WhenAnnewascrossingthelastfield，shesawapproachingheranoldwomanwithwrinkledcheeks，whosurveyedtheearthanditsinhabitantsthroughthemediumofbrass-rimmedspectacles。ShakingherheadatAnnetilltheglassesshoneliketwomoons，shesaid，’Ah，ah；Izeedye！IfIhadonlykeptonmyshortonesthatIuseforreadingtheCollectandGospelIshouldn’thavezeedye；butthinksI，Ibegoingouto’doors，andI’llputonmylongones，littlethinkingwhatthey’dshowme。Ay，Icantellfolkatanydistancewiththese——’tisabeautifulpairforouto’doors；thoughmyshortonesbebestforclosework，suchasdarning，andcatchingfleas，that’strue。’
’Whathaveyouseen，GrannySeamore？’saidAnne。
’Fie，fie，MissNancy！youknow，’saidGrannySeamore，shakingherheadstill。’Buthe’safineyoungfeller，andwillhaveallhisuncle’smoneywhen’a’sgone。’Annesaidnothingtothis，andlookingaheadwithasmilepassedGrannySeamoreby。
Festus，thesubjectoftheremark，wasatthistimeaboutthree-and-twenty，afinefellowastofeetandinches，andofaremarkablywarmtoneinskinandhair。Symptomsofbeardandwhiskershadappeareduponhimataveryearlyage，owingtohispersistentuseoftherazorbeforetherewasanynecessityforitsoperation。Thebraveboyhadscrapedunseenintheout-house，inthecellar，inthewood-shed，inthestable，intheunusedparlour，inthecow-stalls，inthebarn，andwhereverhecouldsetuphistriangularbitoflooking-glasswithoutobservation，orextemporizeamirrorbystickinguphishatontheoutsideofawindow-pane。
Theresultnowwasthat，didheneglecttousetheinstrumentheoncehadtrifledwith，afinerustbrokeoutuponhiscountenanceonthefirstday，agoldenlichenonthesecond，andafierystubbleonthethirdtoadegreewhichadmittedofnofurtherpostponement。