CHAPTER THIRTY ONE. 

DESCRIBES A HAPPY HOME AND A HAPPIER MEETING. 

In a small wayside cottage in the outskirts of one of those picturesque villages which surround London, an old woman sat at the head of a small deal table, with a black teapot, a brown sugar-basin, a yellow milk jug, and a cracked tea-cup before her. 

At the foot of the same table sat a young man, with a large knife in one hand, a huge loaf of bread in the other, and a mass of yellow butter in a blue plate in front of him. 

The young man was James Slagg; the old woman was his mother. Jim had no brothers or sisters, and his father chanced to be absent at market, so he had the "old lady" all to himself. 

"Well, well, Jim," said Mrs Slagg, with a loving look at her son's flushed face, "you've told me a heap o' wonderful tales about telegrumphs, an' tigers, an' electricity an' what not. If you was as great a liar as you was used to be, Jim, I tell 'ee plain, lad, I wouldn't believe one word on it. But you're a better boy than you was, Jim, an' I do believe you--indeed I do, though I must confess that some on it is hard to swallow." 

"Thank 'ee, mother," said Jim, with a pleasant nod, as he cut an enormous slice from the loaf, trowelled upon it a mass of the yellow butter, and pushed in his cup for more tea. 
Who sat at the foot of the table?
What did she have before her?
What was her name?
Who sat at the foot of the table?
What was he holding in one hand?
And in the other?
What did he have before him?
What was his name?
What was the woman's relationship to him?
Where were his brothers and sisters?
And his dad?
Was his face pale?
What had he been telling his mom?
Did she believe them?
But were they easy to believe?
Did he thank his mom?
What did he use his knife for?
What did he put on it?
Did he ask for more to drink?
an old woman
an old woman sat at the head of a small deal table
a black teapot, a brown sugar-basin, a yellow milk jug, and a cracked tea-cup
an old woman sat at the head of a small deal table, with a black teapot, a brown sugar-basin, a yellow milk jug, and a cracked tea-cup before her. 
Mrs Slagg
"Well, well, Jim," said Mrs Slagg
a young man
At the foot of the same table sat a young man
a large knife
At the foot of the same table sat a young man, with a large knife in one hand
a huge loaf of bread
At the foot of the same table sat a young man, with a large knife in one hand, a huge loaf of bread in the other
a mass of yellow butter in a blue plate
At the foot of the same table sat a young man, with a large knife in one hand, a huge loaf of bread in the other, and a mass of yellow butter in a blue plate in front of him. 
Jim
"Well, well, Jim," said Mrs Slagg
his mother
The young man was James Slagg; the old woman was his mother
Jim had no brothers or sisters
Jim had no brothers or sisters
at market,
 his father chanced to be absent at market, 
no
"Well, well, Jim," said Mrs Slagg, with a loving look at her son's flushed face
a heap o' wonderful tales
"Well, well, Jim," said Mrs Slagg, with a loving look at her son's flushed face, "you've told me a heap o' wonderful tales
yes
But you're a better boy than you was, Jim, an' I do believe you
no
 Jim, an' I do believe you--indeed I do, though I must confess that some on it is hard to swallow.
yes
"Thank 'ee, mother," said Jim
he cut an enormous slice from the loaf
 he cut an enormous slice from the loaf, trowelled upon it a mass of the yellow butter
a mass of the yellow butter
"Thank 'ee, mother," said Jim, with a pleasant nod, as he cut an enormous slice from the loaf, trowelled upon it a mass of the yellow butter
yes
pushed in his cup for more tea.