"Ez Ah was sayin', Ah come t' leave an invite fer th' hop at Bear
Forks. We-all is glad t' see Anne Stewart, which was a school-teacher
some time back, an' it was fit t' celebrate her friendship, in some
way. Don't cha think a dance jes' th' thing?" As the visitor spoke she
rocked violently back and forth.
"I'm sorry my visitors are not here to thank you themselves, but I feel
sure they will be delighted to attend the dance," replied Mrs.
Brewster, shaking her head rebukingly at the small boy who stood on the
rockers of his mother's chair, and gripped hold of the back, and so was
roughly swayed back and forth with the rocking.
"See har, yuh Jim Henderson Halsey--git down from thar! Ef Ah ketch
yuh, Ah'll skin yer face fer the hop--that Ah will!" threatened the
mother, trying to reach her young hopeful.
But Jim Henderson Halsey knew from dire experiences just what to expect
did his mother succeed in catching him, so he dodged and ran away.
"Did you-all say the gals would be in shortly?" asked the caller.
"No, I said they were _not_ in. They are at the corral this morning."
"Laws me! What a place t' spend th' mornin'. Ah reckon they'll be along
any time, then."
"They left here just before you came and they are practicing on our
western horses before taking any long trips," explained Mrs. Brewster,
looking regretfully at the flower-beds where the two willful children
were destroying the fruits of her planting.
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