14000 MILES 



attire, to hold a "service" on the steps of the grocery 

 store opposite the hotel. It seemed to be a general con- 

 ference meeting, and the sentiments were wafted upward 

 on the curling smoke from cigar and pipe. 



Dinner came next in order. Our hostess apologized 

 for its simplicity, owing to our coming late Saturday 

 night, but fortunately we do not spend overmuch thought 

 on "the table," and after the ceremony is over it matters 

 little to us. The unexpecte,d ice cream gave a nice finish- 

 ing touch to our repast that day. 



The afternoon passed all too quickly with our books 

 and letter writing, and the Hampdenites began to assem- 

 ble for evening service. Men only attended, and one by 

 one they came until there were fifteen in a row on the 

 grocery steps. Presently a humpbacked man appeared, 

 dragging Jerry along, looking meekness itself, to the 

 town pump. Suddenly Jerry gave a spring, which 

 greatly surprised the old man, and called forth sallies 

 from the grocery steps, which led us to think they had 

 not advanced to universal brotherhood. Directly atten- 

 tion was withdrawn from the poor old man by the 

 remark, "He's from Boston," referring to Jerry, and im- 

 mediately rapt attention was given to our friend the sea 

 captain, who looked like a genial presiding elder with his 

 broad hat, white collar and linen duster. Evidently he 

 was entertaining them with some of our driving exploits 

 which had interested him in the morning. Finally one 

 impatient voice broke in with "Well, how did they hap- 

 pen to light on Hampden?" 



At this point we walked out of the hotel in face of 

 the whole "congregation," for it was getting late for 



201 



