er join in giving you a most hearty welcome.
They wish you to make yourselves at home and will do all in their power
to make the evening a happy one and one long to be remembered by the
inhabitants of Mason's Corner. The inception of this happy event, I
learn, is due to Professor Strout, who for some time, I understand, has
been Miss Mason's music teacher, and the ladies, whose ideas I am
expressing, desire me to call upon him to take charge of the festivities
and bring them to a successful close, as he is no doubt competent and
willing to do."

Quincy bowed low and retired behind the other members of the party.

Quincy's speech was greeted with cheers and more clapping of hands. Even
Strout's friends were pleased by the graceful compliment paid to the
Professor, and joined in the applause.

Strout had by this time fully recovered his equanimity. A chair was
placed upon the kitchen table and Abner Stiles was boosted up and took
his seat thereon. While he was tuning up his fiddle the Professor opened
a package that one of the girls handed to him and passed a pair of
knitted woollen wristers to each lady in the company. He gave three
pairs to Huldy, who in turn gave one pair to her mother and one to
Alice. There were several pairs over, as several girls who had been
expected to join the party had not come.

"Now, Mrs. Mason," said the Professor, "could you kindly supply me with
a couple of small baskets, or if not, with a couple of milk pans?"

The Professor took one of the pans and Robert Wood the other.

"The ladies wall please form in line," cried the Professor; which was
done. "Now will each lady," said the Professor, "as she marches between
us, throw one wrister in one pan and t'other wrister in the other pan?
Give us a good, lively march, Abner," he added, and the music began.

The procession passed between the upheld pans, one wrister of each pair
thrown right and the other left, as it moved on.

The music stopped. "Now, will the ladies please form in line again,"
said the Professor, "and as they pass through each one take a wrister
from the pan held by Mr. Wood."

The music started up again and the procession moved forward and the work
of selection was completed.

Again the music stopped. "Now will the gentlemen form in line, and as
they march forward each one take a wrister from the pan that I hold,"
said the Professor.

Once more the music started up. The line was formed, the procession
advanced, 'Z