exhibit unusual interest in the pair of warriors, for a new excitement
had convulsed the village mind to its very centre.

It was whispered that Mrs. Wittleday, the sole and widowed owner of the
great Wittleday property, had wearied of the mourning she wore for the
husband she had buried two years previously, and that she would soon
publicly announce the fact by laying aside her weeds and giving a great
entertainment, to which every one was to be invited.

There was considerable high-toned deprecation of so early a cessation of
Mrs. Wittleday's sorrowing, she being still young and handsome, and
there was some fault found on the economic ground that the widow
couldn't yet have half worn out her mourning-garments; but as to the
propriety of her giving an entertainment, the voices of East Patten were
as one in the affirmative.

Such of the villagers as had chanced to sit at meat with the late Scott
Wittleday, had reported that dishes with unremembered foreign names were
as plenty as were the plainer viands on the tables of the old
inhabitants; such East Pattenites as had not been entertained at the
Wittleday board rejoiced in a prospect of believing by sight as well as
by faith.

The report proved to have unusually good foundation. Within a fortnight
each respectable householder received a note intimating that Mrs.
Wittleday would be pleased to see self and family on the evening of the
following Thursday.

The time was short, and the resources of the single store at East Patten
were limited, but the natives did their best, and the eventful evening