red he would not be sent to North America remained in the
service of the king, rising by merit to the position of rear-admiral.
He retained through life a deep affection for his countrymen, and
endowed a school on the island of Nantucket.

His younger brother John, from the outset, sided with the king. He
joined the British forces, became captain of a company of loyalists,
served under Colonel Tarleton in South Carolina, becoming major,
colonel, and after the war a major-general. He received a grant of
several thousand acres of land in Nova Scotia. Though maintaining
allegiance to the king, he had great respect and admiration for those
who espoused the patriotic cause.]

"Do you have garden tea-parties in Rumford?" Miss Flucker asked.

"No, not garden parties, but the ladies get together in a parlor, sip
their tea, take pinches of snuff from each other's boxes, talk about
the number of cheeses they have made, how much salt they put into the
curd, how much yarn they have spun, how many yards of linen they have
woven."

"Such a party must be very enjoyable," said Miss Quincy.

"Yes, I think they like to find out what everybody else is doing, and
how they do it. Their tongues wag lively when they get to talking
about what has happened and what they expect will happen; who was
cried the Sunday before, and who probably will be the next Sunday."

The ladies smiled at Robert's vivacious conversation.

"Does the town clerk cry the proposed marriages?" Miss Shrimpton
asked.

"Yes. The moment the minister finishes the benediction Sunday
afternoon, Squire Fellows breaks in, shouting that marriage is
intended between Hezekiah and Mehitable. Of course there are blushes
on Mehitable's face, while Hezekiah looks kinder sheepish."

Again the ladies laughed.

"Do all the ladies take snuff?"

Miss Flucker asked the question.

"Nearly all the old ladies carry their snuff-boxes in their pockets or
work-bags. There's one lady, however, who does not--Aunt Hipsy
Jenkins. Perhaps I ought to say she is well along in years, and that
the town clerk never has cried her. She carries her nose as she
pleases. She says if the Lord had intended it for a dust-hole, he
would have put it on the other end up."

A merry peal of laughter rang through the garden--so joyful that
several ladies and gentlemen joined the group, to hear what the young
man from the country was saying.

"Her name," said Robert, by way of explanation, "is Hepsibah,