Where does the saying “I’ll be there with bells on!” come from?

In early New England Days, of horse drawn sleighs, owners would decorate their horses with bells. Each family took pride in the unique sound their bells made. With the roads being windy and narrow, you could hear if another sleigh was approaching. If you broke down and another sleigh stopped to help, it was customary to give the good Samaritan a bell for their assistance. Hence the saying “I’ll be there with bells on” means you expect a happy and trouble-free arrival.