matter with me these days," said
Samantha Ann to Miss Vilda, as they sat peeling and slicing apples for
drying. "My heart has felt like a stun these last years, and now all to
once it's so soft I'm ashamed of it. Seems to me there never was such a
summer! The hay never smelt so sweet, the birds never sang so well, the
currants never jelled so hard! Why I can't kick the cat, though she's
more everlastin'ly under foot 'n ever, 'n' pretty soon I sha'n't even
have sprawl enough to jaw Jabe Slocum. I b'lieve it's nothin' in the
world but them children! They keep a runnin' after me, 'n' it's dear
Samanthy here, 'n' dear Samanthy there, jest as if I warn't a hombly old
maid; 'n' they take holt o' my hands on both sides o' me, 'n' won't stir
a step tell I go to see the chickens with 'em, 'n' the pig, 'n' one
thing 'n' 'nother, 'n' clappin' their hands when I make 'em gingerbread
men! And that reminds me, I see the school-teacher goin' down along this
mornin', 'n' I run out to see how Timothy was gittin' along in his
studies. She says he's the most ex-tra-ordi-nary scholar in this
deestrick. She says he takes holt of every book she gives him jest as if
't was reviewin' 'stid o' the first time over. She says when he speaks
pieces, Friday afternoons, all the rest o' the young ones set there with
their jaws hanging 'n' some of 'em laughin' 'n' cryin' 't the same time.
She says we'd oughter see some of his comp'sitions, 'n' she'll show us
some as soon as she gits 'em back from her beau that works at the
Waterbury Watch Factory, and they're goin' to be married 's quick as she
gits money enough saved up to buy her weddin' close; 'n' I told her not
to put it off too long or she'd hev her close on her hands, 'stid of her
back. She says Timothy's at the head of the hull class, but, land! there
ain't a boy in it that knows enough to git his close on right sid' out.
She's a splendid teacher, Miss Boothby is! She tells me the seeleck men
hev raised her pay to four dollars a week 'n' she to board herself, 'n'
she's wuth every cent of it. I like to see folks well paid that's got
the patience to set in doors 'n' cram information inter young ones that
don't care no more 'bout learn in' 'n' a skunk-blackbird. She give me
Timothy's writin' book, for you to see what he writ in it yesterday, 'n'
she hed to keep him in 't recess 'cause he didn't copy 'Go to the ant
thou sluggard and be wise,' as he'd oughter. Now let's see what 't is.
My grief! it's p