, nephews, and grandchildren, and at the period of
which I am writing there had been built on the shore of the lake, or in
its vicinity, a number of handsome and stately residences by people who
had been attracted by the beauty of the situation and the salubrity of
the summer climate. And so, for some months in the pleasant season, the
village was enlivened by a concourse of visitors who brought with them
urban customs, costumes, and equipages, and gave a good deal of life
and color to the village streets. Then did Homeville put its best foot
forward and money in its pouch.

"I ain't what ye might call an old residenter," said David, "though I
was part raised on Buxton Hill, an' I ain't so well 'quainted with the
nabobs; but Polly's lived in the village ever sence she got married, an'
knows their fam'ly hist'ry, dam, an' sire, an' pedigree gen'ally. Of
course," he remarked, "I know all the men folks, an' they know me, but I
never ben into none o' their houses except now an' then on a matter of
bus'nis, an' I guess," he said with a laugh, "that Polly 'd allow 't she
don't spend all her time in that circle. Still," he added, "they all
know her, an' ev'ry little while some o' the women folks 'll come in an'
see her. She's putty popular, Polly is," he concluded.

"I should think so, indeed," remarked John.

"Yes, sir," said David, "the's worse folks 'n Polly Bixbee, if she don't
put on no style; an' the fact is, that some of the folks that lives here
the year 'round, an' always have, an' call the rest on us 'village
people,' 'r' jest as countryfied in their way 's me an' Polly is in
our'n--only they don't know it. 'Bout the only diff'rence is the way
they talk an' live." John looked at Mr. Harum in some doubt as to the
seriousness of the last remark.

"Go to the 'Piscopal church, an' have what they call dinner at six
o'clock," said David. "Now, there's the The'dore Verjooses," he
continued; "the 'rig'nal Verjoos come an' settled here some time in the
thirties, I reckon. He was some kind of a Dutchman, I guess"
["Dutchman" was Mr. Harum's generic name for all people native to the
Continent of Europe]; "but he had some money, an' bought land an'
morgidges, an' so on, an' havin' money--money was awful scurce in them
early days--made more; never spent anythin' to speak of, an' died
pinchin' the 'rig'nal cent he started in with."

"He was the father of Mr. Verjoos the other banker here, I suppose?"
said John.

"Yes," said