Closely following him are Amos Ames, his wife Louisa, and her cousin Minnie.

Seth Beckwith, the Mannons’ gardener and man of all work, is an old man of seventy-five with white hair and beard, tall, raw-boned and stoop-shouldered, his joints stiffened by rheumatism, but still sound and hale. He has a gaunt face that in repose gives one the strange impression of a life-like mask. It is set in a grim expression, but his small, sharp eyes still peer at life with a shrewd prying avidity and his loose mouth has a strong suggestion of ribald humor. He wears his earth-stained working clothes.

Amos Ames, carpenter by trade but now taking a holiday and dressed in his Sunday best, as are his wife and her cousin, is a fat man in his fifties. In character he is the townsfolk type of garrulous gossip-monger who is at the same time devoid of evil intent, scandal being for him merely the subject most popular with his audience.

His wife, Louisa, is taller and stouter than he and about the same age. Of a similar scandal-bearing type, her tongue is sharpened by malice.

Her cousin, Minnie, is a plump little woman of forty, of the meek, eager-listener type, with a small round face, round stupid eyes, and a round mouth pursed out to drink in gossip.

These last three are types of townsfolk rather than individuals, a chorus representing the town come to look and listen and spy on the rich and exclusive Mannons.

Led by Seth, they come forward as far as the lilac clump and stand staring at the house. Seth, in a mood of aged playfulness, is trying to make an impression on Minnie. His singing has been for her benefit. He nudges her with his elbow, grinning.

SETH — How’s that fur singin’ fur an old feller? I used to be noted fur my chanties. (Seeing she is paying no attention to him but is staring with open-mouthed awe at the house, he turns to Ames — jubilantly ) By jingo, Amos, if that news is true, there won’t be a sober man in town tonight! It’s our patriotic duty to celebrate!

AMES —(with a grin ) We’d ought to, that’s sartin!

LOUISA — You ain’t goin’ to git Amos drunk tonight, surrender or no surrender! An old reprobate, that’s what you be!

SETH —(pleased ) Old nothin’! On’y seventy-five! My old man lived to be ninety! Licker can’t kill the Beckwiths! (He and Ames laugh. Louisa smiles in spite of herself. Minnie is oblivious, still staring at the house. )

MINNIE — My sakes! What a purty house!

SETH — Wal, I promised Amos I’d help show ye the sights when you came to visit him. ‘Taint everyone can git to see the Mannon place close to. They’re strict about trespassin’.

MINNIE — My! They must be rich! How’d they make their money?

SETH — Ezra’s made a pile, and before him, his father, Abe Mannon, he inherited some and made a pile more in shippin’. Started one of the fust Western Ocean packet lines.

MINNIE — Ezra’s the General, ain’t he?

SETH —(proudly ) Ayeh. The best fighter in the hull of Grant’s army!

MINNIE — What kind is he?

SETH —(boastfully expanding ) He’s able, Ezra is! Folks think he’s cold-blooded and uppish, ‘cause he’s never got much to say to ’em. But that’s only the Mannons’ way. They’ve been top dog around here for near on two hundred years and don’t let folks fergit it.

MINNIE — How’d he come to jine the army if he’s so rich?

SETH — Oh, he’d been a soldier afore this war. His paw made him go to West P’int. He went to the Mexican war and come out a major. Abe died that same year and Ezra give up the army and took holt of the shippin’ business here. But he didn’t stop there. He learned law on the side and got made a judge. Went in fur politics and got ‘lected mayor. He was mayor when this war broke out but he resigned to once and jined the army again. And now he’s riz to be General. Oh, he’s able, Ezra is!

AMES — Ayeh. This town’s real proud of Ezra.

LOUISA — Which is more’n you kin say fur his wife. Folks all hates her! She ain’t the Mannon kind. French and Dutch descended, she is.