eight o'clock
Cousin Ephraim Prescott , in a blue suit and an army felt hat with a cord , got up behind , a little stiffly by reason of that Wilderness bullet ; and there were also William Wetherell and Lem Hallowell , his honest face shining , and Sue , his wife , and young Sue and Jock and Lilian , all a-quiver with excitement in their Sunday best . And as they drove away there trotted up behind them Moses and Amandy Hatch , with their farm team , and all the little Hatches , -- Eben and George and Judy and Liza . As they jogged along they drank in the fragrance of the dew-washed meadows and the pines , and a great blue heron stood knee-deep on the far side of Deacon Lysander 's old mill-pond , watching them philosophically as they passed . It was eight o'clock when they got into the press of Brampton Street , and there was a hush as they made their way slowly through the throng , and many a stare at the curious figure in the old-fashioned blue swallowtail and brass buttons and tall hat , driving the farm wagon . Husbands pointed him out to their wives , young men to sisters and sweethearts , some openly , some discreetly . `` There goes Jethro Bass , '' and some were bold enough to say , `` Howdy , Jethro ? '' Jake Wheeler was to be observed in the crowd ahead of them , hurried for once out of his Jethro step , actually running toward the tavern , lest such a one arrive unheralded .