She stared wonderingly after Jerome; she did not recognize him in his fine attire, though she had known him since he was a child.
When Jerome and Elmira came down-stairs he led the way at once into the north parlor, where the most of the guests were assembled.

There were the village young women in their best attire, decked as to heads and bosoms with sweet drooping flowers, displaying all their humble stores of lace and ribbons and trinkets, jostling one another with slurring hisses of silk and crisp rattle of muslins, speaking affectedly with pursed lips, ending often a sibilant with a fine whistle, or silent, with mouths set in conscious smiles and cheeks hot with blushes.

There were the village young men, in their Sunday clothes, standing aloof from the girls, now and then exchanging remarks with one another in a bravado of low bass.

In the rear of the north parlor were Lucina and her parents, Mrs.Doctor Prescott and Lawrence, Miss Camilla Merritt, and the Squire's friends, Colonel Lamson, John Jennings, and Lawyer Means.
Jerome, with Elmira following, made his way slowly through the outskirts towards this fine nucleus of the party.

Lawrence Prescott was talking gayly with Lucina, but when he saw Jerome and his sister approaching he stood back, with a slight flush and start, beside his mother, who with Miss Camilla was seated on the great sofa between the north windows.