| A | B |
|---|
| arrangements | plans made beforehand; preparations |
| gathering | coming together of people |
| great-uncle | a grandparent's brother |
| homestead | a house with land and buildings belonging to it |
| persisted | continued repeatedly |
| pitches in | helps others get a job done |
| reunion | a meeting of group members who have been apart |
| satisfaction | contentment; happiness |
| announcement | formal printed notice, as of a weddding or other event |
| reassured | made less fearful or worried |
| limbs | arms or legs |
| faded | worn, pale |
| murmured | spoken in a low, soft voice |
| drumroll | continual beating of a drum |
| blacksmithing | the art of heating iron and hammering it into objects such as horseshoes and tools |
| tilled | prepared the land for growing crops |
| taper | to become slowly smaller or less |
| uproar | a noisy excitement and confusion |
| consent | permission |
| squealed | made a high, thin cry or sound |
