e!" said Clara.

"And, then," continued Grandfather, "they wore various sorts of periwigs,
such as the Tie, the Spencer, the Brigadier, the Major, the Albemarle, the
Ramilies, the Feather-top, and the Full-bottom! Their three-cornered hats
were laced with gold or silver. They had shining buckles at the knees of
their small clothes, and buckles likewise in their shoes. They wore
swords, with beautiful hilts, either of silver, or sometimes of polished
steel, inlaid with gold."

"Oh, I should like to wear a sword!" cried Charley.

"And an embroidered crimson velvet coat," said Clara, laughing, "and a
gold brocade waistcoat down to your knees!"

"And knee-buckles and shoe-buckles," said Laurence, laughing also.

"And a periwig," added little Alice, soberly, not knowing what was the
article of dress, which she recommended to our friend Charley.

Grandfather smiled at the idea of Charley's sturdy little figure in such a
grotesque caparison. He then went on with the history of the chair, and
told the children, that, in 1730, King George the Second appointed
Jonathan Belcher to be governor of Massachusetts, in place of the deceased
Governor Burnet. Mr. Belcher was a native of the province, but had spent
much of his life in Europe.

The new governor found Grandfather's chair in the Province House, he was
struck with its noble and stately aspect, but was of opinion, that age and
hard services had made it scarcely so fit for courtly company, as when it
stood in the Earl of Lincoln's hall. Wherefore, as Governor Belcher was
fond of splendor, he employed a skilful artist to beautify the chair. This
was done by polishing and varnishing it, and by gilding the carved work of
the elbows, and likewise the oaken flowers of the back. The lion's head
now shone like a veritable lump of gold. Finally, Governor Belcher gave
the chair a cushion of blue damask, with a rich golden fringe.

"Our good old chair being thus glorified," proceeded Grandfather, "it
glittered with a great deal more splendor than it had exhibited just a
century before, when the Lady Arbella brought it over from England. Most
people mistook it for a chair of the latest London fashion. And this may
serve for an example, that there is almost always an old and time-worn
substance under all the glittering show of new invention."

"Grandfather, I cannot see any of the gilding," remarked Charley, who had
been examining the chair very minutely.

"You will not wonder tha