That is, some of us lived in the new part, the rest in the old part back of it--the "L." In the autumn my sister gave a party, and invited all the marriageable young people of the village.

I was too young for this society, and was too bashful to mingle with young ladies, anyway, therefore I was not invited--at least not for the whole evening.

Ten minutes of it was to be my whole share.

I was to do the part of a bear in a small fairy play.

I was to be disguised all over in a close-fitting brown hairy stuff proper for a bear.