nd forth more'n ever.

"Then every term kind of altered him. He come back with a finer air,
better language and a knowledge of the ways of society folks, that put
him ahead of anyone else in the valley; while poor 'Lihu was just the
same in speech and manner, and more retiring and modest than ever; and,
though he was faithfuller, truer and stronger hearted than he'd ever
given promise of being, folks never took to him as they did to young
Joel.

"But I must go on, for young folks grow up and the signs of mischief
come gradual like and was not seen by foolish Kitty, but increasing
every time Joel come home for his vacations. Of course Kitty was to
blame, but the Lord made her what she was.

"Yes, I can speak freely of her now, because, as I said before, this
careless, pretty Kitty died twenty long years ago.

"Not before she married Joel, you ask? Well, of all impatient men!
really I can't get on no quicker than I be doin', and if you're tired of
it, why take your hat and go. Events don't fly as quick as words and I'm
taking you over the course at race-horse speed, skipping where I can, so
as to give you just the gist of the story.

"Wall then, Kitty loved life; not but what it meant work early and late
to keep things as they oughter be on the old homestead. Her folks warn't
as notable as they might ha' been till Kitty took hold; and then I tell
you, sir, she made things spin. 'Twarn't only her pretty face that
brought men like bees about the place; there was many as would ha' asked
for her, if she'd been as homely as a door nail. But she sent 'em all
away with the same story--all but her old sweethearts 'Lihu and Joel,
and they was as much rivals when they grow'd up as they'd been at the
old school-house, when Kitty treated 'Lihu like a yaller dog and showed
favour to young Joel.

"But 'Lihu hung on. He come of a race never known to give up what they
catched on to. Some way he gained ground too, for, with that shiftless
dad at the head of things at the homestead, there was need of a wise
counsellor to back up Kitty in the way she took hold.

"'Lihu was wise, and Kitty got to leaning on his word, and by the time
that I be talkin' of, I s'pose there warn't no one that could have
filled the place in Kitty's life that 'Lihu had made for himself--only
he did not guess at that, and the more she realised it, the backwarder
that silly young creature would have been to confess to it, even to
herself.

"Sir, I ain't use