home to tell their mother. [36] [36] WHY THE PETERKINS HAD A LATE DINNER. he trouble was in the dumb-waiter. All had seated themselves at the dinner-table, and Amanda had gone to take out the dinner she had sent up from the kitchen on the dumb-waiter. But something was the matter; she could not pull it up. There was the dinner, but she could not reach it. All the family, in turn, went and tried; all pulled together in vain; the dinner could not be stirred. "No dinner!" exclaimed Agamemnon. "I am quite hungry," said Solomon John. At last Mr. Peterkin said, "I am not proud. I am willing to dine in the kitchen." This room was below the dining-room. All consented to this. Each one went down, taking a napkin. The cook laid the kitchen table, put on it her best table-cloth, and the family sat down. Amanda went to the dumb-waiter for the dinner, but she could not move it down. The family were all in dismay. There was the dinner,[37] half-way between the kitchen and dining-room, and there were they all hungry to eat it! [37] "What is there for dinner?" asked Mr. Peterkin. "Roast turkey," said Mrs. Peterkin. Mr. Peterkin lifted his eyes to the ceiling. "Squash, tomato, potato, and sweet potato," Mrs. Peterkin continued. "Sweet potato!" exclaimed both the little boys. "I am very glad now that I did not have cranberry," said Mrs. Peterkin, anxious to find a bright point. "Let us sit down and think about it," said Mr. Peterkin. "I have an idea," said Agamemnon, after a while.
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