He said he was just waitin' for a good chance to tell
Elijah his opinion of him right to his face, an' he said as he should
give him to understand as after this he must submit all other planks to
_him_ afore he printed 'em. Mr. Kimball says that Judge Fitch said good
gracious him, there would n't be no knowin' what he'd have to live up to
next, if Elijah was n't reined in tighter. Judge Fitch says the old way
is good enough for him when he goes to Washington.

"But that ain't all the trouble there is. Mr. Fisher feels very much
hurt at Elijah's writin' any editorial without consultin' him first. He
says he told him as he could have give him a motto out of Shakespeare
about layin' on an' dammin' as would have put life in the campaign right
off at the beginnin'; an' then there's Mrs. Macy as thinks he was awful
mean to call her one as carries weight anywhere; I'm sure I wish Elijah
had let Mrs. Macy alone for she's worse than hornets over that remark of
his. She says maybe Elijah'll go over two hundred an' fifty hisself some
day, an' if he does he'll know as it's no joke. She bu'st her rocker
last night when she read what he said about her, an' she says bu'stin' a
rocker ought to show better than any words how mad it made her. My, she
says, but she was mad! I told Elijah when he was gettin' up the paper as
he'd better never say nothin' about nobody in it, but Elijah can't help
being a man an' very like all men in consequence, an' he said as a paper
was n't nothin' without personal items, an' he thought folks would
enjoy being dished up tart an' spicy. I told him my views was altogether
different. 'Elijah Doxey,' I says, 'you dish Meadville up tart an' spicy
an' we'll all feel to enjoy, but you leave folks here alone.' But he
didn't mind me an' now he's got a lesson as will maybe teach him to
leave the armchairs of folks as is payin' for his paper unbu'sted
henceforth."

"Now--?" asked Mrs. Lathrop.

"Oh, we get along pretty well," said Susan; "a man's a man, an' of
course any house always is pleasanter without one in it, but I guess if
you have to have one around Elijah's about as little bother as you could
ask. I'm teachin' him to be real orderly in a hurry just by puttin' his
things where he couldn't possibly find 'em if he leaves 'em layin'
around. You always can manage pleasantly if you're smart, an' I'm smart.
If he don't empty his basin, I don't fill his pitcher; if he's late to
meals, I eat up all as is hot;--oh!