"
Moses had not heard the last part of the speech, for in less than a
minute he was at the front door, doing the honors with all the grace
imaginable.
"Nell has gone to the store, but mother will be here in a few
minutes, so make yourselves to hum," cried the genial host, showing
the female guests the way into the spare room "to take off their
bunits."
When Mrs. Spriggins appeared not a trace of the recent encounter was
visible.
"Wal, Mrs. Spriggins, yer growin' younger lookin' every day," said
the good old deacon as he glanced at the hostess in her best gown
and black lace cap, not forgetting to admire the coquettish white
linen stomacher that completed the costume.
"Deacon Rider, I'm afraid you are guilty of sayin' little fibs as
well as the rest of the folks. What do _you_ think, Mr. Squires?"
Mrs. Spriggins' appeal placed the minister in a trying position, and
his better half came boldly to the rescue. "I tell you what it is,
Mrs. Spriggins, I'm not going to allow you to get all the
compliments. Just think of it, Deacon Rider drove all the way over,
and never paid one of us a compliment."
"Well, well, if here ain't all the folks," exclaimed good natured
Simon Spriggins, bursting into the best room with several straws
clinging to his trousers--a practical illustration of attraction of
adhesion.
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