g himself from coming on the plea of
being too busy, but saying he would join them at tea, if possible.
Wilford's mind was not yet fully made up, so he concluded to remain
another day and see more of Katy's family. Accordingly, after dinner, he
bent his energies to read them all, from Helen down to Aunt Betsy, the
latter of whom proved the most transparent of the four. Arrayed again
in the pongee, but this time without the hoop, she came into the parlor,
bringing her calico patchwork, which she informed him was pieced in the
"herrin' bone pattern" and intended for Katy; telling him, further, that
the feather bed on which he slept was also a part of "Catherine's
setting out," and was made from feathers she picked herself, showing him
as proof a mark upon her arm, left there by the gray goose, which had
proved a little refractory when she tried to draw a stocking over its
head.

Wilford groaned, and Katy's chance for being Mrs. Cameron was growing
constantly less and less as he saw more and more how vast was the
difference between the Barlows and himself. Helen, he acknowledged, was
passable, though she was not one whom he could ever introduce into New
York society; and he was wondering how Katy came to be so unlike the
rest, when Uncle Ephraim came up from the meadow, and announced himself
as ready now to visit, apologizing for his apparent neglect, and seeming
so absolutely to believe that his company was, of course, desirable,
that Wilford felt amused, wondering again what Juno, or even Mark Ray,
would think of the rough old man, sitting with his chair tipped back
against the wall, and going occasionally to the outside door to relieve
himself of his tobacco juice, for chewing was one of the deacon's
weaknesses. His pants were faultlessly clean, and his vest was buttoned
nearly up to his throat, but his coat was hanging on a nail out by the
kitchen door, and, to Katy's distress and Wilford's horror, he sat among
them in his shirt sleeves, all unconscious of harm or of the disquiet
awakened in the bosom of the young man, who on that point was foolishly
fastidious, and who showed by his face how much he was annoyed. Not even
the presence of Morris, who came in about tea time, was of any avail to
lift the cloud from his brow, and he seemed moody and silent until
supper was announced. This was the first opportunity Morris had had of
trying his powers of persuasion upon the deacon, and now, at a hint
from Katy, he said to hi