t was a beautiful summer morning as we drove down the hills and from
the summit of the last high ridge we could see the smoke of a steamer
looming over the St. Lawrence and the big buildings of Canton on the
distant flats below us. My heart beat fast when I reflected that I
should soon see Mr. Wright and the Dunkelbergs. I had lost a little of
my interest in Sally. Still I felt sure that when she saw my new
breeches she would conclude that I was a person not to be trifled with.

When we got to Canton people were flocking to the big stone Presbyterian
Church. We drove our horses under the shed of the tavern and Uncle
Peabody brought them water from the pump and fed them, out of our own
bag under the buggy seat, before we went to the church.

It was what they called a "deacon meeting." I remember that Mr. Wright
read from the Scriptures, and having explained that there was no
minister in the village, read one of Mr. Edwards' sermons, in the course
of which I went to sleep on the arm of my aunt. She awoke me when the
service had ended, and whispered:

"Come, we're goin' down to speak to Mr. Wright."

We saw Mr. and Mrs. Horace Dunkelberg in the aisle, who said that they
would wait for us outside the church.

I remember that Mr. Wright kissed me and said:

"Hello! Here's my boy in a new pair o' trousers!"

"Put yer hand in there," I said proudly, as I took my own out of one of
my pockets, and pointed the way.

He did not accept the invitation, but laughed heartily and gave me a
little hug.

When we went out of the church there stood Mr. and Mrs. Horace
Dunkelberg, and Sally and some other children. It was a tragic moment
for me when Sally laughed and ran behind her mother. Still worse was it
when a couple of boys ran away crying, "Look at the breeches!"

I looked down at my breeches and wondered what was wrong with them. They
seemed very splendid to me and yet I saw at once that they were not
popular. I went close to my Aunt Deel and partly hid myself in her
cloak. I heard Mrs. Dunkelberg say:

"Of course you'll come to dinner with us?"

For a second my hopes leaped high. I was hungry and visions of jelly
cake and preserves rose before me. Of course there were the trousers,
but perhaps Sally would get used to the trousers and ask me to play with
her.

"Thank ye, but we've got a good ways to go and we fetched a bite with
us--ayes!" said Aunt Deel.

Eagerly I awaited an invitation from the great Mrs. Dunkelbe