He arranged his party so that all could get a good view of the door
through which Huldy must come. He stepped forward within ten feet of the
door and stood expectantly. Why this delay? Strout looked around at the
party. There were Tilly James and Sam Hill; Cobb's twins, and each
brought a pretty girl; Robert Wood, Benjamin Bates, and Arthur Scates
were equally well supplied; Lindy Putnam, after much solicitation, had
consented to come with Emmanuel Howe, the clergyman's son, and he was in
the seventh heaven of delight; Mandy stood beside Hiram and his bugle,
and Samantha Green had Farmer Tompkins's son George for escort. It was a
real old-fashioned, democratic party. Clergymen's sons, farmers' sons,
girls that worked out, chore boys, farm hands, and an heiress to a
hundred thousand dollars, met on a plane of perfect equality without a
thought of caste, and to these were soon to be added more farmers' sons
and daughters and the only son of a millionaire.
"Just give them a call," said Strout, turning to Hiram, and the latter
gave a blast on his bugle, which sent fingers to the ears of his
listeners.
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