to_ her but temper. I'll warrant Ephrum Spencer has got his
come-uppance before this time," said the poor-mistress, with
satisfaction. "Well, I think it's real providential that you don't want
to get married, Mirandy, for as like as not you'd get somebody that
would spend all your money. I told'em I didn't believe you was goin' to
take up with that poor stick of a book-agent."

"Oh, Mis' Bemis, I s'pose I be goin' to have him!" said Miranda
dejectedly. "He thinks he's consumpted, and I thought I could doctor him
up, and 'twould be a use for the money. And he was a minister once,
though it was some queer kind of a denomination that I never heard of,
and that seemed kind of edifyin'; and his arm was cut off away off in
Philadelphy ten years ago, and yet he can feel it a-twingein'. And he's
kind of slim and retirin', and not so unhandy to have round as some men
would be. And, anyhow, I've give him my promise."

"Mirandy, I didn't think you was so foolish as that,--and him an
imposertor as like as not."

"Everything that I've tried to do since Uncle Phineas left me that money
folks have called me foolish or crazy, and I always was reckoned
sensible before, if I was homely. Abijah's folks warn me against lettin'
John's folks have it, and John's folks against Abijah's, and they say
that banks burst up and railroad stocks are risky, and I'll end by bein'
on the town. I never heard anything about my bein' in danger of comin'
on to the town before. I put my savin's in an old stockin' between my
beds, and wa'n't beholden to anybody for advice nor anything. I tell
you, Mis' Bemis, there ain't a mite of comfort in riches to them that's
got nobody but themselves to do for. Now, I've been wantin' a good black
silk for a long spell, and I've been layin' by a little here and a
little there, and 'lottin' on gettin' it before long, and I've enjoyed
thinkin' about it jest as much as if I had it; and now that comfort is
all took away. I can go and buy one right out, and I don't want it. And
only see what trouble I've got into about marryin'. I can't eat my
victuals, and I don't enjoy my meet'n' privileges, and I don't even care
much about knowin' what's goin' on. The Bible says rich folks have got
to go through the eye of a needle before they can get into the kingdom
of heaven, and it seems jest as if that was what I was a-doin'."

"I don't think that's jest the way it reads, Mirandy; but if it's a
consolin' idee to you--"

"I hain't