Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1919-01-01

It was q beautiful summer morning
as we drove down the hills and from
the summit of the last high ridge we
could see the smoke of steamer
looming over the st. Lawrence and
the big buildings of Canton on the
distant flats below us. My heart beat
fast when I reflected that I should
soon see Mr.. Wright and the Dunkel-
bergs. I had lost a little of my inter
est in Sally. Still / felt sure that
when she saw my new breeches she
would conclude that l was q person
not to be trifled with.
When we got to Canton people were
flocking to the big stone Presbyterian
church. 1t was what they called a
"deacons meeting" I remember that
Mr.. Wright read from the Scriptures,
and having explained that there was
no minister in the village, read one
of Mr.. Edwards sermons, in the
course of which I went to sleep on
the arm Of my aunt. She ~awoke me
when the service had ended, and
whispered:
"Come, we're goin' down to speak
to Mr.. Wright"
/ remember Mr.. Wright kissed me
and said: &c.,. ..
'Hello! Here's my boy in a new
pair o. trousers !"
"Put yer hand in there" I said
proudly, as took my own hand out
of one of my pockets, and pointed
the way.
He did not accept the invitation, but
laughed heartily and gave me little
hug.
When we went out of the church
there stood Mr. and Mrs. Horace Dun
kelberg, and Sally and some other
children. 1t was a tragic moment for
me when Sally laughed and ran be-
hind her mother. Still worse was 1t
when a couple of boys ran away cry
ing, "Look at the breeches!"
I looked down at my breaches and
wondered what was wrong with them.
They seemed very splendid to me and
yet ! saw at once that they were not
popular. went close to my Aunt
Deel and partly hid myself in her
cloak. l heard Mrs. Dunkelberg say !:
"Of course you'll come to dinner
with us?'
For a second my hopes leaped high.
I was hungry and visions of jelly
cake and preserves rose before me. OF
course there were the trousers, but
perhaps Sally would get used to the
trousers and ask me to play with her.
"Thank We, but we've got a good
ways to 60 and we fetched a bite
with us-ayes" said Aunt Deel.
Eagerly awaited an invitation from
the great Mrs. Dunkelberg that should
be decisively urgent, but she only
said:
"Tm very sorry you can't stay"
Ny hopes fell like bricks and van
ished like bubbles.
The Dunkelbergs left US with pleas
ant words. They had asked me to
shake hands with Sally, but had
chung to my aunt's cloak and firmly
refused to make any advances. Slow
" and without q word We walked
across the park toward the tavern
sheds.
We had started away up the South
road when, to my surprise, Aunt Deel
mildly attacked the Dunkelbergs.
'sThese here village folks like to
be waited on-ayes !-an' they're aw-
full anxious you should come to see
'em when We can't-ayes but when
We git to the village they amt nigh
so anXious-no they ain't!'
In the middle of the great cedar
swamp near Little River Aunt Deel
got out the lunch basket and l sat
down on the buggy bottom between
their legs and leaning against the
dash. So disposed we ate our luncheon
of fried cakes and bread and butter
and maple sugar and cheese. What
an efficient cure for good health were
the douehnuts and cheese and sugar,
especially If they were mixed with
the idleness Of Sunday. had a
headache also and soon fell asleep.
The sun was low when they awoke
me in our dooryard.
I soon discovered that the Dunkel-
bergs had fallen from their high es-
tate in our home and that Silas
Wright, Jr., had taken their place in
the conversation of Aunt Deel.