“Were there slaves in those days?” exclaimed Clara.

“Yes; black slaves and white,” replied Grandfather.  “Our ancestors not only bought negroes from Africa, but Indians from South America, and white people from Ireland.  These last were sold, not for life, but for a certain number of years, in order to pay the expenses of their voyage across the Atlantic.  Nothing was more common than to see a lot of likely Irish girls, advertised for sale in the newspapers.  As for the little negro babies, they were offered to be given away, like young kittens.”

“Perhaps Alice would have liked one to play with, instead of her doll,” said Charley, laughing.

But little Alice clasped the waxen doll closer to her bosom.

“Now, as for this pretty doll, my little Alice,” said Grandfather, “I wish you could have seen what splendid dresses the ladies wore in those times.  They had silks, and satins, and damasks, and brocades, and high head-dresses, and all sorts of fine things.  And they used to wear hooped-petticoats, of such enormous size that it was quite a journey to walk round them.”

“And how did the gentlemen dress?” asked Charley.

“With full as much magnificence as the ladies,” answered Grandfather.  “For their holiday suits, they had coats of figured velvet, crimson, green, blue, and all other gay colors, embroidered with gold or silver lace.  Their waistcoats, which were five times as large as modern ones, were very splendid.  Sometimes, the whole waistcoat, which came down almost to the knees, was made of gold brocade.”

“Why, the wearer must have shone like a golden image!” said Clara.

“And, then,” continued Grandfather, “they wore various sorts of periwigs, such as the Tie, the Spencer, the Brigadier, the Major, the Albemarle, the Ramilies, the Feather-top, and the Full-bottom!  Their three-cornered hats were laced with gold or silver.  They had shining buckles at the knees of their small clothes, and buckles likewise in their shoes.  They wore swords, with beautiful hilts, either of silver, or sometimes of polished steel, inlaid with gold.”

“Oh, I should like to wear a sword!” cried Charley.

“And an embroidered crimson velvet coat,” said Clara, laughing, “and a gold brocade waistcoat down to your knees!”

“And knee-buckles and shoe-buckles,” said Laurence, laughing also.

“And a periwig,” added little Alice, soberly, not knowing what was the article of dress, which she recommended to our friend Charley.

Grandfather smiled at the idea of Charley’s sturdy little figure in such a grotesque caparison.  He then went on with the history of the chair, and told the children, that, in 1730, King George the Second appointed Jonathan Belcher to be governor of Massachusetts, in place of the deceased Governor Burnet.  Mr. Belcher was a native of the province, but had spent much of his life in Europe.