ted
laugh from some Captain or Major or other military personage,--for it
may be noted that all large and loud men in the unpaved districts bear
military titles.

Deacon Soper came up presently, and entered into conversation with
Colonel Sprowle.

"I hope to see our pastor present this evenin'," said the Deacon.

"I don't feel quite sure," the Colonel answered. "His dyspepsy has been
bad on him lately. He wrote to say, that, Providence permittin',
it would be agreeable to him to take a part in the exercises of the
evenin'; but I mistrusted he did n't mean to come. To tell the truth,
Deacon Soper, I rather guess he don't like the idee of dancin', and some
of the other little arrangements."

"Well," said the Deacon, "I know there's some condemns dancin'. I've
heerd a good deal of talk about it among the folks round. Some have it
that it never brings a blessin' on a house to have dancin' in it. Judge
Tileston died, you remember, within a month after he had his great ball,
twelve year ago, and some thought it was in the natur' of a judgment.
I don't believe in any of them notions. If a man happened to be struck
dead the night after he'd been givin' a ball," (the Colonel loosened his
black stock a little, and winked and swallowed two or three times,) "I
should n't call it a judgment,--I should call it a coincidence. But I 'm
a little afraid our pastor won't come. Somethin' or other's the matter
with Mr. Fairweather. I should sooner expect to see the old Doctor come
over out of the Orthodox parsonage-house."

"I've asked him," said the Colonel.

"Well?" said Deacon Soper.

"He said he should like to come, but he did n't know what his people
would say. For his part, he loved to see young folks havin' their sports
together, and very often felt as if he should like to be one of 'em
himself. 'But,' says I, 'Doctor, I don't say there won't be a little
dancin'.' 'Don't!' says he, 'for I want Letty to go,' (she's his
granddaughter that's been stayin' with him,) 'and Letty 's mighty fond
of dancin'. You know,' says the Doctor, 'it is n't my business to settle
whether other people's children should dance or not.' And the Doctor
looked as if he should like to rigadoon and sashy across as well as the
young one he was talkin' about. He 's got blood in him, the old Doctor
has. I wish our little man and him would swop pulpits."

Deacon Soper started and looked up into the Colonel's face, as if to see
whether he was in earnest.