this case it was Peter's roof-tree, or rather what was under it. I never
saw anything like Hayesboro when it takes generosity in its teeth and
runs away, as at the time when Mr. Stanton, the Methodist minister, had
thirty-five pounds of sausage sent him from different hog-killings just
because in prayer-meeting, when he publicly thanked the Lord for his
seventh child, he mentioned that it was welcome, though one more mouth
to feed. Of course, the baby didn't need the sausage any more than Peter
really needed all the things everybody wanted to send out to make the
cabin comfortable for him. Fortunately, Sam kept his head, as the
minister did when he sold the sausage and bought groceries for the whole
family; he selected only five pieces out of the list of sixty that we
gave him, and it took me a day and a half to go around and keep people
from getting hurt because he didn't call in his wagon for the things
they had got out and rubbed and dusted. And before the sun set on the
second day of my explanations I had talked Peter into the very heart of
Hayesboro, which was all down to the station to meet him and welcome
him. The mayor wanted to have the brass band, but I persuaded him not to
do that, but to make Peter a little speech. Miss Henrietta Spain asked
to have her school children march down to throw jonquils in his path,
and I had to give in to that. Besides, I thought Peter would like it; so
did Sam.

But that came later, after six of the longest days any of us ever lived
through. We spent them at The Briers, and every soft friend I had is now
a hardened specimen. Everybody went out to see Sam and advise him about
how to care for a distinguished guest that they all felt that Hayesboro
owned and was just lending to Sam for the time being, and they all
remained to farm. Most of them had never been to see him before, and
they were so delighted that they lost their heads and hearts to the
farm. The Briers is like a great, big, beautiful dog that lies there
begging you to come and plow it and scratch it and hoe it and rake it,
while it licks out green curly vegetable tongues for more. At first Sam
seemed slightly overwhelmed by all the offers of help that came with me
in Redwheels, dressed in business-like corduroys that had been made like
mine, in a hurry, and with hoes and seed-baskets, or that Pink or Tolly
drove out in their cars; but he finally entered everybody in the
time-book at two and a half cents an hour, gave