"I want you to have the best time of anybody at my party, father," she had said, "and as soon as all the guests have arrived, you must go and play cards with Colonel Lamson and the others." No other in the whole world, not even her mother, did Lucina love as well as she loved her father, and the comfort and pleasure of no other had she so deeply at heart.
At the Squire's elbow, standing faithfully by him until he should get his release, were his three friends: John Jennings and Lawyer Eliphalet Means in their ancient swallow-tails--John Jennings's being of renowned London make, though nobody in Upham appreciated that--and Colonel Jack Lamson in his old dress uniform.

Colonel Lamson, having grown stouter of late years, wore with a mighty discomfort of the flesh but with an unyielding spirit his old clothes of state.
"I'll be damned if I thought I could get into 'em at first, Eben," he had told the Squire when he arrived.

"Haven't had them on since I was pall-bearer at poor Jim Pell's funeral.

I was bound to do your girl honor, but I'll be damned if I'll dance in 'em--I tell you it wouldn't be safe, Eben." The Colonel looked with intense seriousness at his friend, then laughed hoarsely.

His laugh was always wheezy of late, and he breathed hard when he took exercise.
Sometime in his dim and shady past Colonel Lamson was reported to have had a wife.