wanted to know about father's folks. And are you a Blaisdell, too?"

There was the briefest of pauses. Mr. Smith coughed again twice behind
his hand.

"Er--ah--oh, yes, I may say that I am. Through my mother I am
descended from the original immigrant, Ebenezer Blaisdell."

"Immigrant!" exclaimed Miss Flora.

"An IMMIGRANT!" Mrs. James Blaisdell spoke the word as if her tongue
were a pair of tongs that had picked up a noxious viper.

"Yes, but not exactly as we commonly regard the term nowadays," smiled
Mr. Smith. "Mr. Ebenezer Blaisdell was a man of means and distinction.
He was the founder of the family in this country. He came over in
1647."

"My, how interesting!" murmured the little dressmaker, as the visitor
descended the steps.

"Good-night--good-night! And thank you again," bowed Mr. John Smith to
the assembled group on the veranda. "And now, young man, I'm at your
service," he smiled, as he joined Benny, still prancing on the
sidewalk.

"Now he's what I call a real nice pleasant-spoken gentleman," avowed
Miss Flora, when she thought speech was safe. "I do hope Jane'll take
him."