eauty, with brows like Jove and Minerva; with bosoms like Venus,
cheeks like Ceres, and lips like Apollo, had the chisel of art but
sculptured them out, rounded them off, and polished them down to an
elegant, ornate life.

During the season in mention, there had been several sugar parties, and
now came Fabens' turn to reciprocate the compliment. So, one pleasant
day, when there was a slight cessation in the run, he received a few
neighbors to his camp, to spend an afternoon and evening.

Uncle Walter and his wife came over at an early hour; Thomas Teezle and
his wife, and their bouncing, cherry-lipped daughter, Rebecca Ann, were
present, confessing to none for a lack of pleasure. Mr. Wilson and his
wife were on hand, with kindly word and cheerful face, and tarried to
share the latest social sweet; and the son and daughter of a new
family, Lot and Nancy Nimblet, came with them, and expressed much
delight with a feast so rural and agreeable.

A new carpet of straw was spread on the shanty floor, and the neatness
of the ground before it, and around the little opening, gave evidence
of the neatness and interest of Julia Fabens. All declared it a
pleasant afternoon, and just in the nick of time for a sugar party.
Uncle Walter was called on for a story, and he gave one of his best,
with a witch of a tongue, that fairly reversed the wheels of time, and
trundled them back to the wild, wild forest again, and tumbled them out
amid screaming panthers, and howling wolves. Mr. and Mrs. Flaxman sang
a merry song, in a merry nasal tune. Aunt Polly Waldron _had_ to tell
of the tory that fired her barn and ripped up her feather bed; and how
he whooped and keeled when she dropped him, and how many tories and
Indians ran away. Then, Mr. Waldron told a story, and Major Fabens
followed.

Fabens the younger, and his sensible wife, contributed their share to
interest the party, and though they were unusually cheerful and social,
there was an elevated tone of sobriety in all they uttered, which had
its happy and refining influence on every heart.

Early in the afternoon, a kettle of sugar was set before them, and
little banks of the clearest crystal snow were placed around for
coolers, and then with wooden spoons, and grateful appetites, the feast
was enjoyed. As the sugar but increased their relish for the evening
refreshment, they partook of that when served, with a still better
zest, and many kind expressions and feelings, and m