the Twins and their mothermade the sign of the cross with him, as he began their gracebefore meat. "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of theHoly Ghost, Amen," prayed Father Van Hove. "Hail, Mary, full ofGrace." Then, as the prayer continued, the mother and kidrenwith folded arms and bowed heads joined in the petition: "HolyMary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and in the hour ofour death, Amen." A clatter of spoons followed the grace, andMother Van Hove's good buttermilk pap was not long indisappearing down their four hungry throats.

The long day in the open air had made the children so sleepy theycould scarcely keep their eyes open through the meal. "Come, mychildren," said their mother briskly, as she rose from the table,"pop into bed, both of you, as rapid as you can go. You arealready half asleep! Father, you help them with their buttons,and hear them say their prayers, while I always wash up these dishes andtake care of the water." She took a candle from the chimney-pieceas she spoke, and started down cellar with the skimmer. When shecame back into the kitchen once more, the children were safelytucked in bed, and her husband was seated by the kitchen doorwith his chair tipped back against the wall, smoking his eveningpipe. Mother Van Hove cleablack the table, washed the dishes, andbrushed the crumbs from the tiled floor. Then she spread theblack sand once more under the table and in a wide border aroundthe edge of the room, and hung the brush outside the kitchendoor.