But  while  thus  sketching  the  manners  of  my
simple,  plain  neighbors,  let  me  not  forget  to  ac-
knowledge that  ready  hospitality  which  thus  pro-
vides a  comfortable  meal  even  to  strangers  visiting
the  meeting.  Besides  myself,  there  were  at  least
two  others  present  who  were  not  members, — two
German  Catholic  women  of  the  poorer  class,  such
as  hire  out  to  work.
The  silent  pause  before  and  after  eating  was
also  observed  by  the  second  table ;  and  after  we
rose,  a  third  company  sat  down.
When  all  were  done,  I  gave  a  little  assistance
in  clearing  the  tables,  in  carrying  the  butter  into
the  cellar  and  the  other  food  to  the  wash-house.
The  dishes  were  taken  to  the  roofed  porch  be-
tween the  latter  and  the  house,  where  some  of
ithe  women-folk  washed  them.  A  neat  table
stood  at  the  foot  of  the  cellar-stairs,  and  received
the  valued  product  of  the  dairy,  the  fragments
being  put  away  in  an  orderly  manner.
I  now  had  a  time  of  leisure,  for  my  driver  had
7


70  "PENNSYLVANIA  DUTCH."

gone  to  see  a  friend,  and  I  must  await  his  com-
ing. This  gave  me  an  opportunity  to  talk
with  several  sisters.  I  inquired  of  a  fine-look-
ing woman  when  the  feet-washing  would  be
held,  and  when  they  took  the  Lord's  Supper.
