If a man happened to be struck dead the night after he'd been givin' a ball," (the Colonel loosened his black stock a little, and winked and swallowed two or three times,) "I should n't call it a judgment,--I should call it a coincidence.

But I 'm a little afraid our pastor won't come.

Somethin' or other's the matter with Mr.Fairweather.I should sooner expect to see the old Doctor come over out of the Orthodox parsonage-house." "I've asked him," said the Colonel.
"Well ?" said Deacon Soper.
"He said he should like to come, but he did n't know what his people would say.

For his part, he loved to see young folks havin' their sports together, and very often felt as if he should like to be one of 'em himself.

'But,' says I, 'Doctor, I don't say there won't be a little dancin'.' 'Don't!' says he, 'for I want Letty to go,' (she's his granddaughter that's been stayin' with him,) 'and Letty 's mighty fond of dancin'.