n of it was, that Tom Beacon himself was more
crazy after her than he was afore; and they say he made Miry a right
up-and-down offer, and Miry she jest wouldn't have him.

"Wal, you see, that went agin old Black Hoss John's idees: old Black
Hoss was about as close as a nut and as contrairy as a pipperage-tree.
You ought to 'a' seen him. Why, his face was all a perfect crisscross o'
wrinkles. There wa'n't a spot where you could put a pin down that there
wa'n't a wrinkle; and they used to say that he held on to every cent
that went through his fingers till he'd pinched it into two. You
couldn't say that his god was his belly, for he hedn't none, no more'n
an old file: folks said that he'd starved himself till the moon'd shine
through him.

"Old Black Hoss was awfully grouty about Miry's refusin' Tom Beacon,
'cause there was his houses and lots o' land in Boston. A drefful
worldly old critter Black Hoss John was: he was like the rich fool in
the gospel. Wal, he's dead and gone now, poor critter, and what good has
it all done him? It's as the Scriptur' says, 'He heapeth up riches, and
knoweth not who shall gather them.'

"Miry hed a pretty hard row to hoe with old Black Hoss John. She was up
early and down late, and kep' every thing a goin'. She made the cheese
and made the butter, and between spells she braided herself handsome
straw bunnets, and fixed up her clothes; and somehow she worked it so
when she sold her butter and cheese that there was somethin' for
ribbins and flowers. You know the Scriptur' says, 'Can a maid forget her
ornaments?' Wal, Miry didn't. I 'member I used to lead the singin'
in them days, and Miry she used to sing counter, so we sot putty near
together in the singers' seats; and I used to think Sunday mornin's
when she come to meetin' in her white dress and her red cheeks, and her
bunnet all tipped off with laylock, that 'twas for all the world jest
like sunshine to have her come into the singers' seats. Them was the
days that I didn't improve my privileges, boys," said Sam, sighing
deeply. "There was times that ef I'd a spoke, there's no knowin' what
mightn't 'a' happened, 'cause, you see, boys, I was better lookin' in
them days than I be now. Now you mind, boys, when you grow up, ef you
get to waitin' on a nice gal, and you're 'most a mind to speak up to
her, don't you go and put it off, 'cause, ef you do, you may live to
repent it.

"Wal, you see, from the time that Bill Elderkin come and took