before I am ready to strain up," answered Aunt Mary, with a merry twinkle
in her eye as she regarded Matthew in his purple and fine linen. "Put an
apron on him," she added.

"Lead me to the apron," said Matthew, with real and not mock heroics.

"But before you go I want to tell all of you about an invitation that has
come over the telephone in the bank to all of Riverfield, and make a
consultation about it. Now who do you suppose gave it?"

"Who?" we all asked in chorus.

"Nobody less than the governor of the State called up Silas, me answering
for him on account of his deafness, and asked everybody to come in to town
next Saturday night to hear this new commissioner of agriculture that he is
going to appoint make the opening address of his office, I reckon you could
call it. You know Silas is the leading Democrat of this district, and the
governor has opened riz biscuits with me many a time. I told him 'Thank
you, sir,' we would all come and hear the young man talk about what he
didn't know, and he laughed and rang off. Yes, we are all going in a kind
of caravan of vehicles, and I want you to go, Nancy, in the family coach
and take Mrs. Tillett with you on account of her having to take all the
seven little Tilletts, because there won't be a minder woman left to look
after 'em. Bud will drive so as not to disturb Cradd or William in their
Heathen pursuits or discommode Rufus' disposition. Now, won't it be nice
for the whole town to go junketing in like that?" As she spoke Aunt Mary
beamed upon us all with pure delight.

"But Saturday evening is the night that Mr. Matthew is going to have that
dance for me, Mother," said Polly, with the violets becoming slightly