You see, he was from the West, and had never been to Virginia before;
and when a man comes such a long way, one ought to put on company
manners and be extra polite. It wouldn't be right not to. I put mine on,
and I guess I did do a lot of talking. I'm by nature a talker, just like
I can't help skipping when my heart is happy and nothing hurts.

I told him about all the places we came to, and about who lived in them,
except the Alden house which the Reagans now possess. When we got there
he stopped in front of it.

"My!" he said, "that's a beautiful old place! Whose is it?"

"Some people by the name of Reagan live there," I said. "I don't know
them." And I started on.

I came near forgetting, and saying, "That is Alden house, where my
grandfather used to live," but I remembered in time. I don't acknowledge
my grandfather, and I knew somebody else would tell him Uncle Parke was
born and lived there until he went West.

We had a grand time. We stayed out over four hours, and I forgot all
about dinner. He didn't want to go in when I suddenly remembered and
told him I must, and then he said I was going to take dinner with him at
the Colonial. He'd asked Miss Bray, and it was all right. And that's
what I did. Took dinner with him at the Colonial!

I tell you, Mary Martha Cary had what you could truly call a Time. And
Doctor Willwood said he never had enjoyed a morning in his life like
that one. Laugh? I never heard a man laugh so hearty. Half the time I