When at length he declared that he positively must be going on his way, we begged him to remain over night, and brought out his horse with great reluctance.
Before getting into the buggy, he took us each by the hand and saluted the girls, particularly "Doad," in a truly paternal manner.
"I've had a good time!" said he. "I am glad to see you all here at this old farm in my dear native state; but (and we saw the moisture start in his great black eyes) it touches my heart more than I can tell you, to know of the sad reason for your coming here. You have my heartiest sympathy.
"Tell your grandparents, that I should have been very glad to see them," he added, as he got in the buggy and took the reins from Addison.
"But, sir," said Theodora, earnestly, for we were all crowding up to the buggy, "grandfather will ask who it was that called."
"Oh, well, you can describe me to him!" cried Mr. Hamlin, laughing (for he knew how cut up we should feel if he told us who he really was). "And if he cannot make me out, you may tell him that it was an old fellow he once knew, named Hamlin. Good-by." And he drove away. The name signified little to us at the time.
"Well, whoever he is, he's an old brick!" said Halse, as the gray horse and buggy passed between the high gate-posts, at the foot of the lane.
"I think he is just splendid!" exclaimed Kate, enthusiastically.
"And he has such a great, kind heart!" said Theodora.
When Gramp and Gram came home, we were not slow in telling them that a most remarkable elderly man, named Hamlin, had called to see them, and stopped to lunch with us.