“Why, you are not half dry, son,” said his sister. She took the towel from him and gave his head a vigorous rubbing. “Go and get warm, honey, and sister’ll give you breakfast by the fire.” She turned to David: “Likely you take milk in your coffee. I never thought to ask you.” She left the room and returned with a cup of new milk, warm and sweet. He was glad to get it, finding his black coffee sweetened only with molasses unpalatable.

“Don’t you take milk in your coffee? How came you to think of it for me?”

“I knew a lady at the hotel last summer. She said that up no’th ‘most everybody does take milk or cream, one, in their coffee.”

“I never seed sech. Hit’s clar waste to my thinkin’.”

Cassandra