dignity of one of its own--came fully freighted both inside and out.
There were children and children's children, who, in the pursuit of
fortune, had strayed away from the homes where they first saw the light,
but who were now returning to revive around the old familiar hearth the
associations and recollections of their early days.

Great were the preparations among the housewives of Castleton Hollow.
That must indeed be a poor household which, on this occasion, could not
boast its turkey and plum pudding, those well-established dishes, not to
mention its long rows of pies--apple, mince and pumpkin--wherewith the
Thanksgiving board is wont to be garnished.

But it is not of the households generally that I propose to speak. Let
the reader accompany me in imagination to a rather prim-looking brick
mansion, situated on the principal street, but at some distance back,
being separated from it by a front yard. Between this yard and the
fence, ran a prim-looking hedge of very formal cut, being cropped in the
most careful manner, lest one twig should by chance have the presumption
to grow higher than its kindred. It was a two story house, containing in
each story one room on either side of the front door, making, of course,
four in all.

If we go in, we shall find the, outward primness well supported by the
appearance of things within. In the front parlor--we may peep through
the door, but it would be high treason in the present moistened state of
our boots, to step within its sacred precincts--there are six high
backed chairs standing in state, two at each window. One can easily see
from the general arrangement of the furniture, that from romping
children, unceremonious kittens, and unhallowed intruders generally,
this room is most sacredly guarded.