to
a commotion by the astounding fact that Captain Howard was going out
West, and had sold his farm to a gentleman from the city, whose wife
"kept six servants, wore silk all the time, never went inside of the
kitchen, never saw a churn, breakfasted at ten, dined at three, and
had supper the next day!"

Such was the story which Mercy Jenkins detailed to us early one Monday
morning, and then, eager to communicate so desirable a piece of news
to others of her acquaintance, she started off, stopping for a moment
as she passed the wash-room to see if Sally's clothes "wan't kinder
dingy and yaller." As soon as she was gone the astonishment of our
household broke forth, grandma wondering why Captain Howard wanted to
go to the ends of the earth, as she designated Chicago, their place of
destination, and what she should do without Aunt Eunice, who, having
been born on grandma's wedding day, was very dear to her, and then her
age was so easy to keep. But the best of friends must part, and when
at Mrs. Howard's last tea-drinking with us I saw how badly they all
felt, and how many tears were shed, I firmly resolved never to like
anybody but my own folks, unless, indeed, I made an exception in favor
of Tom Jenkins, who so often drew me to school on his sled, and who
made such comical-looking jack-o'-lanterns out of the big yellow
pumpkins.

In reply to the numerous questions concerning Mr. Gilbert, the
purchaser of their farm, Mrs. Howard could only reply that he was very
wealthy and had got tired of living in the city; adding, further, that
he wore a "monstrous pair of musquitoes," had an evil-looking eye,
four children, smoked cigars, and was a lawyer by profession. This
last was all grandma wanted to know about him--"that told the whole
story," for there never was but _one_ decent lawyer, and that was Mr.
Evelyn, Cousin Emma's husband. Dear old lady! when, a few years ago,
she heard that I, her favorite grandchild, was to marry one of the
craft, she made another exception in his favor, saying that "if he
wasn't all straight, Mary would soon make him so!"

Within a short time after Aunt Eunice's visit she left Rice Corner,
and on the same day wagon-load after wagon-load of Mr. Gilbert's
furniture passed our house, until Sally declared "there was enough to
keep a tavern, and she didn't see nothin' where they's goin to put
it," at the same time announcing her intention of "running down there
after dinner, to see what was going