covered the sewing.

Since that dreadful day of the petticoat trousers my wonder had been
regarding all integuments, what Sally Dunkelberg would say to them. At
last I could start for Canton with a strong and capable feeling. If I
chanced to meet Sally Dunkelberg I need not hide my head for shame as I
had done that memorable Sunday.

"Now may the Lord help ye to be careful--awful, terrible careful o' them
clothes every minute o' this day," Aunt Deel cautioned as she looked at
me. "Don't git no horse sweat nor wagon grease on 'em."

To Aunt Deel wagon grease was the worst enemy of a happy and respectable
home.

We hitched our team to the grasshopper spring wagon and set out on our
journey. It was a warm, hazy Indian-summer day in November. My uncle
looked very stiff and sober in his "new" clothes. Such breathless
excitement as that I felt when we were riding down the hills and could
see the distant spires of Canton, I have never known since that day. As
we passed "the mill" we saw the Silent Woman looking out of the little
window of her room above the blacksmith shop--a low, weather-stained,
frame building, hard by the main road, with a narrow hanging stair on
the side of it.

"She keeps watch by the winder when she ain't travelin'," said Uncle
Peabody. "Knows all that's goin' on--that woman--knows who goes to the
village an' how long they stay. When Grimshaw goes by they say she
hustles off down the road in her rags. She looks like a sick dog
herself, but I've heard that she keeps that room o' hers just as neat as
a pin."

Near the village we passed a smart-looking buggy drawn by a spry-footed
horse in shiny harness. Then I noticed with a pang that our wagon was
covered with dry mud and that our horses were rather bony and our
harnesses a kind of lead color. So I was in an humble state of mind when
we entered the village. Uncle Peabody had had little to say and I had
kept still knowing that he sat in the shadow of a great problem.

There was a crowd of men and women in front of Mr. Wright's office and
through its open door I saw many of his fellow townsmen. We waited at
the door for a few minutes. I crowded in while Uncle Peabody stood
talking with a villager. The Senator caught sight of me and came to my
side and put his hand on my head and said:

"Hello, Bart! How you've grown! and how handsome you look! Where's your
uncle?"

"He's there by the door," I answered.

"Well, le's go and see him."

Then I f