He seldom smiled , never joked , and had a Washingtonian reputation for veracity . Dan had never told a conscious falsehood in his life ; he never even exaggerated . Julius , beholding Dan 's solemn face , was seized with a perfectly irresistible desire to `` fool '' him . At the same moment his eye caught the dazzling reflection of the setting sun on the windows of Adelia Williams 's house , and he had an inspiration little short of diabolical . `` Have you heard the news , Dan ? '' he asked . `` No , what is it ? '' asked Dan . `` I dunno 's I ought to tell it , '' said Julius reflectively . `` It 's kind of a family affair , but then Adelia did n't say not to , and anyway it 'll be all over the place soon . So I 'll tell you , Dan , if you 'll promise never to tell who told you . Adelia Williams and Young Thomas Everett are going to be married . '' Julius delivered himself of this tremendous lie with a transparently earnest countenance . Yet Dan , credulous as he was , could not believe it all at once . `` Git out , '' he said . `` It 's true , ` pon my word , '' protested Julius . `` Adelia was up last night and told Ma all about it . Ma 's her cousin , you know . The wedding is to be in June , and Adelia asked Ma to help her get her quilts and things ready . '' Julius reeled all this off so glibly that Dan finally believed the story , despite the fact that the people thus coupled together in prospective matrimony were the very last people in Valley View who could have been expected to marry each other .
Young Thomas was a confirmed bachelor of fifty , and Adelia Williams was forty ; they were not supposed to be even well acquainted , XXXXX the Everetts and the Williamses had never been very friendly , although no open feud existed between them .
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